Early American History Curriculum: Hands-On History for Kids and Teens

Take your students on a creative, hands-on journey through America’s story from its beginnings in Africa, Europe, and the Americas to the Civil War and beyond with the American History Full Curriculum.

This year-long, stand-alone program includes all twelve early U.S. history boxes, each packed with fun, educational activities, lesson plans, reading lists, and educator resources. Perfect for homeschool families, classrooms, co-ops, and history clubs, this curriculum helps learners of all ages connect with the people, cultures, and events that shaped the United States.

What’s Inside?

The package includes twelve exciting boxes that highlight key chapters in American history. Every box contains age-appropriate activities, educator resources, and everything you need for an engaging, memorable lesson:

1. Mali: Why begin an American History course in Africa? Because the study of our nation (as opposed to the study of a continent) begins with the merging of three broad cultures: European, African, and Native American. We have chosen to begin our American story in the days before these three cultures came together in the New World. Learn about the richest man in the world, Mansa Musa, and his amazing and beautiful kingdom.
2. Powhatan: Visit one of the Eastern Woodland native tribes and learn more about the indigenous peoples of America. Try your hand at farming, baking and bead work, and read a traditional Powhatan folktale.
3. Explorers: All aboard for a fantastic insight into the ups and downs of life at sea, the men who braved the journey, and the legacy they left behind.
4. St. Augustine: Take an up-close look at the volatile life inside this fort, the truth about pirates and privateers, and the lives of the native Timucua people.
5. Jamestown: Have you ever wondered what life was like in this early settlement? What John Smith and Pocahontas talked about? When and where the first enslaved people arrived in America? Find the answers (and more) inside this box!
6. Plymouth: Explore this early settlement and learn new and exciting details about some of the most iconic early American people and events – the Pilgrims, the Wampanoag, and the first Thanksgiving. Jump forward a few decades and try to survive the Salem Witch Trials in a Choose Your Own Adventure story.
7. The French & Indian War:  Before he fought in the American Revolution, before he accepted the presidency, George Washington did something else: he started a world war! Discover what life looked like for soldiers, natives, colonists, and children during this time of conflict.
8. Revolution: Don’t just learn about the Revolution, experience it with all of your senses! Drink liberty tea while learning about the Boston Tea Party. Read about Paul Revere’s ride by the light of a tin punch lantern. Deepen your understanding of the Constitution and then try your hand with quill and ink.
9. Missions: On the west coast of America, the Spanish soldiers and missionaries were a very active part of colonial America. Explore the ways of native life and how things changed as people from two continents came together.
10. Lewis & Clark: Explore North America with the adventurous Corps of Discovery as they catalog animal and plant life, meet new indigenous tribes, and bring colonial ideas to new parts of the country.
11. Going West: The trickle of movement westward became a flood as gold, land, and forced relocation pushed people from all walks of life further west. This box covers the Gold Rush, the Oregon Trail, and the Trail of Tears in a relatable, memorable way.
12. Civil War: See how difficulties starting at the very beginning of colonial America came to a boiling point in the 1800’s as the nation struggled for survival. Meet Harriet Tubman and learn about the real Underground Railroad. Read Abraham Lincoln’s writing and learn about the state-of-the-art communication method he used during war time: Morse Code. Find out about the forgotten soldiers of the Civil War and discover how natives, immigrants, women, and both enslaved and free Black individuals changed history.

Each box comes with crafts, stories, and materials designed to engage students of all ages and learning styles.

Why Choose our American History Curriculum?

This secular, hands-on curriculum makes history meaningful by letting students create, play, and imagine as they explore the people and events that shaped America. The activities and stories encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity while giving students a rich understanding of the past.

Everything you need like supplies, directions, and historical context is included so you can focus on teaching while your students experience history firsthand.

Product Details

• Includes all twelve themed boxes with lesson plans, reading lists, and educator resources

• Covers a full academic year of American history

• Designed for students in grades K–12

• Secular, inclusive, and adaptable for homeschool, classroom, or group learning

• Welcome Boxes with introductory materials are now included with all full curriculum packages!

• Please see our FAQs for additional information

Bring America’s history to life for your students with the American History Full Curriculum for a creative, hands-on way to learn about our nation’s story. Order today and inspire a love of history!