Instructor Access (optional grading support) for Unlimited Access families is available for this course!

In this upper-level American history course, you will learn about the Colonial, Revolutionary, and Pre-Civil War times with a dynamic “guest” who may “appear in person” -- possibly Patrick Henry.

How to get the most out of  American History, Part One: Age of Exploration through the Civil War and Reconstruction with John C. "Chuck" Chalberg, Ph.D.:

• First, read the course materials below before the first class meeting.

• Then have a notebook ready and available for taking notes during each recorded session.

• Read assignments before listening/watching the recorded session.

• Watch, listen to, and take notes during the recorded session.

• Take the multiple-choice quiz for the session.  Each quiz is set to be taken an unlimited number of times.  Families are free to decide how many times a given quiz may be taken.

• There are five optional writing assignments scattered throughout the course,  Students are eligible to complete any or all, or none of them.  Parents are welcome to grade them.  Or parents can email them to me to be graded and commented on.  There is a $75 fee for that service.

• There is also an optional two-part final exam. Again, parents are welcome to grade this exam. Or I will grade it as part of that same $75 fee.

• Once the course is completed to the parent's and professor’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records.

Special Notes: Includes an optional writing component. This is Part One of a two-part course. S

Total Classes: 12

Duration: 55 minutes per class

Prerequisite: None

Suggested Grade Level: 11th to 12th grade (or advanced 9th and 10th grade)

Suggested Credit: 1 full semester American History

Instructor: John C. "Chuck" Chalberg, Ph.D.

Course Description: This course will cover American history from the late 15th century through the American Civil War and postwar reconstruction. We will cover colonial development, the road to the American Revolution, the revolutionary war and its aftermath, constitution building, the early national period, the War of 1812, the Jacksonian era, the pre-Civil War reform movements, the road to the Civil War, wartime issues, and postwar reconstruction. Along the way, there may be a few guest appearances by figures from American history, including Patrick Henry.

Course Outline:

• Week One: Exploration and Early Colonization

• Week Two: The Shaping of British North America

• Week Three: The Road to the American Revolution

• Week Four: The American Revolution and Its Aftermath

• Week Five: The Experiment Begins

• Week Six: From Jefferson to Jackson

• Week Seven: The Culture of Democracy

• Week Eight: The Old South and Slavery

• Week Nine: The Gathering Storm

• Week Ten: Secession and the Onset of the Civil War

• Week Eleven: The Civil War

• Week Twelve: Reconstruction

Course Materials: The Land of Hope by Wilfred McClay. ISBN 978-1594039379 (https://amzn.to/37YfKxp)

Homework: Students will read approximately a chapter per week. There will be weekly quizzes based on both the reading and the lectures, auto-graded by the computer for immediate feedback. For upper-level students or students who want to go the extra mile, Dr. Chalberg will assign an additional five writing assignments of 500 to 600 words each. Expect to spend three to four hours per week on reading and homework outside of class lectures.

Technical Help: If you have any technical trouble or questions about course content, please email us at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com.

©2022 Homeschool Connections and John C. "Chuck" Chalberg, Ph.D.. All rights reserved. This course is designed by John C. "Chuck" Chalberg, Ph.D.

• This material is only to be used for its intended purpose by active subscribers of Homeschool Connections. Any other use without explicit permission is in violation of the fifth commandment (yes, that 7th commandment) and in violation of US and International copyright laws.

• You may print or download to local hard disk extracts for your personal homeschool and non-commercial use only. This is not to be used for homeschool co-ops without express written permission from Homeschool Connections.