American History
American History from a Christian Worldview
American history should be studied not merely as a collection of dates, wars, presidents, and political events, but as the story of people, ideas, institutions, movements, and decisions that have shaped the United States.
A Christian study of American history also considers the influence of Christianity and the Bible on American people and institutions, while examining the successes, failures, conflicts, injustices, and consequences that have marked the nation’s history.
The resources below provide Christian perspectives on American history, America’s founding, the Pilgrims, the Founding Fathers, the Constitution, Christian education, providential history, and the development of American liberty and government.
American Christian History & Providential History
American Christian History Institute
The American Christian History Institute was led for many years by James B. Rose, a pioneer in American Christian education and the Principle Approach. Although Mr. Rose died in 2019, his historical and educational materials remain available through the Pilgrim Institute.
American Christian History Institute – James B. Rose Resources
American Minute
William J. Federer produces American Minute, a daily historical feature highlighting significant people, events, ideas, and developments in American history. His work emphasizes America’s heritage and the faith and principles that shaped many aspects of American life.
American Minute – William J. Federer
Mark Beliles
Historian and author Mark Beliles researches America’s founding, Christian heritage, and the biblical principles that influenced early American history. His current work includes America’s Providential History and other historical resources.
Foundation for American Christian Education
The Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE) specializes in America’s Christian history and the Principle Approach®, a method of education that places biblical principles at the foundation of learning. FACE publishes historical resources, curriculum, primary-source materials, and resources concerning America’s Christian heritage.
Foundation for American Christian Education
Pilgrim Institute
Established in 1979, Pilgrim Institute seeks to restore an understanding of America’s Providential History and American Christian education. Its resources address American history, government, liberty, self-government, Christian education, and the biblical principles associated with America’s civil heritage.
Providence Foundation
The Providence Foundation provides resources on America’s Providential History, biblical principles of government, economics, education, liberty, and civil society. Stephen McDowell, president and co-founder, has authored numerous resources on America’s Christian heritage.
Providential History
Providential History provides field studies, classes, workshops, resources, and other materials for studying American history from a providential perspective.
WallBuilders
WallBuilders researches and presents America’s history with particular emphasis on the influence of Christianity, the Bible, the Founding Fathers, and the nation’s founding documents. David Barton founded WallBuilders, and Tim Barton currently serves as its president.
Christian History Curriculum & Educational Resources
Character Concepts
Rick and Marilyn Boyer’s Character Concepts provides Christian curriculum, readers, and history resources designed to teach children about character, virtue, and significant people and events in history.
Character Concepts – History Resources
Christian Liberty Press
Christian Liberty provides history and social studies curriculum from a Christian perspective, including American history courses for elementary, junior high, and high school students.
Christian Liberty Press – History & Social Studies
Drive Thru History
Dave Stotts’ Drive Thru History combines historical education with travel, documentary filmmaking, and storytelling. Its America: Columbus to the Constitution series examines the people, places, events, and ideas that shaped early American history.
America: Columbus to the Constitution
Great Waters Press / Raising Real Men
Hal and Melanie Young’s Raising Real Men offers Hero Tales from American History, based on Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge’s classic collection of American historical stories. The resource emphasizes character and virtue through the stories of American heroes.
Hero Tales from American History
Master Books
Master Books publishes Christian homeschool curriculum, including resources dealing with history and archaeology. Its Biblical Archaeology curriculum is particularly relevant to the study of ancient history and biblical archaeology.
Master Books – Biblical Archaeology
Note: This resource is better suited to the Archaeology section of ChristianWorldview.net than to American History.
Notgrass History
Notgrass History publishes Bible-based homeschool curriculum using narrative lessons, original-source documents, literature, and hands-on activities. Its American history resources include Our Star-Spangled Story and America the Beautiful.
Pilgrim & Colonial American History
Plymouth Rock Foundation
The Plymouth Rock Foundation has preserved and promoted the history of the Pilgrims since 1970. Its resources emphasize the Pilgrims’ faith, biblical principles, religious and civil liberty, self-government, and influence on American history.
American History & Constitutional Resources
Patriot Academy
Patriot Academy, founded by Rick Green, provides training in American history, civics, constitutional government, leadership, and biblical principles of citizenship.
World History Institute
The World History Institute, founded by Marshall Foster, provides historical and Christian worldview resources concerning Western civilization, America’s Christian heritage, and the influence of biblical principles on history.
Primary Sources & General American History Resources
The following resources are not Christian ministries, but they provide valuable primary documents and historical materials that Christians should be willing to examine directly.
National Archives
The National Archives provides access to America’s founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, along with thousands of other historical documents.
America’s Founding Documents – National Archives
America’s Historical Documents – National Archives
Founders Online
Founders Online, administered by the National Archives in partnership with the University of Virginia Press, provides access to thousands of historical documents associated with George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress provides extensive primary-source materials for studying American history, including a large collection of documents organized by historical subject.
Primary Documents in American History – Library of Congress
Studying American History from a Christian Worldview
A Christian worldview recognizes that history is not ultimately a story of human progress independent of God. God is sovereign over nations and rulers, while human beings remain responsible for their actions and accountable to their Creator.
The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over nations (Daniel 2:21; Acts 17:26), that rulers are accountable to Him (Psalm 2:10–12; Romans 13:1–7), and that human beings and societies are affected by sin (Romans 3:10–18, 23).
Christians should therefore study American history honestly. We should recognize genuine examples of courage, justice, liberty, sacrifice, and faithfulness without turning the nation or its founders into objects of misplaced devotion. We should also acknowledge injustice, slavery, political corruption, religious conflict, oppression, and other failures without allowing those failures to erase the historical evidence of God’s providence or the good accomplished through individuals who acted according to biblical principles.
The purpose of studying American history is not merely to produce patriotism. It is to cultivate wisdom, discernment, gratitude, humility, and a better understanding of how ideas and beliefs shape individuals, families, churches, governments, and nations.
Key Biblical Principles for Studying History
God is sovereign over nations.
Daniel 2:21; Acts 17:26
God holds rulers accountable.
Psalm 2:10–12; Romans 13:1–7
Human beings and societies are affected by sin.
Romans 3:10–18, 23
God’s providence operates throughout history.
Proverbs 16:9; Proverbs 21:1
Christians are called to remember God’s works.
Psalm 78:1–7
Justice and righteousness matter in public life.
Micah 6:8; Proverbs 14:34
Related Christian Worldview Subjects
Government / Law / Politics / Civics