Celebrate with History and Geology!

I was fortunate enough to be alive in 1976, when the United States celebrated our bicentennial. What a summer that was! Special celebrations filled with marching bands, concerts, outstanding fireworks, picnics, community celebrations! It was wonderful!

And here we are again, getting ready to do it again, but with 50 more years under our belt. It’s called a semiquincentennial.

Fifty years ago, our country was facing challenges, just like today. But that didn’t get in the way of recognizing what a great and unique country we live in. We have been blessed to call this our home. And we should never forget that we live in an amazing country! All in all, a wonderful country! And undoubtedly, just like 1976, 2026 promises to be filled with all kinds of celebrations and opportunities to learn more about our United States, and its varied history.

A Varied History

When we think of the history of the United States, often times we focus on the 13 colonies, the Revolutionary War, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, you know the names and places! But there is a trove of fascinating history in other areas of our country, especially out west, and much of it touches on geology!

Did you know that when Thomas Jefferson commissioned Lewis and Clark that he was hoping to find evidence of a mammoth! Really! Indeed, Jefferson was probably the first paleontologist in our country!
Did you know that when the Yellowstone area was explored that they had a geologist who traveled with them, detailing his geological finds?
The desire to find gold or silver drove much of our westward expansion.

With that in mind, this year would be a great time to do history unit studies that also incorporate geology, and we do have some great studies for you that do just that! Let’s take a look at a few of them!

Explore with History and Geology Studies

The Geology and the Music of the Little House

First, we have The Geology and the Music of the Little House: The Little House books of Laura Ingalls Wilder provide a rich look at the history of the era after the Civil War, up to the late 19th Century. Our Geology and Music of the Little House fills in with the geology of the areas that the Ingalls family lived, as well as the music that was likely a part of their lives. It’s a wonderful way to experience a slice of their lives. And it is a very true reflection of many families of the time. Learn more about Laura and her family here.

BUY The Geology and the Music of the Little House

Geology and the Old West Trails

Secondly, Geology and the Old West Trails: The Chisholm Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, the Oregon Trail, the Bozeman Trail, just to name a few! You can study the geology and the history of some of the most famous trails in the United States. This can provide the platform for you to go deeper in the history, discovering more about the people who travelled the trails, and their lives.

BUY Geology and the Old West Trails

Mining and the Geology of the Old West

Third is Mining and the Geology of the Old West: Gold in California, gold in Montans, silver in Colorado. And the people of the United States poured through to the western part of the continent, to make their fortunes! But not only were fortunes made, but many were ruined. And the ghost towns that remain today are the evidence of a once thriving industry that played out for many.

BUY Mining and the Geology of the Old West

Geology and the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Fourth, Geology and the Lewis and Clark Expedition: A young nation, and Thomas Jefferson wanted to find out what he had gained in the new Louisiana purchase. Primarily, he was looking for a water route across the continent. But cataloguing of plants, animals, and the geology was also part of the expedition.

BUY Geology and the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Mt. St. Helens Volcanic Geology

Fifth, Mt. St. Helens Volcanic Geology: A bit of history that is more recent. Perhaps you even remember the explosion! And this kit is going to help you to understand what happened, making a fascinating geology study! You can also read more about Mt. St. Helens at our blog.

Buy it Now! MT. ST. HELENS VOLCANIC GEOLOGY KIT!

Geology and Our National Parks

And finally, Geology and Our National Parks: Each park and monument in this book has a brief history of how it came to be included in the pantheon of our parks. And there are 29 of them to choose from!

BUY GEOLOGY AND OUR NATIONAL PARKS KIT!

So dive in! We have so much to explore and be amazed at. We have a wonderful country!