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American History by James P. Stobaugh


The American History series by James P. Stobaugh - this curriculum can speak for itself, so it most certainly does not need me to speak for it. There has not been any other book or curriculum that I have been so excited to review. My fellow homeschooling mothers, if you are in need of a high school history curriculum that is college preparatory in nature, then this is what you've been searching for.

The physical description of American History is as such: the set of two books contains the Teacher Edition and the Student Book. The How-To-Use page is excellent, and the Preface clearly explains the author's attitude toward teaching history along with some personal background information that is insightful. It's pretty clear what this text requires of both parent and student, and while the work load may seem a bit overwhelming if you will give it a chance and be willing to invest a little good old-fashioned hard work then I promise you will see results!

Chapter 1 focuses on Native Americans. The chapter opens with "First Thoughts" and Learning Objectives (you'll find these for each new chapter). There are answers to each lesson's questions in the Teacher Edition, along with an Exam Key to guide you in grading the discussion questions. The textbook spans Native Americans through the War on Terrorism as well as contemporary issues. It touches upon many "taboo" topics that, quite frankly, are actually very appropriate to address with your high school student.  Slavery, women's rights, philosophers and their worldviews, immigration, social welfare, the Holocaust, racism, abortion, global warming, and even homeschooling are covered in American History. At some point in time, somebody is going to talk to your child about these issues...and it ought to be you doing the talking. This curriculum is a great way to address these sensitive subjects from a Christian point of view.

James Stobaugh is a proponent of citing primary source work. He expects the student to conduct extensive research in order to write essay-type answers for each lesson's questions. I've read some other reviews of American History that reveal many homeschooling mothers have been irked by this. Yet I honestly think it's what makes this curriculum stand apart from other homeschool history books. It makes for excellent preparation for college coursework and even for the essay portion of the SAT. Constant research and writing causes the student to grow their reasoning and thinking skills. As a mom with 3 kids in high school and 2 in college, I can tell you this is the type of history program to use if your child intends to pursue higher academia. I cannot speak highly enough of these resources. I am thankful Mr. Stobaugh has created them.

I hope this review has been helpful for those looking at high school history options, and I thank you for taking the time to read my review. As this is the last review I plan to write, I was very pleased that is was for one of James Stobaugh's books.

I received this curriculum at no charge from the publisher; my honest review and personal opinions are solely my own.

Day 316 done :)

Jan L. Burt
author of The Homeschooling Mothers Bible Study

P.S. - Sharing my new Amazon storefront, Rooted and Renewed Finds with Jan L. Burt's Amazon Page, curated with finds that I love. (Commissions earned via the Amazon Influencer program allow me to share all my ministry content entirely for free, including my Psalm 91 audio course - which you can grab for free RIGHT HERE.) 

If you are interested in a copy of Homeschool Planning Made Simple at no charge as part of my 2026 goal to offer all my resources free of charge, leave a comment or contact me via the chat option at my website, JanLBurt.com 

Renew your spirit, refresh your home. Curated encouragement for every season. Welcome to Rooted & Renewed Finds—a curated space designed to bring encouragement into every season of life. Our mission is simple: renew your spirit, refresh your home.



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