About This Course

History 103: US History I is designed to be used to prepare you to earn real college credit by passing the US History I CLEP exam. This course covers topics that are included on the exam, such as the Jamestown settlement, Mesoamerican civilizations, the 13 colonies and the American Revolutionary war. Use it to help you learn what you need to know about U.S. history topics to succeed on the exam.

The history instructors are experienced and knowledgeable educators, who have put together comprehensive video lessons that cover the period ranging from 28,000BCE to the late 1800s. Each category is broken down into smaller chapters that will cover topics more in-depth. These video lessons make learning fun and interesting. You get the aid of self-graded quizzes and practice tests to allow you to gauge how much you have learned.

Category	Objectives
First Contacts (28,000 BCE-1821 CE)	Take a look at the origins of the Native Americans and study the Mesoamerican civilizations. Also find out about the effects of European colonization and explorers.
Settling North America (1497-1732)	Learn about failed colonies, Like Jamestown. Also learn about successful settlements, like Plymouth Rock, the 13 colonies.
The Road to Revolution (1700-1774)	Discover the American enlightenment and the first great awakening. Additionally, examine some early struggles, like the French and Indian War, the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.
The American Revolution (1775-1783)	Explore the war that helped American gain its freedom. Look at the Declaration of Independence, loyalists vs. patriots and George Washington.
The Making of a New Nation (1776-1800)	Examine how the U.S. was structured with the creation of state constitutions, the Articles of Confederation, the constitutional convention, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the new U.S. government.
The Virginia Dynasty (1801--1825)	Study the presidents that made up the Virginia Dynasty and some of the important events of their presidencies.
Jacksonian Democracy (1825 -- 1850)	Take a look at the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Find out about some of his most famous moves, such as the Trail of Tears. Also find out about Martin Van Buren and William Henry Harrison.
Life in Antebellum America (1807-1861)	Study the U.S. in the rocky period preceding the Civil War. Learn about reform movements, transportation changes, economic development and slavery issues.
Manifest Destiny (1806-1855)	Follow the course of American history as it spread to the west with a look at Manifest Destiny, the California gold rush and the Oregon Trail. Additionally, study the presidencies of Tyler, Pol, Fillmore and Peirce.
Sectional Crisis (1850-1861)	See what happens as tensions rise over the issue of slavery with a look at Bloody Kansas, the Dred Scott case, John Brown and Lincoln's election. Look at the southern secessions and the start of the Civil War.
American Civil War (1861-1865)	Examine the Civil War as it begins by comparing the North and the South. Find out about key battles, the effects of the war and the turning points. Finish up with a look at how the war ended and President Lincoln's assassination.
Reconstruction (1865-1877)	Follow history through the reconstruction period in the south and how Andrew Johnson handled this rough period. Study the presidency of Grant and the different aspects of how southern reconstruction affected the country.

Education Portal Instructors

Education Portal's 53 instructors bring a diverse array of experience and expertise to each course. From teaching philosophy in Athens, Greece, to exploring the mystery of genetics, each instructor is uniquely qualified to bring students the best online learning experience possible.

Jessica Bayliss, M.S. Jessica is our Director of Education and leads the development of Education Portal's free courses. She has 10 years of experience in education and online teaching. Her work with students of all age levels drives her belief in the power of free online resources to make higher education more affordable and efficient. Jessica's favorite part of the day is reading feedback from Education Portal's students. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois and a master's degree in instructional technology from Texas A&M - Kingsville.

Greg Chin, Ph.D. Greg has taught genetics, molecular biology, and general biology to high school, collegiate, and post-graduate students at Stanford University, the University of California, Los Angeles, Santa Clara University and the Dolan DNA Learning Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. He has also taught science workshops for the general public and led biology teacher enrichment workshops throughout the U.S. He received a B.S. in Genetics from the University of California, Davis, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University. Find out how your genes work in Greg's introduction to genetics video lesson!

Max Pfingsten, M.Ed. Max has taught classics, history and philosophy at a variety of levels at the Dikemes Academy in Athens, the Boulder Valley School District, University of Colorado at Boulder and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA). His work is noteworthy for its synthesis of technology and simulation with more traditional teaching approaches. He received a B.A. in Classics from Depauw University, a M.A. in Classics from University of Colorado at Boulder, and a M.Ed. from Jones International University. See Socrates come to life in Max's lesson on the life, death, and philosophy of the great Socrates.

How to Earn Real College Credit You Can Transfer

Psych 101: Introductory Psychology prepares you to earn three college credits by taking the College Board's Psychology CLEP exam. Watch our free video lessons to learn all about famous psychologists and different types of psychology, including behavioral, cognitive, and clinical. Here are some details about how you can earn credits.

3 Ways to Earn College Credit

Education Portal's free online courses lead to real college credit so you can avoid debt and earn your degree faster. We do not offer credit directly, but we designed our courses to prepare you to pass credit-granting exams. There are three widely accepted ways to earn college credit by exam.

Option #1: Take a CLEP Exam

The College Board, which is the same organization that offers AP and SAT tests, has 33 CLEP exams that lead to widely accepted college credit. Use CLEP exams to test out of your college general education requirements and cut up to two years off the length of your degree program.

 CLEP Exam Detail

Option #2: Take Excelsior College's Credit-by-Exam

DSST Credit Accepted at Over 2,000 Colleges Including:

Excelsior College is a regionally accredited, not-for-profit college that offers 54 exams that lead to credit accepted at many universities. You can use Excelsior College's exams to test out of general education requirements or upper-level college classes.

Excelsior College's Exam Details

1. 54 exams covering general and upper-level college subjects
2. Most exams are $95
3. Each exam worth 3-8 college credits
4. Over 4,000 U.S. and international testing centers

Option #3: Take a DSST (DANTES) Exam

DSST Credit Accepted at Over 2,000 Colleges Including:

The 38 DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) have been evaluated and approved for college credit by the American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT). Accepted at over 2,000 colleges and universities, the DSST exams are an affordable and time saving way to earn college credit without taking a traditional course.

DSST Exam Details

1. 38 exams covering many general education subjects
2. Credit accepted at over 2,000 colleges and universities
3. $80 per exam (plus a small test center fee that varies)
4. Exam worth 3 college credits
5. Most exams are two hours long
6. Over 1,000 U.S. testing centers