Description
Discover the early history of the United States with an American History subscription!
Begin your journey in Mali, West Africa, home to the ancestors of many African Americans. Learn about Mansa Musa, the richest man in the world. Explore his stunning empire of wealth, trade, and culture. From there, travel to the Eastern Woodlands of North America. Immerse yourself in the life of the Powhatan tribe. Experience indigenous traditions by trying your hand at beadwork. Taste a traditional snack and discover the gardening secrets of the Three Sisters.
After that, embark on a voyage with European explorers. Meet the men who ventured into the unknown and explore their lasting impact on history. Continue your journey in St. Augustine, where the cultures clash inside a Spanish fort. Learn the truth about pirates and discover the life of the native Timucua people.
Travel to Jamestown and step into the shoes of early settlers. Uncover the real story about Pochahontas. Learn about the harsh realities of colonial life. Witness the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in America. From there, visit Plymouth. You will learn about the true history of the Wampanoag people and the settlers we call Pilgrims. Fast-forward a few decades to test your wits. Can you survive the infamous Salem witch trials? Find out in a unique Choose Your Story adventure.
Experience the complexities of the French & Indian War. Find out how a young George Washington sparked a global conflict. Discover what life was like for soldiers, colonists, and their native allies. When the Revolutionary War arrives, don’t just learn about it—live it. Sip liberty tea during discussions on the Boston Tea Party. Then light the night with a tin punch lantern as you read about Paul Revere’s ride. Try your hand at writing with quill and ink as you explore the founding documents of a new nation.
Travel west to the missions of Spanish America. Learn how soldiers and missionaries transformed the cultural landscape of the west coast. Discover the life of California’s Native peoples before and after the missions. Then, join Lewis & Clark on their expedition across North America. You’ll learn how they recorded new plants and animals and met native tribes. Understand how this expedition spread colonial influence.
Follow the wave of people going west as gold rushes, new land, and forced relocations changed the country. Relive the journeys of the Oregon Trail, the California Gold Rush, and the Trail of Tears with stories that bring history to life.
Finally, reach the Civil War, a major turning point in American history. See how old problems led to a fight for the nation’s future. Meet Harriet Tubman and learn about the secret paths of the Underground Railroad. Read President Lincoln’s words and try using Morse Code, exploring how people communicated and fought during the war. Learn the stories of native peoples, immigrants, women, and both enslaved and free Black Americans who made a difference in history.
Please note: We make our best efforts to ship subscriptions in chronological order. However, due to working with international suppliers, there may be times when boxes are shipped out of sequence to ensure timely delivery, even if the next box in the series is temporarily out of stock.
American History Subscription Boxes
- Mali Unboxed
- Powhatan Unboxed
- European Explorers Unboxed
- St. Augustine Unboxed
- Jamestown Unboxed
- Plymouth Unboxed
- French and Indian War Unboxed
- American Revolution Unboxed
- Missions Unboxed
- Lewis and Clark Unboxed
- Going West Unboxed
- Civil War Unboxed
What's Included
You will receive one box a month for as long as you like. Your subscription will auto renew until you cancel.
SCHEDULE OF BOXES
- Month 1 – Mali Why begin an American History course in Africa? Because the study of our nation (rather than the study of a continent) begins with the merging of three broad cultures: European, African, and Native American. We have chosen to begin our American story in the days before these three cultures came together in the Western Hemisphere. Learn about the richest man in the world, Mansa Musa, and his amazing and beautiful kingdom.
- Month 2 – Powhatan Visit one of the Eastern Woodland nations and learn more about the indigenous peoples of America. Try your hand at farming, baking and bead work, and read a traditional folk tale.
- Month 3 – European Explorers All aboard for a gripping look at the ups and downs of life at sea, the men who braved the journey, and the mixed legacy they left behind.
- Month 4 – St. Augustine Take an up-close look at the volatile life inside this fort, the truth about pirates and privateers, and the Native Timucua people.
- Month 5 – Jamestown Have you ever wondered what life was like in this early settlement? What’s the truth behind the legend of John Smith and Pocahontas? Where the first enslaved Africans arrived in the English colonies? Find the answers inside this box!
- Month 6 – Plymouth Explore this early settlement and learn new and exciting details about some of the most iconic early American people and events – the Pilgrims, the Wampanoag, and the true story first Thanksgiving. Jump forward a few decades and try to survive the Salem witch trials in a Choose Your Story special adventure.
- Month 7 – The French & Indian War: Before he fought in the revolution, before he accepted the presidency, George Washington did something else: he started a world war! Discover what life looked like for soldiers, Natives, colonists, and children during this time of conflict.
- Month 8 – The American Revolution: Don’t just learn about the revolution, experience it with all of your senses! Drink liberty tea while learning about the Boston Tea Party. Read about Paul Revere’s ride by the light of a tin punch lantern. Deepen your understanding of the constitution and then try your hand with quill and ink.
- Month 9 – Missions: On the west coast of America the Spanish soldiers and Missionaries were a very active part of colonial America. Explore the ways of Native life and how things changed as people from two continents collided.
- Month 10 – Lewis & Clark: Explore North America with the adventurous Corps of Discovery as they catalog animal and plant life, meet indigenous tribes, and bring colonial ideas with them.
- Month 11 – Going West: The trickle of movement westward becomes a flood as gold, land, and forced Native relocation push people from all walks of life farther west. This month covers the gold rush, the Oregon Trail, and the Trail of Tears in a relatable, memorable way.
- Month 12 – Civil War: See how difficulties from the very beginning of colonial America come to a boiling point as the nation struggles for survival. Meet Harriet Tubman and learn about the real underground railroad. Read Abraham Lincoln’s writing and then learn the state of the art communication he used during war time: Morse Code. Find out about the forgotten soldiers of the Civil War and discover how Native peoples, immigrants, women, and enslaved and free blacks changed history.
Why Do We Start our American History Curriculum with Mali?
You may wonder why a course on American history begins with a study on an African civilization. American history, as the study of our nation rather than the study of a continent, begins with the merging of three broad cultures: African, European, and Native American.1We have chosen to begin our American story in the days before these three cultures came together in the Americas. Many of the Africans brought to North America on slave ships came from West Africa. They brought their culture with them, including religion, music, and culinary traditions. We chose to focus on the Empire of Mali because of its geographic location and because it existed concurrently with the Age of Exploration in Europe. For several centuries, Europeans and white Americans justified slavery by portraying Africans as savages or barbarians. They made the argument that slavery was an improvement over living conditions in Africa. The continent of Africa was home to many different kingdoms, tribes, and cultural groups. We cannot cover all of them, but by providing education about one great kingdom, we hope to bring balance to the traditional historical narrative.
Multi-Learner Discount / Group Orders
Are you purchasing for a classroom, large family, or co-op? If you teach multiple students take advantage of our multi-learner discount! Purchase one box at full price and get 20% off each additional box of the same box type. Take 20% of the total order for 5 or more!
Are you ordering with charter funds? Check out our charters page for more information!
Looking for group lessons? Check out our History-To-Go kits!
History-To-Go
Our high-quality hands-on history kits bring civilizations to life for learners of all ages. Each history box has everything you need for engaging history lessons. Our boxes can serve as a stand-alone history curriculum or paired with traditional social studies curricula.
Looking for group lessons? Check out our History-To-Go kits!
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