High School History Homeschool Curriculum
See the full History homeschool curriculum for every grade, placement, and sample lessons.
Most high school history produces students who know facts but can't think historically. Ours develops genuine analytical ability that serves them in any field.
About high school learners
High school history develops sophisticated analytical thinking applicable across fields. Students at various levels engage with history's big questions about power, change, justice, and human nature. Historical thinking is essential for informed citizenship.
- Developing sophisticated analysis
- Growing civic awareness and engagement
- Can handle complex moral questions
- Building skills for college and citizenship
Learning objectives
- Develop sophisticated historical analysis skills
- Build broad historical knowledge base
- Understand how to evaluate historical evidence
- Connect historical understanding to civic engagement
- Prepare for college-level historical study
Before and after high school history
Before starting:
- Varies by course level
- Reading comprehension for historical texts
- Willingness to engage with complex questions
- Interest in understanding the world
Previous grade in this subject: 11th grade history
Sample high school history assignment
Student interest: Current Events Connection
Choose a current political conflict. Research its historical roots going back at least 100 years. Analyze how historical forces shaped the current situation and evaluate proposed solutions.
What good work shows: Student sees history as essential for understanding the present. Develops sophisticated analysis of current events grounded in deep historical knowledge.
Sample projects and deliverables
Historiographical Investigation
Good fit for: Politics
Study how historians' interpretations of an event have changed over time. Understand why interpretations change and evaluate current debates.
Skills used: Historiography, Interpretation, Evidence evaluation, Scholarly debate
Deliverable: Historiographical essay + interpretation analysis + your position
Primary Source Deep Dive
Good fit for: Military Strategy
Conduct original research using primary sources. Develop your own interpretation of a historical question based on evidence you've gathered.
Skills used: Primary source analysis, Research methods, Interpretation, Historical argument
Deliverable: Research paper + source analysis + original argument
History and Present Investigation
Good fit for: Economics
Connect a historical topic to a contemporary issue. Show how understanding history illuminates current debates and informs better decisions.
Skills used: Historical thinking, Contemporary connections, Policy implications, Civic knowledge
Deliverable: Historical-contemporary analysis + policy implications + recommendations
Comparative History Project
Good fit for: Culture, Arts
Compare similar phenomena across different times or places. Identify patterns and explain differences. Develop generalizations carefully from evidence.
Skills used: Comparative analysis, Pattern identification, Generalization, Evidence-based reasoning
Deliverable: Comparative analysis + pattern identification + theoretical implications
Same skills, different topics
Flexible pathways through world and American history.
- Military History: Warfare through time → World War I → Trench warfare → Tactical innovations at Cambrai - the first mass tank assault
- Social History: How ordinary people lived → Industrial Revolution → Child labor → How the Factory Acts gradually reformed working conditions
- Ideas & Ideology: Political thought → Origins of democracy → Athenian democracy → How lottery selection prevented political corruption
- Environmental History: Humans and environment → Agricultural transformation → Dust Bowl → How farming practices created ecological catastrophe
Where high school students get stuck
- Developing historical thinking skills
- Moving beyond memorization to analysis
- Engaging with contested interpretations
- Connecting past to present appropriately
Teaching Approach for High School
Teach history as an analytical discipline that illuminates the present. Develop skills transferable to any field requiring evidence-based reasoning. Connect historical understanding to civic engagement and informed citizenship.