Over the past month, I have been working on creating a blank timeline for American history to be used as a study tool. In order to fill out this timeline, I decided to compile a list of the most significant events in American history. To go along with the categories in the timeline, these events are grouped into the following topics: politics, economics, judicial system, conflicts, achievements, and important events. I’m hoping to post the blank timeline soon, but for now, enjoy this free, printable, color-coded list of the most important events in American history.
Although I did spend an entire year on American History with my oldest child when he was very young, I’m not sure I’ll repeat this strategy with my younger kids. In her book, The Well-Trained Mind, Susan Wise Bauer talks about treating history as a four year cycle: Ancients, Middle Ages, Early Modern, and Modern history. Over the course of a 12 year education, the cycle gets repeated 3 times, going more in depth each time.
While I don’t consider myself a “classical” homeschooler by any stretch of the imagination, my oldest, who is currently in fourth grade is completing his first cycle with Story of the World: Vol. 4 – Modern History as recommended by Ms. Bauer. In the near future at least, I plan to continue this cycle. I am excited to start Ancient History again next year, because I know my younger kids who missed it the first time around are really going to enjoy it.
I don’t think that our family will ever have a year completely dedicated to American history again. However, the history of our nation is something that is important and that I want my kids to be knowledgeable about. The list of events that I created and the corresponding timeline are more helpful for me than for my kids. They help me to organize information in my own mind. As we learn about world history, we will continue to learn about American history simultaneously, and I will continue to both refer back to my timeline and list of events add to them as my knowledge grows.
If you would like your own list to refer to while you educate your children or to give your children as a study tool, below you will find a list of more than 200 important events in United States history to get you started!
Recommended Age Range: Elementary, Middle School, High School
Cost: Free
Materials:
Access your free printable here:
List of Important Events in American History
Enjoy!
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Michelle has a PhD in Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor's Degree from the California Institute of Technology. 
I just started homeschooling, this sounds like it would be A great resource!
I hope it is helpful! :)
This is so helpful! Homeschooling for the first time this year and doing US History with my 8th grader and this is a great resource! We just finished the American Revolution and the Constitution and was trying to figure out what to cover next! Thank you!
Yay! I’m glad you found my US history resource helpful! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. :)
Excellent resource. Thank you.
I’m glad you are able to use it, Catherine!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Thank you!
I’m so glad you can use my resource, Stefanie!
Wow this is amazing. Do you have a workd history like this?
Hi Christin! I don’t yet, but I’ve been wanting to make one! I think I would need to divide it up into at least Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History, otherwise it would be too overwhelming. Is there a period you are most interested in? All of them are definitely on my to do list!
I would love to take your list and put it in an Excel spreadsheet with categories to sort the events. Would you be willing to send me an unsecured PDF version? I will in turn share the excel version with you.
Hi Jenn! I’m so sorry, it’s been so long since I made that American history file and I’ve had a hard drive crash since then (and an accidental deletion of the backup due to my own incompetency 🙈). I no longer have the file or if I do, it’s on a really old external drive that I would have to hunt for. I’m sorry for the inconvenience! As a fellow Excel nerd though, I’m wondering, have you heard of Notion? It’s like Excel, but on steroids. You have me wanting to retype the list into a Notion database with categories!
This is a great resource! Thank you, Michelle! We added medical/health events to our family’s list including Spanish Flu, widespread antibiotic use, vaccines for children, and the COVID pandemic deaths by year, vaccine lives saved… plus the 46th president’s inauguration and NASA Mars Perseverance achievement. My kids seeing a 92-99% reduction in child death from preventable infections and diseases made them proud to be Americans living today, though not any more enthusiastic about getting shots. XD
What a great idea, Heather! I should do that with my family! My daughter is the absolute worst at getting shots. You’re right that it probably wouldn’t increase her enthusiasm, but it’s worth a shot. (Pun intended. 😜)
Thank you! I’m doing a 20(ish) week course of an American history overview with my girls this year and was in the process of compiling my own list. You’ve just saved me loads of time. God bless!
So glad it’s helpful! 😊