Self-Education: American History

[candicane]

I've gotten most of my self-education subjects planned out, but I'm still stumped when it comes to American History. My World History stops at around the Vietnam/Korean War time, so I'll be going into the American side of History then.

 

I was thinking of using this textbook since I know of a site that plans out worksheets that go with the textbook itself. (hopefully it'll still work since this book is 2006, and the sheets are for the 2005 one).

 

However, I'm a bit unsure about it. I really enjoy the idea of having a textbook to go along with, but there's so many it's hard to choose! I want it structured, but I want to be able to make my own schedule to allow me room to fill in with literature, geography, and movies that fit to that time period/piece.

 

So what I want to ask is what should I use for American History? Most of my studies in school started in Colonial Time, skipping anything prior. We did basic Indian pieces on Inca and Aztec, but nothing more. And we barely touched on the government aspects of that time (Declaration of Independence, stuff like that), and this is something I wish to fix.

 

I don't have much money to shell out for a lot of stuff, so I would like something that's free or not overly expensive. I don't want a whole cirriculum, I just want a book and places I can put in the above mentioned stuff. I checked out Guest Hollow, but their schedules included way too much editing out of stuff I don't want (lapbooks/notebooking/art & crafts/etc).

 

 

[Chels~]

Maybe Digital History? http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/teachers/lesson_plans/lesson_plan_ladenburg.cfm

 

Here is the home page as well: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/index.cfm

 

[elegantlion]

Saylor.org has a few free US history courses online. http://www.saylor.org/majors/history/

 

Crash Course has videos. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtMwmepBjTSG593eG7ObzO7s

 

Ken Burns produces video for many US events. PBS has study aids to go with most series. Some of them are available on Netflix or Amazon Prime. 

 

I would choose an inexpensive college level textbooks (most have study sites online). We used Tindall's America A Narrative History in my university class this year. *8th edition copies are inexpensive on Amazon. (there are 2 volumes, a regular edition -the one I used- and the brief edition). This text is very readable, not a dry boring text. http://www.amazon.com/America-Narrative-History-Eighth-Edition/dp/0393934063/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1403187618&sr=8-4&keywords=Tindall%27s+america+history

[In The Great White North]

We liked America: the Last Best Hope by William Bennett.  It's been out for several years now, so there should be used copies available.

[wingedradical]

America: A Narrative History by Tendall can be bought 2nd hand on Amazon. It makes an interesting read (more so that a text). 

 

It has a few pages on Native Americans in the front, but only in connection with relations with Europeans. It looks long, but it reads very easily. I enjoyed it even though I know a lot of American history.

[swimmermom3]

I am reading Daniel Boorstin's trilogy The Americans to prepare for teaching US history this fall. I much prefer his approach to reading a text. The first book is The Americans: The Colonial Experience.

[NancyNellen]

I am about to start Hillsale College's History 102: American Heritage course. It covers from American colonization to Reagan's presidency. It is a free online archived course, with additional recommendations for readings.

[candicane]

Thank you all for the wonderful help!

 

I'm going to be looking over the Hillsale College, Saylor, and Digital History for sure.

 

Looking into the books as well, but nothing strikes my fancy yet.

[SilverMoon]

My rising 9th grader is going to use the Fundafunda plan ~ http://fundafunda.com/blog/in-depth-us-history-course-for-high-schoolers.html ~ I am almost jealous. ;)