History Resources for Charlotte Mason Homeschoolers
History, in recent years, has become a sort of back-burner subject in our schools, sitting quietly in the shadows caused by the spotlight of STEM education. In my own experience, however, it has moved to center stage. History was never a subject I particularly cared for in school, and it just felt like a lot of names, dates, and wars that I had to memorize before we could finally leave for the lunch period. There was no epic tale in any of it. It was just a series of events that had occurred in the past that my school administrators told me I needed to know. When taught through living books, however, history is truly alive.
As we’ve made our way through the AmblesideOnline history spine texts over the last nine years, I have commented to various friends that I didn’t realize how little I knew about history until I began learning it all over again with my kids. All of those names and dates I memorized when I was in school suddenly became more real – more alive. I could imagine how the events happening during their lifetimes affected them and see how their influence shaped the course of history, bringing us to where we are now. My kids did not memorize names and dates, but instead, met historical figures who were in the room when the Declaration of Independence was signed, or at the trial of Charles I, or charged into a hopeless situation with the bravery of the Light Brigade. History can be a very personal thing, and when we can imagine ourselves in those times and places with the people we’ve come to know through our history studies, it makes it more real. We learn and grow from it.
In this post, I’m sharing some of our favorite Charlotte Mason history resources, which has become one of my favorite subjects, in our Charlotte Mason homeschool!
History
Resources
General Spine
Book of Centuries
Supplemental Historical Books
Supplemental Historical Geography Books
Much that has been said about the teaching of geography applies equally to that of history. Here, too, is a subject which should be to the child an inexhaustible storehouse of ideas, should enrich the chambers of his House Beautiful with a thousand tableaux, pathetic and heroic, and should form in him, insensibly, principles whereby he will hereafter judge of the behaviour of nations, and will rule his own conduct as one of a nation.
Charlotte Mason (Home Education)
By the study of past greatness, moreover, we learn to strive to be worthy of our forefathers, and, by the understanding of the causes which have so often led mankind astray, we learn to understand better the questions which arise in our own time, and to act during the brief period assigned to us on the stage of life with circumspection and under a sense of responsibility to those who are to succeed us. It is for these reasons that I might include history whereby, as Montaigne says, “We converse with those great and heroic souls of former and better ages,” under the head of School Ethics.
Professor S.S. Laurie (“Instruction in History and Citizenship,” Parents’ Review, Volume 11)
We know that young people are enormously interested in [history] and give concentrated attention if we give them the right books. We are aware that our own discursive talk is usually a waste of time and a strain on the scholars’ attention, so we (of the P.N.E.U.) confine ourselves to affording two things,––knowledge, and a keen sympathy in the interest roused by that knowledge. It is our part to see that every child knows and can tell, whether by way of oral narrative or written essay. In this way an unusual amount of ground is covered with such certainty that no revision is required for the examination at the end of the term.
Charlotte Mason (Towards a Philosophy of Education, p. 171)
We have used AmblesideOnline for our history spine texts (I have only replaced a few of the books) since we started Year 1 in 2017. Along with that, I also like to supplement with other books. The two top websites in the “Supplemental Historical Books” section above offer many lists of living books that provide different perspectives on a given historical period. Stories of Color is particularly helpful as you can search by Form and time period (registration is required, but it’s free). For both of my students, I have taken a few suggestions from these lists and made them assigned readings. The rest of the books go in the free reads crate for the kids to read at their leisure, which usually means as soon as I put them out at the beginning of each term.
We also put entries into our Books of Centuries (me too!) once per week, usually written ones the first three weeks of the month and then a drawing on the last week. When they’re first learning to do this, I keep a post-it note in my planner and write down dates and events on it as we read them throughout the week, so when it’s time for them to put entries in their Book of Centuries, they have some options. When they get older, it’s their job to keep track of dates from their readings and enter them on their own. Sometimes the books include an outline of key events with dates at the beginning of chapters (specifically H. O. Arnold-Forster’s A History of England) or at the end of the book, which is very helpful. A Book of Centuries has been such a fun thing to include in our history time as it allows us to see how events and lives happening in different areas of the world overlap, which has been very interesting!
The last set of books could also be listed on my geography resources post as well. These are fantastic books that were recommended by a local friend last year. I put bookmarks in them wherever we happen to be in history and pull them out as we do our history readings to use as not only reference, but also to help fill in the maps we keep for all of our readings. They were especially helpful while we were learning about the American Civil War in Year 5, and the Spanish Armada in Year 8!
History is such a satisfying and truly worthwhile subject to include in your homeschool time, especially when taught in a living way. The people and events of the past can come to life for you and your students, making it a subject anyone can enjoy!
You can see all of the other posts in my series of favorite homeschooling resources here!
More of My Favorite Homeschooling Resources
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My husband has podcast dedicated to Plutarch, and making his Lives accessible to homeschoolers and anyone else! (as well as tons of free resources on his blog: https://grammaticus.co/) The podcast can be found here (or on any podcast app): https://grammaticus.co/podcast/
Just thought I’d share, as many moms have found it really helpful for their prep going into Plutarch. 🙂
I’m on the website now… what an INCREDIBLE resource! Thank you!
We’ve been enjoying Rooted Willow Homeschool on YouTube for Plutarch readings. He’s a professor/AO/CM homeschool dad that reads the lives then discusses at the end. 🙂
I love the Plutarch podcast! It’s been so helpful!
Also, currently reading “These Truths – A History of the United States” by Jill Lepore, and will probably adopt it as the spine for my kids high school american history rotation. Covering 1492-2016 and published in 2018, it’s a newer text (and long at over 700 pages), but I’m throughly enjoying it. Maybe not for every CM mom out there, but I consider myself out of the “usual frame”. 🙂