Constitutional studies for littles...secular but conservative?

[BikeBookBread]

I know this is a long shot. We are Christians, but don't want to teach history from a strictly "Providential" view. (We do believe that the Lord's hand is providential in history, but we want to teach that in Bible class.) My dh has decided that he wants to teach the Constitution/Bill of Rights/early American history to our girls when the time comes...we have a few years.

 

Is there such a thing as an early American history curriculum that includes constitutional studies that is:

 

1) not "Providential"

2) not revisionist, but remaining "original intent-ish"

4) not antagonistic to religion (any)

[Guest lahmeh]

:lurk5:

[dragons in the flower bed]

I don't know about history but you've done a good job of describing the Uncle Eric series.

[Grammar Stage Parent]

You're not entirely on your own, but we are doing much the same thing you are, and are having to do a lot of extra research from non-homeschool sources.

 

A common theme among these books are respect for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and the connection between property rights and prosperity.

 

For children:

Abraham Lincoln - Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire

America's Paul Revere - Esther Hoskins Forbes

American Army of Two - Janet Greeson

Benjamin Franklin - Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire

Buttons for General Washington - Peter Roop

The Drinking Gourd: A Story of the Underground Railroad - F.N. Monjo

George Washington - Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire

Jamestown: New World Adventure - James E. Knight

Lafayette: Hero of Two Nations - Brandt

Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the American West - Steven Kroll

The Matchlock Gun - Walter D. Edmonds

N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims - Robert San Souci (SWB dislikes this one, but it points out that not all early settlers came for religious reasons)

Patrick Henry: Voice of the American Revolution - Louis Sabin

Paul Revere's Ride - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Wagon Wheels - Barbara Brenner

The Winter at Valley Forge: Survival and Victory - James E. Knight

Young Thomas Jefferson - Francene Sabin

 

 

For adults:

Economic Liberties and the Constitution - Bernard H. Siegan

The Enlightenment in America - Ernest Cassara

A Familiar Exposition of the Constitution of the United States - Joseph Story (used as a high school text in 1847, but in my opinion unimaginably difficult for that age today)

The Foundations of American Constitutional Government - Robert D. Gorgoglione

The God of the Machine - Isabel Paterson

A History of Knowledge - Charles Van Doren

How the West Grew Rich: The Economic Transformation of the Industrial World - Nathan Rosenberg

The Mainspring of Human Progress - Henry Grady Weaver

The Noblest Triumph: Property and Prosperity through the Ages - Tom Bethell

Original Intent & the Framers of the Constitution - Harry V. Jaffa

Property and Freedom - Richard Pipes

Property Rights and the Constitution: Shaping Society through Land Use Regulation

Second Treatise of Government - John Locke

The Structure of Liberty: Justice and the Rule of Law - Randy E. Barnett

Taking the Constitution Seriously - Walter Berns

 

The books by Van Doren, Weaver, Paterson, Bethell, and Pipes may be accessible to a Logic Stage student, with Weaver being the easiest.

 

 

Daughter: 8; Singapore Primary Mathematics 3A; Story of the World Level 2; Writing Strands 3; Spelling Workout Level C; Science experiment books recommended in WTM

 

Son: 5: First Language Lessons Level 1; Singapore Primary Mathematics 1A; general handwriting practice and reading practice

[BikeBookBread]

you're not entirely on your own, but we are doing much the same thing you are, and are having to do a lot of extra research from non-homeschool sources.

 

A common theme among these books are respect for the constitution and the bill of rights and the connection between property rights and prosperity.

 

For children:

Abraham lincoln - ingri and edgar parin d'aulaire

america's paul revere - esther hoskins forbes

american army of two - janet greeson

benjamin franklin - ingri and edgar parin d'aulaire

buttons for general washington - peter roop

the drinking gourd: A story of the underground railroad - f.n. Monjo

george washington - ingri and edgar parin d'aulaire

jamestown: New world adventure - james e. Knight

lafayette: Hero of two nations - brandt

lewis and clark: Explorers of the american west - steven kroll

the matchlock gun - walter d. Edmonds

n.c. Wyeth's pilgrims - robert san souci (swb dislikes this one, but it points out that not all early settlers came for religious reasons)

patrick henry: Voice of the american revolution - louis sabin

paul revere's ride - henry wadsworth longfellow

wagon wheels - barbara brenner

the winter at valley forge: Survival and victory - james e. Knight

young thomas jefferson - francene sabin

 

