World History High School - Text

Christ the King Lord of History

Book cover: 'Christ the King Lord of History'
Author(s): 
Anne W. Carroll
Number of pages: 
474 pages
Copyright: 
1986
Publisher: 
TAN Books and Publishers
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Grade / Age level: 
Resource Type: 
Review: 

This very interesting and readable World History text covers the beginnings of History through the early reign of Pope John Paul II from a Catholic perspective. Old Testament History, the great ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome, the Life of Christ, the growth of the Church, the Great Heresies, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the "Reformation" and Counter-Reformation, the French Revolution, the Age of Napoleon, World War I, the Russian Revolution and World War II are all included in fascinating details. Essential events of World History are included in addition to tidbits of Catholic History that are hard to find elsewhere.

The Controversy: We're not supposed to "whitewash" the Catholic Church's role in History. The fact that there have been many bad Catholics and that bad things have been done in the name of the Catholic faith cannot be ignored. Anne Carroll seems to agree with this principle. Why the controversy then? According to Mrs. Carroll, many events that the Modern World believes should be blamed on Catholics are in fact Protestant myths, designed to make Catholics look bad, or other misrepresentations or misunderstandings of the facts. Some of her facts contradict other Catholic sources, such as the Catholic Encyclopedia, on such hot-button issues as the Spanish Inquisition. A number of Catholic homeschoolers find this very troubling. Some I've talked to have been so upset at their perception of a "whitewashing" of Catholic history that they are avoiding this text altogether. I disagree with this position because I believe that Mrs. Carroll genuinely believes that what she has written is true and that she is not attempting to hide the faults of the Church. I understand that some homeschoolers also prefer her husband, Warren Carroll's History of Christendom series, because it is highly annotated to support his claims and provide further reference.

I think it's important to understand that History is a very complex thing. For our understanding of History, we are always relying upon someone else's facts. Within the Catholic Church, there are many issues which are not agreed upon, and the Church doesn't say that you have to believe this or that side. I think this is a good concept for children (especially high schoolers) to understand. I would suggest having your children use this text, but discuss these important issues before you embark on your journey, and have them read materials from other Catholic sources as well.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Additional notes: 

Copyrights 1976/1986/1994

Reviewed by: 
Review Date: 
3-25-2000

Christ the King, Lord of History - Answer Key

Author(s): 
Rachel Szilagyi
Copyright: 
2002
ISBN: 
0971889503
Publisher: 
By Way of the Family Press
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Grade / Age level: 
Resource Type: 
Review: 

(for the textbook written by Anne Carroll and reviewed above)

Which busy homeschooling mother couldn't use some extra time in her day? I used to avoid purchasing answer keys and other helps, thinking that the money was better spent in other ways. As my family has grown and my children's work has become more time-consuming and difficult, I have found real value and genuine time savings in having a well-produced answer key. I'm still able to correct first grade math without a key, but not high school history!

This new book will be a wonderful blessing to families who use this popular textbook, and I can't imagine being without it now. I'm sure that we would all agree that it is very important to check a student's work as quickly as possible to give useful feedback. Because the textbook questions are primarily short-answer and not multiple-choice and true-false questions, this process can be very time-consuming. If you do as I do and get interested in what you are reading, it takes even longer!

This key is organized by chapter, making it immediately useful no matter where in the text your student happens to be working. The answers to the chapter-end questions are precise and detailed, giving the optimal response to the question rather than a simplified version that a student might hastily write. Quotations from the textbook itself are used liberally to support the answers given. Highly recommended!

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Review Date: 
8-21-02

Connecting with History Vol. I

Author(s): 
Andrea Chen
Sonya Romens
Number of pages: 
162 pages
Copyright: 
2001
Publisher: 
RC History
Binding: 
Loose-leaf (binder-ready)
Grade / Age level: 
Resource Type: 
Review: 

A guide for implementing a very comprehensive history program for all ages from preschoolers through adults (yes, even mom!), Connecting with History also incorporates religion, literature, discussion, composition, scripture and poetry memorization, hands-on activities, and more. The stated goal of this program is to help families better understand the Catholic Faith through the study of history, and to better understand true history through the study of the Catholic Faith. Faith, facts and reason are intimately inter-connected in a way that is effective, easy, and interesting. It is designed as four separate volumes covering history from Creation to the present, to be covered in a sequential four-year cycle. Volume One is currently available. Volume Two is available in units and will be available in its entirety by winter 2007. Volumes Three and Four will be forthcoming shortly thereafter.

