The Story of America: US History through Art, Music & Poetry

• For Ages 6-17
• Family-style learning with leveled book lists
• Designed to be done in 30-60 minutes, one day per week
• US History from Native American - Today

THe US History Tea Time Together™ unit includes:

• 'Getting Stared': Everything you need to get up and running in minutes.
• ‘Tea Time Guides’: 24 Weekly Guides to be printed 2-sided. (48 pages)
• 'Timelines & Maps': Timelines and MNaps at key points in US History (7 pages)
• 'Book & Movie List': Curated living-history booklists for every age level (35 pages)
• ‘Recipes’: Weekly recipes with two options each week- Easy and Moderate (52 pages).
• ‘High Resolution Art Prints’: High-resolution versions of the art, in case you want to print and display them throughout the month (24 pages).

Week 1: The Spark of Liberty

Why America’s Story Is So Radical: Before there was a United States, for almost all of human history, kings and emperors ruled the world.

Week 2: The Land Before “America” (Pre-1492–1620)

Long before Columbus or the Pilgrims arrived, this land was alive with nations, trade routes, complex governments, and rich traditions.

Week 3: Early Settlements and the Pilgrims (1620–1640)

The Pilgrims risked everything to build a society based on faith and self-rule, creating the foundations of American democracy.

Week 4: The 13 Colonies – A New World Takes Shape (1650–1750)

Over a hundred years, the 13 British colonies developed unique identities, economies, and governments, laying the foundation for the coming revolution.

Week 5: Growing Tensions – The Road to Rebellion (1750–1775)

Taxes, protests, and British crackdowns fuel resentment—leading to the Boston Massacre and the first sparks of war.

Week 6: War! The Shot Heard ’Round the World (1775–1776)

Lexington & Concord explode into war, and… a stunning “declaration”: the Declaration of Independence boldly proclaims America’s freedom.

Week 7: The World Turned Upside Down – Winning the Revolutionary War (1776–1783)

George Washington, secret strategies, and a shocking victory against the world’s most powerful empire.

Week 8: The Constitution & The Bill of Rights – Building a Government That Lasts (1787–1791)

Over a hundred years, the 13 British colonies developed unique identities, economies, and governments, laying the foundation for the coming revolution.

Week 9: The Louisiana Purchase – Doubling America Overnight (1803)

Jefferson struggles with the Constitution, while Napoleon gives up his dream of an empire in North America.

Week 10: Into the Unknown – The Epic Journey of Lewis & Clark (1804–1806)

Two explorers, a Native American guide (Sacagawea), and a dangerous, uncharted land.

Week 11: Manifest Destiny & the Great Expansion (1845–1853)

War with Mexico, the Gold Rush, and Native American displacement reshape the continent forever.

Week 12: The Road to Civil War & A Nation Divided (1800–1861)

As new states join the Union, a battle over slavery, state power, and American identity heats up. The country is on a collision course toward war.

Week 13: The Civil War – A Nation Torn Apart (1861–1865)

The bloodiest war in U.S. history tests America’s survival. Lincoln, Emancipation, Gettysburg—can the nation be saved?

Week 14: The Fight for Full Citizenship & Reconstruction (1865–1877)

The war is over, but the battle for equality is just beginning. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments promise freedom—but will America keep its word?

Week 15: The Wild West – Cowboys, Outlaws, & Westward Expansion (1865–1890)

The frontier explodes with adventure—cowboys, lawmen, Native American resistance, gold rushes, and outlaws like Jesse James.

Week 16: The Rise of Industry & The Titans of Capitalism (1877–1920)

The Industrial Revolution transforms America, while Rockefeller, Carnegie, Morgan, and Ford reshape the economy and daily life.

Week 17: Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – Immigration & the American Dream (1880–1920)

Millions of immigrants arrived in America seeking freedom and opportunity, changing the nation forever.

Week 18: Women’s Suffrage & the Fight for Reform (1890s–1920)

Meet the brave women and bold reformers who helped reshape America—winning the right to vote, cleaning up cities, and proving that everyday people can change the world through courage, compassion, and persistence.

Week 19: World War I – America Enters the Global Stage (1914–1918)

America joins the war to “make the world safe for democracy”—but how did it change the country forever?

Week 20: Boom & Bust – The Roaring Twenties & The Great Depression (1920s–1939)

The roaring economy, flappers, speakeasies—and then the crash that changed everything.

Week 21: World War II – The Fight Against Tyranny (1939–1945)

The United States helped lead the fight against one of the most evil regimes in history—and emerged as a global superpower.

Week 22: The Cold War – Democracy vs. Communism (1945–1991)

The world split between two ideologies—freedom and totalitarianism—as the U.S. and the Soviet Union clashed in a battle of ideas, technology, and power.

Week 23: The Civil Rights Movement – America’s Second Revolution (1950s–1970s)

The unfinished work of the Revolution continued as Americans fought to make “all men are created equal” a reality for everyone.

Week 24: The Digital Age – Technology, Social Media & the Changing American Identity (1980s–Present)

The rise of technology, computers, mobile technology, social media, and AI. How it changed American life and culture.

Each Tea Time Together purchase includes a single-family license and may be used by one household only. To honor the work that goes into creating these resources, products may not be shared, forwarded, distributed, or copied for use by other families, co-ops, schools, or organizations.

If you'd like to use Tea Time Together in a co-op, classroom, church group, or other group setting, we offer small and large co-op licenses that allow multiple families to legally access and enjoy the curriculum. Each participating family receives the right to use the materials at home, either digitally or in print.

Thank you for supporting independent creators and helping us continue to create beautiful resources for families around the world.

To view all Co-Op Licensed products, click here.

When you purchase this product, you will receive a link in your download to our partner Humble Heart Press with a 1-click option to print with our recommended print settings.  They provide special pricing that makes it fast, affordable and easy to have the printed guides delivered to your door.

If you prefer to print it yourself here are my recommendations :

• Weekly Guides - 72 pages - Full Color, 80lb cardstock, Double-sided
• High-Resolution Art Images - 36 pages - Color, 80lb cardstock, Single-sided
• Meet the Civilizations - 26 pages - Option to use digitally or print on standard paper and place in binder
• Recipes - 102 pages - Option to use digitally or print on standard paper and place in binder.
• Book & Movie List - 72pages - Option to use digitally or print on standard paper and place in binder

My recommended at-home printer: Epson Ecotank