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U.S. History IOnline College Course
From pre-Columbian societies to the Civil War — the forces that built America, and the arguments that still shape it.
What You'll Learn
A full semester of u.s. history i — completed at your own pace, with no deadlines or fixed class times.
What You'll Be Able to Do
- Upon completing this in-depth exploration of American history, students will have achieved the following learning outcomes:
- Analyze the social, political, economic, and cultural interactions among Indigenous societies, Europeans, and Africans from the pre-Columbian era through early colonization, explaining how these interactions shaped emerging Atlantic world systems
- Analyze and interpret major developments in British colonial governance, imperial policy, and colonial resistance to explain the causes and progression of the American Revolution
- Analyze patterns of causation, change over time, and consequence in early American history through concise, evidence-based written responses
- Analyze primary historical sources by situating them in historical context, interpreting authorial perspective and purpose, and explaining their significance within early American political and social developments
- Evaluate competing political, economic, and ideological perspectives in the early republic to explain conflicts over governance, federal authority, and national identity
- Synthesize historical evidence from multiple periods to construct coherent, thesis-driven written arguments explaining how nation-building, economic transformation, and social change reshaped the United States between independence and the mid-nineteenth century
Major Course Topics
Course chapters and lessons
U.S. History I has 15 chapters across 82 instructional hours, as listed in the course syllabus. Expand any chapter to see the lessons inside it.
- Chapters
- 15
- Lessons
- 68
- Instructional hours
- 82 hrs
- Semester hours
- 3
Chapter 1
The Americas, Europe, and Africa in the Pre-Columbian Era (Before 1492)
- 1.1 The Indigenous Cultures of the Americas
- 1.2 Europe at the Dawn of Transformation
- 1.3 West Africa’s Societies and the Emergence of Slavery
Chapter 2
The Dawn of Globalization: The Atlantic World, 1492-1650
- 2.1 Navigating the Seas: Portuguese Ventures and Spanish Dominance
- 2.2 Religious Turmoil in the Emerging Atlantic Societies
- 2.3 Rivals to Spain’s Dominance in the Atlantic Sphere
- 2.4 Transformations in the Americas: Labor, Trade, and the Columbian Impact
Chapter 3
Shaping New Social Structures: Colonial Societies, 1500-1700
- 3.1 Spanish Expeditions and the Formation of Colonial Communities
- 3.2 Competing Colonizers: Dutch and French Aspirations in the New World
- 3.3 The Establishment of English Colonies in the Americas
- 3.4 The Consequences of Colonization
- Chapter 3A: Analyzing Historical Causation and Consequence in the Atlantic World (to 1700)
Chapter 4
Rise of the English Empire: 1660-1763
- 4.1 The Restoration Era and Charles II’s Colonies
- 4.2 The Glorious Revolution’s Impact on the English Empire
- 4.3 A Slave-Driven Economy and the Consumer Transformation
- 4.4 Intellectual and Spiritual Revolutions: The Great Awakening and Enlightenment
- 4.5 Imperial Conflicts and the Struggle for Dominance
Chapter 5
Imperial Changes and Colonial Resistance, 1763-1774
- 5.1 Managing War Debt: The Fallout from the French and Indian War
- 5.2 The Stamp Act Crisis and the Rise of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty
- 5.3 The Townshend Acts and the Escalation of Colonial Opposition
- 5.4 The Boston Tea Party and the Coercive Acts
- 5.5 Growing Divide: The First Continental Congress and the Birth of American Identity
Chapter 6
The Fight for Independence: America’s Revolution, 1775-1783
- 6.1 Britain’s Strategy to Restore Order and Its Repercussions
- 6.2 The Beginnings of the Revolutionary Struggle
