United States History

What should we say about the United States of America? So much has already been said, adding our two cents is a bit redundant or presumptuous, depending on your perspective. Certainly, no one needs us to outline the facts, the major events and figures, or to describe our unique written Constitution and democratic-republican system.

We can offer a bit of perspective. It's nothing new, nothing we came up with on our own, but it is different from a lot of the prevailing notions about both history in general and our nation in particular.

For starters, there's no specific reference to the U.S. in the Bible. The principles found in God's Word that apply to all nations certainly apply to the United States as well, but we aren't a Christian nation, we don't hold a special place in biblical prophecy, and Manifest Destiny is the result of Enlightenment rationalist views about the Progress of Mankind rather than being rooted in any kind of Christian attitude.

That said, many of the first settlers of the New World were dedicated Christians seeking the right to worship God without the constraints of political entanglement or government-imposed strictures and doctrine. The Pilgrims came in 1620, just 13 years after the first successful English settlement at Jamestown, and the Puritan settlers followed soon after.

Their arrivals and colonization didn't make America Christian, of course. It was a broad continent, largely unknown, and the initial colonies weren't strictly bound together at first, as they were later to become. By that time, things had become substantially more secular, so that by the 18th century many Americans were just as degenerate as their European counterparts. Fortunately, men like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield were around to preach the true Gospel, and to initiate a revival known as the Great Awakening.

Secular forces were still at work, though. While there were definitely many Christians involved, the American Revolution was largely the result of Enlightenment philosophizing, and men were convinced that America could produce a virtuous and stable population if education and participatory government were enforced. So they rebelled against England, and the United States republic was formed.

Ever since, groups and individuals have tried to call Americans back to their Christian roots. That's the wrong strategy: we don't need to call anyone back to anything, we need to point the way forward to the pursuit of Christ and the bringing of His Gospel and glory to every corner of the earth no matter what our country of origin. That America has been so materially blessed simply means we have more options at our disposal for proclaiming and bringing the Word to the rest of the world.

Our study of United States history is consequently Christ-centered. Not because we think America is more Christian than other countries, but because it (like all other nations) is under Christ's control as King of Heaven and Lord of Time. Of course, you shouldn't abandon study of the facts, people and events, but they only attain true meaning when viewed through the lens of Christ's ultimate plan of redemption and self-glorification.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur.Read more of his reviews here.

