American History II

American History II: 1877-Present:

American History II is the second installment in a two-part high school course designed to fulfill a full-year homeschool American history requirement. Building on American History I (released 2025), this course carries students from the Gilded Age through the present, covering major developments in American political, economic, social, and cultural life. The document is 271 pages.

The course uses American History (Volume 2) by Thomas Kidd as its spine text (published in 2019), available for purchase as a single volume or in two parts. Each lesson is supplemented with curated video and article links, including access to primary source documents, allowing students to engage directly with historical evidence alongside the narrative text.

Every lesson includes:

Terms to Know — key vocabulary for the period
People to Know — significant historical figures
Essay Prompt — a writing exercise to develop analytical and argumentative skills

The course also includes embedded quizzes throughout, a comprehensive final exam, and recommendations for how to best implement the material in a homeschool setting.

American History II may be used as a standalone course for students who have already completed a first-year American history survey, or in sequence with American History I for a complete two-year treatment of American history.

The Homeschool Historian grants permission for this curriculum to be used in homeschool co-op settings.