Great Books to Relearn American History as a Parent | Episode 314

Podcast

Are you a homeschool parent feeling unsure about teaching history because you don’t know as much about it as you would like? In this episode, Rachel Winchester shares how she began re-learning American history on her own by reading great books. She discusses the importance of approaching history through engaging stories and biographies, and that learning history can be enjoyable and deeply enriching. She reviews a variety of books she’s read on American history—from foundational texts like “Land of Hope” and biographies of key figures, to novels and family read-alouds that bring historical periods to life.

In this episode, you will hear about:

Why our education as homeschool moms is never really finished—and how learning right alongside your children ends up being one of the sweetest parts of the journey
Why we love using American history as the backbone of our homeschool, especially in the early years when it feels so close to home and easy for our children to grasp
How history really comes alive when we enter in through story and biography, rather than relying on dry textbooks
Simple, realistic ways to keep growing in your own learning, even in small, ordinary moments throughout the day
Some of the books that have shaped our time through colonial America, the War for Independence, and westward expansion
A gentle encouragement to just begin—choosing even one good book can deepen your understanding and enrich your homeschool in a meaningful way

Join us!

Books Discussed in this Episode:

The American Spirit by David McCullough
Land of Hope: Young Readers Edition by Wilfred M. Maclay
How Shall We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture by Francis A. Schaeffer
John Adams by David McCullough
Eating the Plates: A Pilgrim Book of Food and Manners by Lucille Recht Penner
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry
Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West by Andrew Wilson
1776 by David McCullough
The War for America: The Story of the American Revolution by Albert Marrin
The Journeyman by Elizabeth Yates
The Pioneers by David McCullough
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather
Giants in the Earth by O.E. Rölvaag
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink (also referenced as “Catty Woodlawn” in the transcript)
Magical Melons (also called Caddie Woodlawn’s Family) by Carol Ryrie Brink
Fanny Crosby: Queen of Gospel Songs by Rebecca Davis
Thee, Hannah! by Marguerite de Angeli
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman by Dorothy Sterling
Invincible Louisa by Cornelia Meigs
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
Unconditional Surrender: Ulysses S. Grant and the Civil War by Albert Marrin
Virginia’s General: Robert E. Lee and the Civil War by Albert Marrin