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125 Items found Print
Active Filters: History Spines & Surveys, 4th grade (Ages 9-10)
America Grows Up
A History for Peter #2
by Gerald W. Johnson
from Yesterday's Classics
for 4th-7th grade
in New Nation (1783-1800) (Location: HISA-18NN)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
America is Born
A History for Peter #1
by Gerald W. Johnson (iilustrations by Leonard Everett Fisher)
from William Morrow & Company
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in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
$45.00 (1 in stock)
America Moves Forward
A History for Peter #3
by Gerald W. Johnson
from Yesterday's Classics
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America Moves Forward
A History for Peter #3
by Gerald W. Johnson
from William Morrow & Company
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in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
American Adventures
by Elizabeth Coatsworth, illustrated by Robert Frankenberg
from Macmillan
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in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
American History in Verse
by Burton Stevenson
from Bob Jones University Press
Poetry for 3rd-Adult
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$11.00
American History Stories Volume 1
by Mara L. Pratt
from Yesterday's Classics
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$11.95
American History Stories Volume 2
by Mara L. Pratt
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American History Stories Volume 3
by Mara L. Pratt
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American History Stories Volume 4
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Around the World in a Hundred Years
by Jean Fritz
from Penguin Putnam
Biography for 2nd-5th grade
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Child's First Book of American History
by Earl Schenck Miers, James Daugherty
from Beautiful Feet Books
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$32.95
Child's First Book of American History (hardcover)
by Earl Schenck Miers, James Daugherty
from Beautiful Feet Books
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$42.95
Colonial Wars
America at War Series
by Alden Carter
from Grolier Publishing
Historical Non-fiction for 4th-6th grade
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Discovery of New Worlds
Story of the World Series #2
by M. B. Synge
from Yesterday's Classics
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$13.95
Discovery of New Worlds
Story of the World Series #2
by M. B. Synge
from Living Book Press
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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Everything You Need to Know About American History Homework
by Anne Zeman & Kate Kelly
from Scholastic Inc.
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$5.50 (3 in stock)
Exploration and Conquest
The American Story Series
by Betsy & Giulio Maestro
from HarperCollins
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Exploration and Conquest
by Betsy & Giulio Maestro
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Exploration and Conquest
by Betsy & Giulio Maestro
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Explorers Who Got Lost
by Diane Dreher
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Explorers Who Got Lost
by Diane Sansevere-Dreher, Illustrated by Ed Renfro
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Ferdinand Magellan
by Milton Meltzer
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Ferdinand Magellan and the Discovery of the World Ocean
by Rebecca Stefoff
from Chelsea House Publishing
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First World War
Usborne Young Reading: Series Three
by Conrad Mason
from Usborne
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For You They Signed
by Marilyn Boyer
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From Sea to Shining Sea for Children
by Peter Marshall, David Manuel & Anna Fishel
from Revell Publishing
American History Reference for 4th-6th grade
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Golden Book History of the United States
by Earl Schenck Miers, illustrated by Alton S. Tobey and Richard P. Kluga
from Golden Press
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Golden Book History of the United States - 12 Volume Set
by Earl Schenck Miers, illustrated by Alton S. Tobey and Richard P. Kluga
from Golden Press
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Golden Book History of the United States Volume 1
by Earl Schenck Miers
from Golden Press
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Golden Book History of the United States Volume 2
by Earl Schenck Miers
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Golden Book History of the United States Volume 3
by Earl Schenck Miers
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Golden Book History of the United States Volume 4
by Earl Schenck Miers
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Golden Book History of the United States Volume 5
by Earl Schenck Miers
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Golden Book History of the United States Volume 6
by Earl Schenck Miers
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Golden Book History of the United States Volume 7
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Golden Book History of the United States Volume 8
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Golden Book History of the United States Volume 9
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Golden Book of America
by Bruce Catton
Seventh Printing from Golden Press
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Good Fight
by Stephen Ambrose
from Atheneum
WWII Historical Reference for 4th-9th grade
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Great Explorers
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Great Fire
by Jim Murphy
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1996 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award
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Great Fire
by Jim Murphy
Later Printing from Scholastic Inc.
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Hernando de Soto and the Exploration of Florida
by Jim Gallagher
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History of US Book 2
by Joy Hakim
3rd edition from Oxford University
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History of US Book 4
by Joy Hakim
3rd edition from Oxford University
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History Uncovered: The U.S.A.
by Kristine Carlson Asselin
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In God We Trust
by Timothy Crater & Ranelda Hunsicker
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$12.00 (3 in stock)
Incans, Aztecs, Mayans
by John Holzmann
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Incredible Journey of Lewis and Clark
by Rhoda Blumberg
from Scholastic Inc.
Historical Reference for 4th-6th grade
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It Happened in America
by Lila Perl
1st edition from Henry Holt and Company
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$9.00 (1 in stock)
