GED® Social Studies: U.S. History
U.S. History makes up roughly one-fifth of the GED® Social Studies test. This deep-dive course walks through seven eras -- from Colonial America and the Revolution, through the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Industrial Age, into the World Wars and Civil Rights movement, and up to the present. Every lesson builds the cause-and-effect reasoning and primary-source reading skills the GED® actually tests.
📚 Course Curriculum
[[figure:us_timeline Key dates in American history from colonisation to the present day.]]. Long before 1776, the land that became the United States was home to …
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Armed conflict began in April 1775 at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. The Second Continental Congress quickly formed a continental army and named George Washington its …
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After 1800, the young United States grew rapidly westward. The Louisiana Purchase (1803) -- when President Thomas Jefferson bought a vast territory from France -- …
Open trial session →After the Civil War, the U.S. faced the enormous task of Reconstruction -- rebuilding the South and defining the rights of four million formerly enslaved …
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The Progressive Era (roughly 1890-1920) was a response to the Gilded Age's excesses. Reformers called 'muckrakers' -- journalists like Upton Sinclair (whose book *The Jungle* …
Open trial session →World War II (1939-1945) began when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Again the U.S. stayed neutral until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, …
Open trial session →The last five decades brought sweeping changes to American society, economy, and world role. Key developments since 1970:. Watergate Scandal (1972-1974) -- President Richard Nixon's …
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Course Syllabus
This self-paced GED® Social Studies course follows a 7-lesson sequence. Work through the modules in order so that each skill supports the next.
Course sequence
Module 1 - Lessons 1-4
- Colonial America & the Road to Independence
- American Revolution & the New Nation 1775-1800
- Expansion, Conflict & the Civil War Era 1800-1865
- Reconstruction & the Gilded Age 1865-1900
Module 2 - Lessons 5-7
- Progressive Era, WWI & the Great Depression 1900-1940
- WWII, the Cold War & Civil Rights 1940-1970
- Modern America 1970-Present & Reading Historical Sources
Practice and completion
- Use worked examples and lesson practice to check understanding after each module.
- Review incorrect answers, explain the correction, and repeat weak skills.
- Complete the available mixed or final course practice to demonstrate readiness.
Course Outcomes
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Explain the important civic, historical, economic, or geographic ideas in Colonial America & the Road to Independence.
- Analyze sources, evidence, and data related to Expansion, Conflict & the Civil War Era 1800-1865.
- Compare perspectives and draw supported conclusions about Reconstruction & the Gilded Age 1865-1900.
- Apply source-based reasoning to questions involving Progressive Era, WWI & the Great Depression 1900-1940.
- Connect Modern America 1970-Present & Reading Historical Sources with other course themes in mixed practice.
- Use feedback and answer explanations to diagnose and correct mistakes.
- Complete mixed, exam-style practice with clearer reasoning and greater independence.
📝 Practice Questions
30 interactive questions with instant feedback and explanations.
Enroll for free to unlock the full practice bank after the trial sessions.