BRI's free, online U.S. History resource for high schoolers

BRIng America's Story to Life!

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Plan your year with suggested pacing

Bill of Rights Institute has developed a scope and sequence using Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness content to cover a one school year U.S. History or AP U.S. History course.

Open the Scope and Sequence

Click Through Our Table of Contents

View what's in each unit

What's Special about this Resource?

See what makes this resource unique

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers about access, use, and accounts

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Browse the Inquiry Organizers

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Educator Resource

Chapter 1: 1491-1607 Inquiry Organizer

How did the collision of cultures create a “New World”?

A historical document listing names, payments, and details from a record book.

Educator Resource

Chapter 2: 1607-1763 Inquiry Organizer

What religious, political, and social movements and events fostered a sense of autonomy from Great Britain among the American colonists between 1607 and 1763?

Three historical figures discussing documents in a room, with a ship model visible in the background.

Educator Resource

Chapter 3: 1763-1789 Inquiry Organizer

What is the “American Experiment”?

Historical illustration of a ship and a small boat, with figures engaged in trade at a waterfront.

Educator Resource

Chapter 4: 1789-1800 Inquiry Organizer

How can a nation stay unified despite divisions?

A historical illustration of the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships during the War of 1812.

Educator Resource

Chapter 5: 1800-1828 Inquiry Organizer

Was the early republic truly an Era of Good Feelings?

A historical painting depicting a chaotic battle scene with soldiers and civilians engaged in conflict.

Educator Resource

Chapter 6: 1828-1844 Inquiry Organizer

Was the democratization of politics during the Jacksonian era a shift from Founding era political theory?

Four people panning for gold by a stream, with tools and equipment scattered around them. Black-and-white photograph.

Educator Resource

Chapter 7: 1844-1860 Inquiry Organizer

Was the Civil War inevitable?

Civil War battle scene depicting soldiers in combat, cannons firing, and smoke rising from the battlefield.

Educator Resource

Chapter 8: 1860-1877 Inquiry Organizer

Did the Civil War help create a more perfect Union?

Historical illustration titled "The Anti-Chinese Wall," depicting figures contributing to a wall made of boxes.

Educator Resource

Chapter 9: 1877-1898 Inquiry Organizer

How did a changing view of government’s responsibility during the Gilded Age affect American society?

Stock certificate for the Standard Oil Company, issued for 87 shares with a capitalization of $3,500,000, dated 1873.

Educator Resource

Chapter 10: 1898-1919 Inquiry Organizer

How did the Progressive vision shape American politics, society, and foreign policy from 1898 to 1917?

Crowds of people and vintage cars on a busy street in a historic urban setting, with tall buildings towering above.

Educator Resource

Chapter 11: 1920-1932 Inquiry Organizer

How did the modernization of the American economy and society lead to cultural conflict during the 1920s?

Two women wearing welding helmets and protective gear, focused on their work in a welding shop.

Educator Resource

Chapter 12: 1932-1945 Inquiry Organizer

How did Franklin Roosevelt respond to the crises of the Great Depression at home and the war against tyrannical states during World War II abroad?

Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood with winding streets and rows of houses.

Educator Resource

Chapter 13: 1945-1960 Inquiry Organizer

How did anti-communist foreign policy, the liberal welfare state, and American cultural values shape the postwar world from 1945 to 1960?

A protest scene with a young woman offering a flower to military police during a demonstration.

Educator Resource

Chapter 14: 1960-1968 Inquiry Organizer

How did internal and external political and cultural tensions shape the years 1960–1968?

Black and white photo of diverse students sitting inside a school bus, facing the camera, with expressions ranging from smiles to seriousness.

Educator Resource

Chapter 15: 1968-1980 Inquiry Organizer

How did a fracturing of the liberal consensus shape politics and culture between 1968 and 1980?

Three men, including a former U.S. president, seated at a conference table during a meeting.

Educator Resource

Chapter 16: 1980-Present Inquiry Organizer

How does the American experiment play out in the foreign and domestic policy of modern America?

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Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Documents of Freedom

Heroes & Villains

BRI Curricula

Curriculum Components

Educator Opportunities

Student Opportunities

BRI News

Upcoming Events

America at 250: Bringing the Founding to Life in the Classroom

Implementing the Civics Bee Focus Group

Introduction to BRI (Grades 6-12)

Introduction to BRI Jr. (Grades K-5)

Invest In Our Future

Support now

Ways to partner with BRI

About BRI

BRIng America's Story to Life!

Plan your year with suggested pacing

Click Through Our Table of Contents

What's Special about this Resource?

Frequently Asked Questions

Chapter 1: 1491-1607 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 2: 1607-1763 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 3: 1763-1789 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 4: 1789-1800 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 5: 1800-1828 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 6: 1828-1844 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 7: 1844-1860 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 8: 1860-1877 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 9: 1877-1898 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 10: 1898-1919 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 11: 1920-1932 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 12: 1932-1945 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 13: 1945-1960 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 14: 1960-1968 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 15: 1968-1980 Inquiry Organizer

Chapter 16: 1980-Present Inquiry Organizer