 

for adults:

Economic liberties and the constitution - bernard h. Siegan

the enlightenment in america - ernest cassara

a familiar exposition of the constitution of the united states - joseph story (used as a high school text in 1847, but in my opinion unimaginably difficult for that age today)

the foundations of american constitutional government - robert d. Gorgoglione

the god of the machine - isabel paterson

a history of knowledge - charles van doren

how the west grew rich: The economic transformation of the industrial world - nathan rosenberg

the mainspring of human progress - henry grady weaver

the noblest triumph: Property and prosperity through the ages - tom bethell

original intent & the framers of the constitution - harry v. Jaffa

property and freedom - richard pipes

property rights and the constitution: Shaping society through land use regulation

second treatise of government - john locke

the structure of liberty: Justice and the rule of law - randy e. Barnett

taking the constitution seriously - walter berns

 

the books by van doren, weaver, paterson, bethell, and pipes may be accessible to a logic stage student, with weaver being the easiest.

 

 

thanks so much! Great list!

[rowan25]

Excellent!!! I was coming here to post a similar request. We too would like something more secular in nature, preferring to keep our religious discussions as discussion/parental teaching vs. this being taught in the text.

 

I love the list that was posted. Are there teaching materials available for any of these books? I'm thinking Beautiful Feet, but is there anything else?

[Grammar Stage Parent]

I am aware of support material for a few of the above books. Progeny Press has Study Guides for *Wagon Wheels* and *The Drinking Gourd* (the latter is especially rich for discussions about morality existing independent of legislation), as well as for good historical fiction I previously did not list, such as *Bears on Hemlock Mountain*, *The Courage of Sarah Noble*, *Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie* and the first two *Little House* books. Rebecca Berg has done *Teaching Character through Literature Study Guide*, which has an entry for *Benjamin Franklin* by the D'Aulaires and for *Sarah Noble*.

 

These study guides are not, strictly speaking, part of a history curriculum. And they are structured around valuing the truth of the narrative measured against the Bible; they feature discussion questions and scripture references designed to develop moral reasoning skills.

 

Your best bet may be to contact the Foundation for Economic Education in New York. They are very homeschool friendly, have lots of material on American history, and on their website for you to see if your kids will absorb the material and when.

[rowan25]

I am aware of support material for a few of the above books. Progeny Press has Study Guides for *Wagon Wheels* and *The Drinking Gourd* (the latter is especially rich for discussions about morality existing independent of legislation), as well as for good historical fiction I previously did not list, such as *Bears on Hemlock Mountain*, *The Courage of Sarah Noble*, *Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie* and the first two *Little House* books. Rebecca Berg has done *Teaching Character through Literature Study Guide*, which has an entry for *Benjamin Franklin* by the D'Aulaires and for *Sarah Noble*.

 

These study guides are not, strictly speaking, part of a history curriculum. And they are structured around valuing the truth of the narrative measured against the Bible; they feature discussion questions and scripture references designed to develop moral reasoning skills.

 

Your best bet may be to contact the Foundation for Economic Education in New York. They are very homeschool friendly, have lots of material on American history, and on their website for you to see if your kids will absorb the material and when.

 

 

Excellent! Thank you very much.

[Heidi]

I haven't tried these products yet, but I LOVE many other books & programs on this website. http://www.nccs.net/children.html

[thyme4tea]

I don't know about history but you've done a good job of describing the Uncle Eric series.

 

 

I second this response. Uncle Eric series were written by Richard Maybury. Check out his interview with the author on CBD http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=2012492&sp=102656&event=1016INT

[usetoschool]

I haven't tried these products yet, but I LOVE many other books & programs on this website. http://www.nccs.net/children.html

 

:iagree: I used this years ago when my big kids were little - it is a happy, fun, has lots of activities and does a good job of teaching American founding and government, with a little economics thrown in at the end. It is definitely for littles. Kids over 7 or 8 might think it is silly. The NCCS people have a very positive view of America in general, love the founders, think positively about Columbus and that sort of thing.