This classic 6-volume set tells our nation’s story from a conservative and Christian viewpoint. Back when I was a boy, history was a subject for which I had little appreciation. But after Linda and I attended several homeschooling and family conferences, I began to see the importance and relevance of learning history, and this was one of the works on American history that I enjoyed. Using a more interesting literary style than most historians, Carson goes beyond the basic facts and brings in noteworthy background information. Miniature biographies of important figures of the day are sprinkled throughout. Each chapter begins with significant quotes and a chronology of the main events. The first five volumes cover the time span from 1607 to 1985. The sixth volume (1985-2001) contains more editorial content but less history. A teacher’s guide makes the instructor’s life easier; for each chapter, it contains summaries, discussion questions, people and terms to identify, and suggested activities.

As much as I like this series, I must confess that our 17- and 15-year-old daughters were less enthusiastic. Perhaps Cathy Duffy (CHECM - Jr/Sr High) is right when she pegs it as a college/adult level series which should only be used in high school by very mature students or as a reference. But for those with enough interest, this is an excellent choice.

Customer Review

 
Lisa R. from Iowa wrote the following on 05/15/2009:
Bravo, Mr. Carson! A treasure of information is contained in this volume set! We used this set for our 9th grader this year after looking at many other options. My only initial reluctance while viewing the Table of Contents for this series was "How could the author possibly provide enough information about every topic listed in this series?" Well, he did, and not only that, but I was impressed with the background information provided about crucial events in history, possible causes & effects, and how the events affected one another. This is a great stand-alone curriculum, but for the advanced, motivated, & interested student it can also be used as a solid springboard for researching further the people/events listed in this series. The teacher's manual (not the individual volumes themselves) contains a summary of each chapter, a review of key points, discussion questions, highlights of people/events, new key terms, & suggested activities (for every learning style, it seems), but don't confuse it with a textbook because it is not. The volumes read like a story, yet are packed with information that gives the beginning & intermediate history learner an appreciation of the founding of our country! True, Mr. Carson does not shy away from the fact that the U.S. was built on Christian principles, but this belief is not the overall tone of the series nor overshadows the history of our "united states". This curriculum can be used as a self-study by the student (that loves to read), or by assigning chapters and discussing questions & key issues in the homeschool or classroom. The only criticism of the series: the teacher's manual does not contain answers to the chapter discussion questions; it contains the info noted above which is not also contained in each volume. As a result, I purchased a used set for myself and read the assignments in preparation for class discussions with my child. I noted next to each question the page on which the answer could be found, then cross-referenced my volume by highlighting the answers & the page number in the teacher's manual on which the question was found. This is probably not necessary with a self-motivated student, but, too, I am also a bit "type A" & was eager to learn along with my child. Though I used this series with only one high school student, it should prove a great curriculum for multiple high school-age students (or advanced middle school students), especially if the discussion questions are utilized. My copy and my child's copy will be used as a reference for years to come and will serve as a great foundation to next year's study of American Government & U.S. Constitutional Law. This is one curriculum we will not sell to our fellow homeschool families, and it is definitely worth every penny. Enjoy!