Unlike other family-based programs on the market, Connecting with History provides a detailed and thorough history education at all academic stages (even high school) that is specifically laid out, offering both options and structure at the same time. Because of its totally unique format, it is effective for virtually all teaching and learning styles, including those who prefer a Classical education (it is based on the trivium‘s stages of learning), theme units (it involves the whole family and many academic subjects), textbook approach (it utilizes core textbooks and fact-based books as its foundation, broken down into specific daily readings), Charlotte Mason (it is literature-based and offers narration, dictation, and notebook suggestions), or interest-driven (the students are encouraged to choose from various resources and activities). Visually appealing, its use of large subject headings and charts makes it easy on mom. Just a glance is needed to understand how to implement the program. Coordinated products such as timeline cards, notebook timeline pages, student report pages, and complete literature units further simplify its use and effectiveness.

On a personal note, Connecting with History has far and away done more for my family than any other purchase I have made in eight years of home schooling. Not only have we been brought closer together through this truly family-based approach to history, but never before has the truth of God’s Word and His Church, within the larger context of world history, been made so brilliantly clear to my children. The discussion prompts and supplemental books and activities bring out the deeper concepts in a way that engages their intellects and helps them to connect the facts of their studies with their day-to-day lives and spiritual growth. It has made home schooling enjoyable and interesting for the kids and myself in a way that nothing else has done (and I’ve tried the gamut of all the different educational approaches mentioned above, and countless products). Additionally, my four children range widely in ages and learning styles: two have ADD and additional unique learning needs, one is a more typical learner, and one is a kindergartner who wants to be included in school with the rest of the family. Connecting with History works for all of them equally well without overwhelming their pregnant mother who is plagued with health problems! And though we operate on a very tight budget, the multiple subjects and grade levels covered with this product help to put our money to very good use without waste. I cannot begin to recommend Connecting with History highly enough!

As we studied Volume One (ancient history and Old Testament), my children really understood Salvation History and the personal love of God as He continually reaches out in greater mercy and tenderness. They felt the newness of revelation when God called Abraham. They felt horrified at the slavery in Egypt. They felt the importance of obedience to God's Law when God gave the Ten Commandments and Moses proclaimed "I place before you today a choice: life or death. Choose life!" They felt frustrated as Israel fell over and over again. They suffered during the Exile. They rejoiced during the Return. They felt the anticipation as Israel waited for the coming Messiah. They understood the historical context of what was happening in the world at those times. They understood the political upheavals, the greatness of Greece and Rome, and how God was preparing the world for His Son. When we got to the New Testament, the study of the life of Jesus and the institution of the Church finally made sense in a way it never did before (even for me!). Nothing has affected us quite the way this product has!

For further information, please visit the following sites: RCHistory.com and The Connecting with History Blog Also see Sample Pages from the Program

Reviewed by Cathi Horning (7-13-06)
Available from RC History

Cathi Horning has been homeschooling for 8 years. She has four children ranging in age from 5 to 13 (plus another on the way). She and her husband converted from Protestantism to the Catholic faith in the Jubilee Year (2000). Her goal in homeschooling is to give an integrated presentation of the Truth of the faith, supported by the various subjects (especially history and religion), and to develop the minds of my children so they can think critically in today's world.

Reviewed by: 
Review Date: 
11-16-06

Light to the Nations

The Development of Christian Civilizations, Volume One
Author(s): 
Catholic Schools Textbook Project
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Subject(s): 
Resource Type: 
Review: 

Most Catholic homeschoolers today are familiar with the high quality level of the Catholic Textbook Projects volumes, and this one, Light to the Nations is no exception. (Note that I write this review based on the CD format of the book). Attractive, user-friendly layout, beautiful reproductions and helpful maps are found throughout the chapters.

Light to the Nations explores World History starting with the birth of Christ. So it is the history of our Christian, Western civilization. Volume One, the book in question, goes from the time of the Birth of Christ until the Enlightenment in the 18th century. Volume Two will pick up where this volume has left off, and from what I can assess on their website, it is in production. See more information at the publisher's website at http://www.catholictextbookproject.com/purchase/purchase-main.html

What is different, and both extremely rewarding and delightful about this book, is the issue of trust. You know the feeling: you are studying History with your kids and when it comes to certain historical periods, you begin trembling, knowing all too well what's coming: attacks on the Church based most times on ignorance of History and Protestant slant. Not here!

While this book doesn't have the usual Protestant or secular slant, it does not glorify the Church as a spotless, perfect human institution: She isn't. We know that, as mistakes have been made and apologies have been issued. Light to the Nations gives the Catholic student a balanced, cohesive, balanced account of the turbulent and wonder-ful times of the development and growth of Christendom in Europe.

I led a small group of 8th and 9th graders this past school year (2008-2009) using The Catholic Textbook Project's Light to the Nations. We got together once a week for an afternoon and read aloud the chapter, stopping to discuss when necessary, and using Atlases many times to follow along paths of events. We read the summary at the end of the chapter and loved the interesting extra snippets about people and places of interest. Since the teacher's manual is not yet available, I had the students write different types of questions with answers for each chapter and many times we had fun quizzing each other.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Review Date: 
7-13-2009