Free World History Textbooks for Homeschool
More Thorough History Lessons
I came across a set of world history textbooks called Beacon Lights of History by Lord Byron. The books were written in the 1800's so they are in the public domain. There are 15 volumes in the set. Each volume is several hundred pages long. Therefore, different periods of world history, such as the Renaissance and the Middle Ages, are written about in depth. There is even some American history in volumes 12 and 13.
My son lost interest with our previous world history book because it only spent a couple of pages covering major events and he was left with a lot of questions after the lesson was complete. But each subject in Beacon Lights of History is anywhere from 30 - 50 pages long. My son is very interested in details so he finds these history lessons fascinating. Now he is learning so much that he actually enjoys sharing history facts with others.
How to Use the Textbooks
The series is so expansive that there is no way that we could cover all of the volumes during a single school year. Instead, we are learning about major events in the order that they happened.
I print out each lesson in booklet form using the draft setting on my printer. This way I conserve ink and use less paper. Then I fold the book in half and staple it in the middle.
I give the book as a reading assignment on Monday and it is to be completed by Friday. My son uses his dictionary quite a bit when reading. But this is actually helping him expand his vocabulary. The lesson is concluded with either an oral or written summary.
Where to Find the Textbooks
The Beacon Lights of History series is available in several forms including PDF format on Archive.org. You can also find it on Google Books.
All children are different so these books may not work for everyone. But if your child really enjoys learning a lot of detail about history then this approach may be just what you need.
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Published by Serfronya Wallace
Serfronya Wallace is a wife, mother, and freelance writer. Her husband and she have been home educators for several years. Serfronya writes about home management, frugality, child rearing, and homeschooling.... View profile
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