U.S. History: From the Pre-Columbian Era through Reconstruction

This is a 2-semester online course in U.S. History, combining two courses from The Nomadic Professor: "To Begin the World Over Again" and "The Noise of Democracy." The course is taught by Nomadic Professor co-founder Nate Noorlander and will be conducted live, with students required to attend with their cameras on and contribute to discussions. The course aims to help students master American history and develop a deep understanding of source material, from primary historical sources to contemporary sources. The course will be engaging and nuanced, providing context and promoting epistemic humility.

The course is structured with weekly 1-hour live classes, and students are required to complete assigned work, including weekly reading, on-location videos, pre-recorded document-based lessons, and accompanying notes and assignments. The course is designed for students in grades 9-12 following an Honors track and will require approximately 1 hour of work per school day. Students will need high-speed internet, webcam, sound card, microphone, streaming video capabilities, and PDF editing software. Evaluation and feedback will be provided via email and prearranged video calls, and students will receive rubrics with comments in response to all written work. Parental support is encouraged, and parents are welcome to reach out to the instructor directly with questions.