U.S. History: Revolution Through Reconstruction for Ages 10-13 (Semester-Long)

This class will explore United States history from the late 1700's (once the Revolutionary War ended) to the 1870's.  No prior knowledge is required, although I do recommend my U.S. History: Exploration-Revolution class before this class, or an understanding of why the 13 colonies were willing to go to war for their independence from England. As global citizens, I want my learners to be able to interpret information from multiple sources and viewpoints.  Instead of merely memorizing names and dates, the emphasis will be on analyzing and discussing history with a focus on causes and effects.  It is my hope that this class will ignite an interest in historic investigation!

In our "live" classes, I will provide multiple types of learning opportunities, including story-like "lectures" with visuals, discussions, videos clips, games, virtual field trips, and interactive activities. I will also suggest several optional activities that can be completed before or after our live classes to reinforce the topics and allow for individualization.  The optional activities are not intended to be busy work or homework, but are included to support anyone who would benefit from review and/or to provide more depth for learners who need or want more challenge. I will also provide a student guide for each topic, which will be helpful for learners who want to take notes of key aspects for each lesson.
 

 Order of topics:
Week 1:  Introductions, Expectations & Post-Revolutionary War
Week 2: Articles of Confederation & Constitutional Convention
Week 3: New Republic
Week 4: The Early Republic: Louisiana Purchase & Corps of Discovery
Week 5: War of 1812 (& catch-up)
Week 6: Industrial Revolution 
Week 7: Indian Removal Act/Trail of Tears & Manifest Destiny
Week 8: Manifest Destiny (continued)
Week 9: Events leading to the Civil War 
Week 10: Events leading up to the Civil War (continued)
Week 11: Events leading up to the Civil War (continued)
Week 12: Civil War
Week 13: Civil War (continued)
Week 14: Civil War (continued)

Depending on the number of learners enrolled and their interests, the outline may be adjusted slightly.  A positive class culture is a must, so I prefer learners to take turns when participating and to treat each other respectfully.

Most importantly, I want all learners and parents to be 100% happy with the quality of this class.  Any concerns, questions, or ideas for improvement should be communicated with me so that adjustments can be made accordingly.  Obviously, the more a learner engages with the course content, the more they will get out of the course.  

*If interested in this class, but cannot find a section that meets your scheduling needs, please contact me directly to discuss options. 

I'm happy to provide my credentials for any parent who needs to submit them in order to receive Charter or Scholarship funds or reimbursements.