Colonial history in America spans exploration, conquest, and European expansion into the New World. From the earliest English settlement in Roanoke (1585) thru the end of the French and Indian War (1763) the East Coast of North America experienced profound change in nearly every way. European farming techniques married with Native crops and worked in many cases by imported slave labor blossomed agriculture in the south. New England traders and shipwrights expanded the English maritime tradition. Trade and wealth built cities like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Charles Town. Expansionist wars like King Philip’s, War of Jenkins’ Ear, and the French and Indian War set the stage for the colonial uprising and revolution.
During September we will be studying through this period, starting with the explorers and first colonies (everyone loves a good mystery and the story of the “Lost Colony” is certainly a mystery). We will spend some time reading about the period in a variety of trade books and Master Book’s America’s Story Vol. 1. Then we will enjoy a field trip or two, some great colonial receipts (the old English word for recipes), and hands-on projects. My son is excited about a colonial Lego project which he also hopes to enter into the state fair (for an example see the picture of one from last year of North Carolina’s first permanent capital Tryon Palace) and my daughter wants to learn basket making.
Even with a month focused just on this period we can’t cover everything but hope to include some important parts of our history as well as the opportunity for the children to dive deeper into the parts that are most interesting to them. For example, we will skim over the Pilgrims and Mayflower, because while important they are also very familiar. However, in your family that may be something you want to spend more time on. The beauty of this journey is that we can share ideas but each family gets to make their own journey.
Art is not my strong suit but the children love it, and their favorite are art pastel lessons. I love them because they are reasonably priced, don’t require tons of stuff, and a short and simple. The children can do them without assistance from me and it is very low stress for everyone. I was thrilled to find the new American History Chalk Pastel Lessons from You are an Artist and they are on sale right now.
If you are interested in joining us on this Journey through US History and have not yet received access to our Resource Library please click the link below and sign-up. You will receive access to the library which includes a list of all of the resources, project and field trip ideas, etc that we are using for colonial history (with a new time period being released each month) as well as several other resources and more to come. You will also get a bi-weekly newsletter with new information from the blog.
Tune in each week in September for an update on what we did that week in Colonial American history.
If you are still searching for curriculum for next year or need to fill in a few spaces other than history there is a great sale going on right now at School House Teachers.
This post may contain affiliate or referral links. As always I will never recommend a product that I don’t believe in and you will never be charged more for purchasing through our links. It does help pay for the costs associated with the blog.
The Schoolin' Swag Blog 
2 thoughts on “Our Journey Begins: Colonial History”