- 6.3 The Southern Campaigns of the Revolutionary War
- 6.4 Shaping Identity in the Era of the American Revolution
- Chapter 6A: Empire, Resistance, and Revolutionary Change (1660-1783)
Chapter 7
Building Republican Institutions, 1776-1790
- 7.1 Common Sense and the Shift from Monarchy to Republic
- 7.2 The Extent of Revolutionary Transformations
- 7.3 The Debate over Democratic Principles
- 7.4 Crafting a New Framework: The Constitutional Convention and the Federal Charter
Chapter 8
Challenges of a Young Nation: The New Republic, 1790-1820
- 8.1 Diverging Ideologies: Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans
- 8.2 Establishing the Foundations of the American Republic
- 8.3 The Rise of Partisan Politics
- 8.4 A Return to Conflict: The United States at War Again
- Chapter 8A: Interpreting Political Thought and Authority in the Early Republic
Chapter 9
The Northern Industrial Revolution, 1800-1850
- 9.1 The Beginnings of Industry in the Northeastern United States
- 9.2 The Rise of a Dynamic Capitalist Society
- 9.3 Transforming Mobility: The Transportation Revolution
- 9.4 Emerging Social Structures: Class Divides in a Changing North
- Chapter 9A: Nation-Building, Economic Transformation, and Social Change (1776-1850)
Chapter 10
The Age of Jackson: Democracy Expands, 1820-1840
- 10.1 Shaping a New Political Era: From John Quincy Adams to Andrew Jackson
- 10.2 The Growth of American Democratic Ideals
- 10.3 The Nullification Crisis and the Battle Over the Bank
- 10.4 The Policy of Indian Removal
- 10.5 The Power and Perils of Majority Rule
Chapter 11
Expanding Horizons: Westward Movement, 1800-1860
- 11.1 The Expedition of Lewis and Clark
- 11.2 The Missouri Compromise and Its Challenges
- 11.3 Texas Secures Independence
- 11.4 The Mexican-American War: 1846-1848
- 11.5 Free or Enslaved? The Western Territory Debate
Chapter 12
The Reign of Cotton: The Antebellum South, 1800-1860
- 12.1 The Cotton Economy and Its Impact
- 12.2 African American Life in Antebellum America
- 12.3 Southern Wealth and Cultural Identity
- 12.4 The Filibuster Movement and the Expansion of Slave Territories
Chapter 13
Antebellum Movements and Reform, 1820-1860
- 13.1 A Revival of Faith and the Rise of Individualism
- 13.2 Utopian Communities and Social Experiments
- 13.3 Advancements in Health and Human Welfare
- 13.4 Confronting the Institution of Slavery
- 13.5 The Struggle for Women’s Rights
Chapter 14
A Decade of Discord: The Turbulent 1850s
- 14.1 The Compromise of 1850: Seeking Balance Amid Division
- 14.2 The Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Birth of the Republican Party
- 14.3 The Dred Scott Ruling and Growing Sectional Tensions
- 14.4 John Brown’s Raid and the Pivotal Election of 1860
Chapter 15
The Civil War: Struggle for Unity, 1860-1865
- 15.1 The Causes and Beginning of the Civil War
- 15.2 Early Efforts and Strategies in the War
- 15.3 1863: Turning Points and Transformations in the War
- 15.4 Victory for the Union: The War’s Conclusion
These chapters come straight from the official course syllabus, which also sets out the graded assignment and the proctored final exam.
Course Details
| Course | U.S. History I (HIST 101) |
|---|---|
| Format | 100% online |
| Learning Style | Self-paced — no deadlines or class times |
| Credits | 3 College Credits |
| Lab | Not required |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Assessment | 25% Attendance · 25% Quizzes · 25% Assignments · 25% Final Exam |
| Estimated Completion | Self-paced · no deadlines |
| Credit Recommendation | NCCRS Credit Recommended |
| Transfer Information | Transferable via the credit recommendation above — your registrar can confirm your school's policy |
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From pre-Columbian societies to the Civil War — the forces that built America, and the arguments that still shape it.
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