History Websites for Homeschoolers

As Winston Churchill famously said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” We all know the importance of learning the history of our country and world, but many of us did not enjoy the subject in school. History class consisted of long lectures, dry textbooks, and memorizing facts just long enough to pass a test. One of the best things about teaching history today, as a homeschooler, is the abundance of interesting and engaging free resources online. These free history websites can be used by students to learn more about topics that interest them, to supplement any history curriculum, or by parents to create a customized history curriculum.

Free History Websites for Homeschoolers

BBC’s Bitesize History focuses on British history but also includes some world history. The site has articles, videos, and games.

Ben’s Guide teaches students of all ages about the American government. Some of the topics included are branches of government, how laws are made, the election process, historical documents, and federal vs. state government.

At Biography Online, you’ll find biographies of the famous, influential, and inspirational.

Discovering Ancient Egypt includes stories of Egyptian pharaohs, information about Egypt’s inventors, 3D reconstructions of temples, videos, an interactive hieroglyphic typewriter, and much more.

Ducksters offers a wide range of articles covering historical events, biographies, and geography.

Every Culture is an encyclopedia of world cultures, featuring articles on each culture’s food, history, family life, language, religion, and more.

Expeditione is an interactive 3D encyclopedia designed to make learning about ancient Egypt fun and memorable. While Ancient Egypt in 3D will remain free, the site may eventually include other expeditions that are not free. 

Fact Monster has a large collection of articles on U.S. and world history, biographies, geography, government, and more.

At Globe Trottin’ Kids, students click on an interactive world map to learn more about each country.

History Central has an extensive collection of articles that cover both American and world history.

History for Kids’ articles provide an overview of historical events and people. There are also worksheets, coloring pages, and quizzes.

The Library of Congress’s Today in History page provides an article about what happened on today’s date in history.

Mission US is an interactive game that teaches middle school and high school students about American history.

At New American History, students learn about American history through maps, timelines, articles, and more.

Social Studies for Kids provides a wide selection of articles covering history, geography, economics, cultures, and more.

TimeMaps offers an online world history atlas and encyclopedia. While a premium version is available, most of the content is free.

The Valley of the Shadow details life in two American communities, one Northern and one Southern, throughout the Civil War and the Era of Reconstruction.

We the Kids is a nonprofit organization that encourages kids to learn American History and become engaged in its government.

At The Wild West, you’ll find history, lore, and biographies of the lives and times of those who populated the Wild West.

The World Digital Library, which is a project of the U.S. Library of Congress, includes books, manuscripts, historical documents, maps, newspaper articles, journals, prints and photographs, sound recordings, and films.

The World History Encyclopedia is an extensive online history encyclopedia. The website also provides videos, maps, and teaching resources.

Additional Free History Resources

History Unit Studies and Lesson Plans – This post lists numerous free sources for history unit studies and lesson plans.

History and Social Studies Curriculum – Do you prefer a curriculum that’s already put together for you? On this page, you will find free complete curriculum for history, social studies, geography, and government.

History Timelines – Help your children understand the chronological flow of history with one of these free timelines.

Homeschool History with YouTube – Learn about history with one of these YouTube channels.

Virtual Field Trips – Explore the world, including many historical sites and museums, through virtual field trips.

Note: This post was originally published on February 18, 2020 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.