All American History Vol. II: Lessons 9-12

All American History Vol. II: Lessons 9-12

One of the things I love about All American History is that it captures my daughter’s interest, sparking great discussions between the two of us.

Recently Kaylee brought up the issue of Ku Klux Klan activities in the South at the end of the Civil War, and we were able to discuss the warped thinking and pre-conceived ideas that would allow someone to kill another person with no remorse.

I would have missed out on this moment if Kaylee had not been genuinely absorbed in the unfolding of American history during the Civil War and Reconstruction Era. A “living history” textbook is truly vital to encouraging a love of history!

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All American History Vol. II: Lessons 9-12

Lessons 9-12 of All American History Vol. II cover the presidents of the Gilded Age, the Spanish-American War, the Westward Expansion, and the Second Industrial Revolution.

How we use All American History Vol. II - Lessons 9-12

Lesson 9 – Presidents of the Gilded Age

Lesson 9 presents the Compromise of 1877 and introduces seven more U.S. presidents, along with the significant political developments during their administrations.

Lesson 10 – The Spanish-American War and Its Aftermath

This lesson covers the Spanish-American War, the sinking of the USS Maine, the issue of “yellow journalism,” and more.

All America History - homeschool history curriculum

Lesson 11 – The Last Western Frontier

Lesson 11 discusses details of the Westward Expansion, including the transcontinental railroad, homesteaders, miners, cowboys, and Native Americans.

Lesson 12 – The Second Industrial Revolution

Lesson 12 covers the growth of urbanization, industrial advances (such as those in communication and transportation), and the dramatic rise in immigration.

Supplemental Reading

Kaylee supplemented her history experience through these chapters with several excellent books. There are dozens of other books that would be beneficial to include during this unit; see the Teacher’s Guide for an extensive book list.

Josephine Cain

The Journey of Josephine Cain (American Tapestries series) – While not as well-written or realistic as the books by Lynn Austin (see supplemental reading for lessons 1-4), this fictional book does a good job of tying together the post-Civil War era and the beginning of industrialization in America. The main focus is on the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Forward, March

“Forward, March”: A Tale of the Spanish-American War – This book gives details of the Spanish-American War from the perspective of a fictional soldier. Free for Kindle!

Coming up next:

Christy

Christy – An excellent book (based on fact) that focuses on every-day life in the Smoky Mountains during the early 1900s, highlighting the superstition and extreme poverty of the people in this region.

Using All American History with Younger Students

If you’re interested in using All American History with younger students, you’ll want to take a look at All American History Jr., a digital download from Bright Ideas Press.

All American History Jr.

All American History Jr. has lesson plans that are simplified with smaller amounts of lesson material for younger students. It also contains more hands-on activities for elementary students, including:

  • Folderbooks
  • Puzzles
  • Coloring pages
  • Notebooking pages
  • Maps

See samples of All American History Jr. — Vol. I, Vol. II

All American History Jr. users will also need the Student Reader and Teacher’s Guide. If you don’t already own these books, you can purchase the All American History Jr. Standard Bundle (Vol. I or Vol. II) which includes everything you’ll need for teaching younger students (Student Reader, Teacher’s Guide, and AAH Jr. digital download).

The AAH Jr. Standard Bundle is currently on sale for only $90–an excellent price for a quality history curriculum!

More About All American History

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