Master Books American History Review: Is One Nation Under God the Best High School Homeschool History Curriculum?
If you’re looking for a Christian American history curriculum for high school homeschool, you’ve probably come across One Nation Under God from Master Books. As a homeschool mom of eight who’s been homeschooling for over 25 years, I’ve used several different American history programs with my high school students. After teaching seven teenagers American history, I’ve learned that every curriculum has its own strengths—and every family has different priorities.
In this review, I’ll give you an honest look at One Nation Under God, including what’s inside the curriculum, what I love about it, who I think it’s best for, and how it compares to other popular high school American history programs we’ve used in our homeschool.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Master Books. I received the two books and compensation to create video reviews. The post also contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are completely honest and my own.
What Is One Nation Under God?
One Nation Under God is a full-year American history curriculum designed for grades 9–12. Published by Master Books, it presents United States history through a biblical worldview, helping students understand not only what happened throughout American history but also the spiritual, cultural, and philosophical ideas that shaped the nation.
The curriculum covers American history from the foundations of Western civilization all the way to modern America, including events that occurred as recently as 2025. That makes it one of the most current Master Books high school history courses available.
Every History Curriculum Has a Worldview
One thing I always remind homeschool parents is that every history curriculum has a worldview.
Some people say they want a “neutral” history curriculum, but the reality is that no history course is completely neutral. Every author decides what events to include–and exclude–, which people to emphasize, and how to interpret historical events.
Personally, I appreciate that One Nation Under God openly teaches from a biblical perspective. That doesn’t mean it portrays America’s founders—or Christians throughout history—as perfect people. Instead, it presents history honestly while recognizing God’s providence and the influence Christianity has had throughout America’s development.
For our family, that’s exactly the perspective we want our children to understand as they study American history.
What’s Included?
The curriculum consists of two books:
- Student Textbook (see free sample pages here)
- Teacher Guide (see free sample pages here)
I appreciate the simplicity of this format.
Unlike some high school history programs that require a large stack of books, everything is contained in these two volumes.
The student text includes:
- 34 lessons
- Nine instructional units
- Daily reading assignments
- Historical photographs
- Artwork
- Original source documents
- Vocabulary words
- A glossary
- “Greatest Takeaway in American History” summaries
The lessons are broken into manageable daily assignments. Most daily readings are only two or three pages, making this a very approachable high school homeschool American history curriculum.
What I Like About the Student Text
As I flipped through the curriculum, several things immediately stood out.
Manageable Daily Reading
Instead of assigning huge chunks of reading, students complete small sections each day. That consistency makes the course much less overwhelming.
Original Historical Documents
Students don’t just read about history—they interact with it.
The curriculum includes important historical documents such as:
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Gettysburg Address
- Political speeches
- Historical letters
- The Star-Spangled Banner poem
- Political cartoons
I especially appreciated the lesson that teaches students how to read older historical documents using a layered reading method. Instead of expecting teenagers to instantly understand eighteenth-century language, the curriculum walks them through reading it multiple times to build comprehension.
That’s a valuable life skill that extends beyond history.
Beautiful Layout
The pages are clean, colorful, and inviting.
Historical paintings, maps, and photographs help break up the text without becoming distracting.
It’s visually appealing while still being like a serious high school textbook.
Teacher Guide and Student Worksheets
The teacher guide is another highlight.
It includes:
- Student worksheets
- Vocabulary activities
- Writing assignments
- Matching exercises
- Critical thinking questions
- Creative writing
- Maps
- Crosswords
- Venn diagrams
- Cause-and-effect activities
- Answer keys
One feature I especially appreciate is that the student worksheets are perforated and three-hole punched, making them easy to remove and organize into a binder.
Master Books also allows families to make copies for students living in the same household, which is a wonderful benefit for homeschool families with multiple children.
Independent Yet Flexible
Although I enjoy studying history alongside my children, I know many homeschool parents need a curriculum their teens can complete independently.
This course works well both ways.
Students can complete the readings and worksheets independently, while optional discussion questions and group activities allow families to dive deeper if desired.
That flexibility makes it one of the better Christian high school homeschool history programs for busy families.
Current Events Included
One thing that surprised me—in a good way—was how current this curriculum is.
Since it was published in 2026, it includes discussion of events from 2025, helping students connect historical foundations with today’s world.
Rather than ending decades ago, students see how history continues to unfold and how modern events relate to America’s past.
How Does It Compare to Other American History Curricula?
Over the years we’ve used several different American history programs.
Tapestry of Grace
Tapestry of Grace is an excellent curriculum, but American history is spread across multiple years rather than taught as its own standalone course.
One unexpected challenge came when one of my daughters applied to college. The admissions office wanted to see a separate American history course on her transcript, and her integrated history studies weren’t enough. She ended up completing an additional American history course over Christmas break.
That experience made me appreciate having a dedicated American history credit.
Compass Classroom
One of my daughters has dyslexia, so we chose Compass Classroom because it was entirely video-based.
It worked well for independent learning.
However, I missed the discussions that naturally happen when reading history together.
Notgrass American History
We also used Notgrass American History.
It’s an excellent curriculum with rich content, but for our family there was simply too much reading. We weren’t able to finish everything during the school year.
Compared to that, One Nation Under God feels much more manageable while still covering the major events of American history thoroughly.
Who Is This Curriculum Best For?
I would especially recommend this curriculum for homeschool families looking for:
- A Christian American history curriculum
- A biblical worldview
- High school American history credit
- An organized teacher guide
- Independent learning
- Moderate daily reading
- Critical thinking activities
- Current historical content
- A complete curriculum in just two books
Final Thoughts
After looking through One Nation Under God, I’m genuinely excited to use it with my youngest child when she reaches high school.
It strikes an excellent balance between academic rigor and practical usability. The lessons are manageable, the teacher guide is well organized, and the biblical worldview is thoughtfully integrated throughout the course.
If you’ve been searching for the best Master Books American History curriculum for high school, I think this one deserves a close look!
It’s engaging without being overwhelming, thorough without requiring an entire library of books, and flexible enough to fit many different homeschool styles.
Watch My Full Video American History Review
If you’d like to learn more, be sure to watch my complete video review where I flip through both books and compare One Nation Under God with several other popular homeschool American history programs.
Giveaway and Other Links:
- Master Books catalog
- Free America 250 Unit Study
- Teacher guide sample
- Student textbook sample
- Giveaway information (if currently available)
Related Posts:
- Learning High School American History and Literature Should Go Hand-in-Hand
- A Superb Way to Breathe Life into Any History Curriculum
- Ten Great Ways to Teach History
- Music Lessons to Make American History Studies Richer