Landmark History of the American People
by Daniel & Ruth Boorstin
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
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$12.00 (4 in stock)
Landmark History of the American People Volume I
by Daniel J. Boorstin, Ruth F. Boorstin
from Avyx, Inc.
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Landmark History of the American People Volume II
by Daniel J. Boorstin, Ruth F. Boorstin
from Avyx, Inc.
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Liberty Bell
Primary Sources of American Symbols
by Jennifer Silate
1st edition from PowerKids Press
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$5.00 (1 in stock)
Light and the Glory for Children
by Peter Marshall & David Manuel
from Revell Publishing
American History Reference for 4th-6th grade
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Light and the Glory for Young Readers
by Anna Wilson Fishel, David Manuel, Peter Marshall
Reprint from Revell Publishing
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$18.00
Makers of the Americas
by Marion Lansing
Second Edition from D. C. Heath and Company
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Many Thousand Gone
by Virginia Hamilton
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Miracle at Philadelphia
by Catherine Drinker Bowen
from Little, Brown & Company
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More Perfect Union
The American Story Series
by Betsy & Giulio Maestro
from HarperCollins
Historical Reference for 2nd-6th grade
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Nation Torn
by Delia Ray
from Scholastic Inc.
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Only the Names Remain
by Alex W. Bealer
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Oregon Trail
Events That Shaped America
by Michael V. Uschan, Sabrina Crewe
from Gareth Stevens Publishing
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Orphan Train Rider
by Andrea Warren
from Houghton Mifflin
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Orphan Train Rider
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Our Country's Story
by Frances Cavanah, illustrated by Janice Holland
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Our Heritage of Freedom
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Panama Canal
by Elizabeth Mann
from Mikaya Press
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Picture History of Great Explorers
by Gillian Clements
from Frances Lincoln
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Pizarro, Orellana, and the Exploration of the Amazon
by Brendon Bernhard
from Chelsea House Publishing
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Pony Express
by Anita Louise McCormick
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Portraits of African-American Heroes
by Tonya Bolden
from Puffin Books
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Prairie Visions
by Pam Conrad
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
1992 NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book
in Pioneer & Frontier Life (Location: HISA-19PIO)
$7.00 (2 in stock)
Profiles from History Volume 1
by Ashley M. Wiggers
from Geography Matters
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in Trail Guide to Learning (Location: CUR-TGL)
$16.95
Profiles from History Volume 2
by Ashley M. Wiggers
from Geography Matters
for 3rd-6th grade
in Trail Guide to Learning (Location: CUR-TGL)
$16.95
Profiles from History Volume 3
by Ashley M. Wiggers
from Geography Matters
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Pueblo
by Charlotte Yue
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$5.00 (2 in stock)
Rebels Against Slavery
by Fredrick & Pat McKissack
from Scholastic Inc.
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Save Our History: National World War II Memorial - Teacher's Manual
from History Channel
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$2.00 (1 in stock)
Scottsboro Case
Events That Shaped America
by Sabrina Crewe, Michael V. Uschan
from Gareth Stevens Publishing
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
Seeds of a Nation - Massachusetts
by Don Nardo
from KidHaven Press
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$3.50 (2 in stock)
Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention
Events That Shaped America
by Dale Anderson, Sabrina Crewe
from Gareth Stevens Publishing
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in 19th Century America (Location: HISA-19C)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Sounding Forth the Trumpet for Young Readers
by Anna Wilson Fishel, David Manuel, Peter Marshall
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$9.50 (2 in stock)
Statue of Liberty
by Jennifer Silate
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$5.00 (1 in stock)
Stories of America Volume 1 - Narration Notecards
by Crystal Hildreth
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
Stories of America: Volume 1
by Charles Morris, Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
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in Modern History (Location: HISW-MOD)
Stories of America: Volume 2
by Charles Morris, Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
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in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
Stories of the Pilgrims (old)
by Margaret Pumphrey
Revised Edition from Christian Liberty Press
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$3.50 (2 in stock)
Story of Flight
by Mary Lee Settle
from Random House
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in Step Up Books (Location: VIN-STEP)
Story of the Great Republic
by Helene Guerber
from Nothing New Press
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in U.S. History Curriculum (Location: HISCUR-US)
Story of the Great Republic
by Helene Guerber
from Living Book Press
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in U.S. History Curriculum (Location: HISCUR-US)
Story of the Thirteen Colonies
by Helene Guerber
from Nothing New Press
History Reference for 3rd-8th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
Story of the Trail of Tears
by R. Conrad Stein
from Children's Press
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$2.50 (1 in stock)
Struggle for Sea Power
Story of the World Series #4
by M. B. Synge
from Yesterday's Classics
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$13.95 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Struggle for Sea Power
Story of the World Series #4
by M. B. Synge
from Living Book Press
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$10.99
Tall Tales
Tales of the Wild West Volume 13
by Rick Steber
from Bonanza Publishing
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$2.50 (2 in stock)
Tet Offensive
by Charles Wills
from Silver Burdett Press
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
This Country of Ours
by H. E. Marshall
from Yesterday's Classics
for 4th-8th grade
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$22.95
This Country of Ours (B&W Edition)
by H. E. Marshall
from Living Book Press
for 4th-8th grade
in History Spines & Surveys (Location: HISRF-SPINE)
$16.99
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