This year my family is studying the 1800-1900 period of US history and we read so many good books during this time period that I simply cannot fit them into one blog post! So I’m breaking them down into individual topics, and this is just one of the many topics that can be studied during this time period.

There aren’t a lot of books about the war of 1812, but we did find a few good ones! This is also a good time to study the Madison: James and Dolly. Other historical figures you can learn about are Chief Tecumseh and Andrew Jackson.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Charlotte Mason book terminology…

Spine is an overview of a historical time period. It doesn’t focus on one person or event, but rather gives a broad view of people, events, and how history unfolds.
Biography focuses on the life of one person. It is based on primary sources.
Historical Fiction is based on a historical event or person, but fictional details are added to make the story longer and more literary.

We read the spine as a family during Gather time, but during individual learning time each boy read a book according to his ability and age. I read picture books to my 6 year old at any time of the day (usually bedtime), but you could also skip the spine and read only picture books — there are enough picture books to cover the most events. However, all three boys (10, 8, and 6) thoroughly enjoyed Which Way to the Wild West (including myself, if I’m being honest).

Did I miss any of your favorite books about this topic? If so, leave a comment below!