This class is a bundle of four of my Bite-Sized History classes. My Bite-Sized History lecture series is where I take an interesting, often lesser known, aspect of a larger section of history and give students a quick, 30-40 minute lesson on the topic. History does not have to be boring or full of names and dates to memorize! I want to turn history into something your children love to learn!

This is a flexible schedule class and has no live meetings. Lectures and any other materials will be posted each week and students can work at their own pace throughout the week. I will be posting discussion questions inside the Outschool classroom for students to respond to. There is no work assigned outside the Outschool classroom, though students are encouraged to take notes throughout the lectures and to do additional research into the topics if they would like to.


Week One: The Homestead Act of 1862

This class focuses on the Homestead Act of 1862, which helped spur the move west for many Americans. The Homestead Act allowed for a head of household to lay claim on a plot of 160 acres of land in the unsettled west and with a small filing fee, they could own the land for free if they lived on and improved the land for five years. This pushed many families west with big dreams of large farms, plentiful harvests, and prosperous lives, only to find that the frontier was not all it was cracked up to be. 

In this class, we'll discuss the Homestead Act, why it was created and what it entailed, why families chose to take advantage of it, what hurdles they faced once they reached their plot of land, the successes and failures of the Act, how speculators took advantage of it, and what damage the move west caused, particularly to the Native Americans who were already settled on the land.


Week Two: Single Pioneer Women in the American West

This class focuses on the single women of the American West. When we learn about the migration west, we often hear about families traveling together or men living in lawless outposts, but there were many single women who tackled pioneer life alone or with their children! Some moved west to teach, others took advantage of the Homestead Act to acquire land, and others found themselves suddenly single after their husbands died young, leaving them to maintain the farm, far away from family back east. 

In this class we'll discuss the reasons women moved west, the hardships they faced, their triumph over the pioneer hazards they found, and the overall impact of pioneer life on women and girls. We'll discuss several pioneer women and their lives on the frontier, including Elinore Pruitt Stewart, one of the most well-known single pioneer women. I will also give the students some information on how to learn more about Stewart, including her diary, which has been published as a children's nonfiction book. 


Week Three: Exodusters: African American Pioneers in Kansas

This class focuses on the African American pioneers, the Exodusters, who made a mass Exodus from the South into Kansas during the late nineteenth century. When we learn about the American migration west, we often hear about families traveling together or men living in lawless outposts, but very rarely do we learn about the African Americans who took advantage of the Homestead Act to acquire land or the Exodusters who moved out of the restrictive South in search of freedom on the great frontier.

In this class we will discuss the way in which the Homestead Act impacted African Americans, what led up to the Exodus to Kansas, what life on the frontier was like for these new pioneers, how their mass migration impacted both the South and Kansas, what led them to pick Kansas as their destination and what John Brown had to do with it, and how the Exodusters fared in their new surroundings. 


Week Four: Chinese Immigrants and Westward Expansion

This class focuses on the Chinese Immigrants who made their way into American during the California Gold Rush and were negatively impacted by Westward Expansion. When we learn about the American migration west, we often do not hear the story of the Chinese Immigrants who were already living and working in the American West. Like so many already living in the West, the Chinese Immigrants were adversely affected by the incoming pioneers, but we do not often get to hear their stories.

In this class we will discuss how Chinese Immigrants came to live on the west coast of California during the Gold Rush, what life was like for them during this time, their role in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, how they played a part in frontier life in the mid-western states, what impact the Homestead Act had on them, and what kept them from returning home. We will also discuss the Chinese Exclusion Act and how this impacted the lives of Chinese Immigrants. 



Students do not need any prior knowledge of the American West to take this class. I will provide them with any pertinent information about the time period leading up to the Homestead Act of 1862. This is a lecture-style class, but I encourage students to ask questions throughout!