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In Deuteronomy, we are instructed to teach the mighty deeds of God to our children; yet, for 150 years, we have neglected to teach the miracles of God concerning our nation. Now you can reclaim this heritage as you learn and teach your children. Each level cover seven principles of God upon which this nation was built.
Seven Key Principles
1. The Principle of Individuality
Everything God creates is unique, individual, and for a purpose. By looking at God’s creation we can learn about God’s own individuality. Everything God creates, He provides for, protects, and maintains. God uses individual people, events, documents, nations, etc. to fit into His plan for the world.
2. The Principle of Self-Government
A man cannot rule our country, unless he can manage a state, but a man cannot manage a state, unless he can lead a county, but a man cannot lead a county, unless he can head a city, but a man cannot head a city, unless he can guide a family, but a man cannot guide a family, unless he can govern himself, but a man cannot govern himself, unless he has reason, but a man cannot have reason, unless he is ruled by and obedient to God. Each person shows his own individual responsibility to God by learning to be self-governed based on God’s word.
3. America's Heritage of Christian Character
We need to teach our children that we are warriors in a battle for God. We are in constant conflict with sin in our everyday lives. By knowing and remembering what God has done for our nation, we can learn to recognize what God is doing in our own lives. Once we recognize the hand of God in history, our lives, and in the lives of our families, we have discovered wisdom. We need to share our personal witness with our students, children, and families. By sharing it, we and others are encouraged, enlightened, reminded of God's steadfastness, and our faith in future help is renewed.
4. Conscience is the Most Sacred of All PropertyAll the world is God's property because He created it. By the dominion mandate both after the fall and after the flood, man was given the right to own property. Man has both internal property and external property. Of all the property which man owns, the conscience is the most sacred. It is one's conscience that determines if one chooses right or wrong. It is the conscience that decides whether or not to accept Christ…it is the nearest the heart of God. We all need to be more aware of our conscience and more sensitive to it.
5. The Christian Form of our Government
We have a Christian nation. No, we are not all Christians, but the form of our government is Biblical and as such we have a Christian form of government. The exact name of our government is a Christian Federal Constitutional Republic (not a democracy). As Christians, we need to teach our children about our form of government and the need to protect its Biblical roots.
6. How the Seed of Local Self-Government is PlantedThink for a moment what would happen to our country if a child grows up knowing: He/she is uniquely made by God for a purpose, How to govern his/her thoughts and actions based on God's law as outlined in the Bible, What God has done in his/her nation's history and can recognize the hand of God in their own, How to listen to his/her conscience and guards his/her consent, and The structure and origins of our form of government. What would happen? For one, the child would begin to teach others and take action to protect what God has given us in this nation. The child would begin to take responsibility for his/her part in the family, the church, and also in civil government. The child would become an informed and active citizen.
7. The Principle of the American Political Union
This whole principle is based on Christian unity. When one decides to come to Christ, it is not forced…it is a voluntary union. When our original thirteen colonies came together, it was voluntary unity. For the first time in the history of the world, a nation was formed by voluntary consent of the people. We use this principle each day as we decide whether or not to join others for a cause. It is usually our conscience which helps us decide whether or not to unite with others. A child uses this principle when he/she decided whether or not to join scouts, youth groups, band clubs, choral groups, baseball teams and such.
Does Your Child Know…
-What his/her inalienable rights are?
-How our Founding Fathers felt about taxes?
-Why the Boston Tea Party could only have happened
in Boston?
-Who John Lock or William Blackstone were?
-Why America is a Christian nation?
-How to contrast the Pagan Idea of Man with the Christian
Idea of Man?
-What it means to be self-governed?
-That refusing to stop a wrong from taking place is giving
one's tacit consent?
If not, then your child needs these study guides which are based in part on the research of the Foundation for American Christian Education and the books:
THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, compiled by Verna Hall; and
TEACHING AND LEARNING AMERICA'S CHRISTIAN HISTORY, compiled by Rosalie Slater.
Available in Levels A-H (Click here for Scope & Sequence) PDF File
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FAQ's on the America's Christian History Series/America's Founding Principles for Children:
Where Do I Start?
In the America's Christian History Series, what level do I start with. Must I start in the beginning or is the series designed to jump in anywhere? Ask yourself the questions, "Where is my student? Does he/she already understand how to be self-governed? Have he/she studied under the principle approach method before? What is the level of understanding?" Our levels are delineated by the letters A through H. We did not place a grade level on the volumes so that the parent/teacher would have flexibility with the series, that is designed so that you can start at any level. Please keep in mind that we have purposefully kept the reading level and vocabulary level high. Many students are started at a level that might be considered to be below their grade level if all you think of is grades 1 through 8.
How Much Should I Cover in One Class?
The idea is to keep the amount of information at a level that the student can understand. Be sensitive to his/her interests and needs. This is a special way of learning, one that is not encountered in regular textbooks. It should, therefore, not be dreaded. Cover the amount of material that you can while keeping a high rate of interest. Keep in mind, especially in the higher levels, that the student will be reading original documents and be formulated deep opinions on the subjects. There may be some days where you cover a lot and, other days where you cover not so much. It's ok! This curriculum can be individualized to the student or a group of students.
How Often Do I teach the Curriculum?
Most teachers start out with classes twice a week, but soon find that as the interest of the students increase, more research periods and independent study time is needed. Encourage the students to explore their ideas and learn more about the period of time they are studying and the people involved.
Can I Cover More than 1 Book a Year?
If the student is comprehending the principles and has been allowed time to internalize the principles, then there is no problem in completing more than one book a year. This is especially true for the lower levels. These levels are designed to teach the very basics of each principle. For example; Self-government in Level A is taught in terms of making your bed without being reminded. The same principle in Level H is taught in terms of the student's responsibility to the family, church, state, and national governments.
What about Supplemental Materials?
Our research has found that when seeking other books and materials, normally anything written before 1890 will have the Providence of God in the context of the book. With this in mind, if you want to build a library of good reference books and historical materials, start visiting library sales, estate sales, and old book stores. If you are like most of us, once you begin this process, you will take a fun vacation and find that you are spending more time in dusty old book stores having a blast than on the sunny beaches of the world. It becomes a fascinating hobby in itself. You will learn to develop what we call "acid tests". If you're looking for a book about George Washington or the French-Indian War, for example, check out the Battle of Monongahela. If the story mentions that Washington found five bullet holes in his clothes after the battle, then the rest of the book is probably pretty true. It seems as if this little known fact is the first thing that is left out when historians wanted to take God out of history. As you study America's Christian History, you will develop similar tests. The information contained in our series has been verified with 2-3 other original sources so we truly believe the facts are as correct as we have relayed them. Also, be sure to check our resources page. As we come across really good supplemental materials, we'll post the links to the web sites for you.
What Can I do with a High Schooler?
If a student has not received this type of learning before, you could start them off at Level E which will challenge the best of students as it requires an enormous amount of thinking. Then the student could continue with the series working up through Level H.
Is this an All-Inclusive History?
Our series mainly covers from the Reformation through the signing of the Constitution. It was during this period that the national character of our country was forged. The moral values and character that we wish to instill in our youth needs to be of this period in order to reclaim the moral integrity and heritage of America. The series was developed not as an inclusive history, but to develop this national character.
What is the Related Religious Denomination?
Our series does not teach religious dogma. While it is written from the Protestant view point, we offer the historical facts on history presented from original documents and based on what the individual person being studied or groups of people believed. The series is based on the reformed theology that was embraced by most of our Founding Fathers.