High School History: Early American History

So that families can study the same historical period together, Homeschool Connections is offering American history for both middle and high school throughout the 2012/2013 school year. For information on the middle school fall course click here: Liberty! for information on the high school course, please scroll down.

Early American History (1492 to 1763); Discovery to the Dawn of Revolution

(click on course title to register)

Class dates: Wednesdays, Sept. 12 to Dec. 12, 2012. No class Oct. 31 or Nov. 21.
Total classes: 12 Starting time: 4:30 pm Eastern (3:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester Fee: $160 if you enroll on or before Aug. 1, 2012. $180 after Aug. 1 for all 12 classes.
Instructor: Phillip Campbell
Course description: This course will take students through the formative years of our continent, beginning with the Spanish and Portuguese explorations of the New World, leading up through the settlements of Jamestown, Plymouth, and the Jesuit missions in New France, and culminating in the great war for the continent waged between France and Britain from 1755 to 1763, setting the stage for the American War of Independence one decade later, highlighting specifically the contributions made by Catholics in the settlement of North America.
Course outline:
Class 1: Pre-Columbian Peoples: A survey of the North American continent prior to the arrival of Columbus.
Class 2: First Contact: The history of Columbus' voyage and some of the early expeditions to the Caribbean.
Class 3: Spanish Dominion: The story of Cortez's conquest of Mexico and subsequent Spanish incursions into North America.
Class 4: Jamestown Colony: England's first attempt at colonization in the New World.
Class 5: The Puritan Experiment: The tale of the colony at Plymouth and the foundation of Massachusetts.
Class 6: Indian Wars: The friendly contact with the New England natives turns bloody as colonists encroach on native lands.
Class 7: Catholic Maryland: The history of Lord Baltimore and the founding of the Catholic refuge of Maryland.
Class 8: Missionary Efforts in New France: The history of the French settlements in Canada and northern Michigan, featuring the tale of the North American Martyrs.
Class 9: Religious Discord in the Colonies: A survey of the religious demographics of the colonies, the settlement of the religious refuge of Pennsylvania, and the anti-Catholic laws of the time.
Class 10: At the Turn of the 17th Century: History of the colonies from 1680-1750, including the missions of Fr. Serra in the west.
Class 11: Slavery: Origin and Growth: A survey of the origins of slavery, its legal status in the colonies, and an account of its growth.
Class 12: The French and Indian War: How competing interests brought France and England to war over their colonial empires.
Course materials: All materials provided FREE by the instructor.
Homework: Weekly reading and quizzes.

Instructor biography: Phillip Campbell 
Mr. Campbell holds a BA in European History from Ave Maria University and recently completed a certificate program in Secondary Education through Madonna University. He has a background as a Youth Director and RCIA instructor. He teaches history and Scripture for the St. Augustine Homeschool Enrichment Program. Mr. Campbell is the author of the popular fantasy-epic Tale of Manaeth. His writings have also appeared in such publications as St. Austin Review and The Distributist Review. Most recently, Mr. Campbell was elected Mayor of Howell, MI. Mr. Campbell and his wife of nine years homeschool their four children.

Misc.
Mr. Campbell will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments. Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months. Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.