Overview
A People’s Playlist: U.S. History with Music as a Primary Source is a High School U.S. History course that features American music as a source of historical inquiry. The course will comprises over 60 lessons covering a period of history from the Reconstruction Era to 2001, and aligns to C3, NCSS, and a variety of State standards for U.S. History.
Created in partnership with the Library of Congress, the course is based upon the Library’s Observe-Reflect-Question methodological framework to develop students’ historical thinking skills. By investigating primary sources including recordings, photographs, and other musical artifacts, students discover important eras and moments in United States history through the diverse perspectives of its citizens.
While analyzing music as a primary source, students come to understand how the diverse voices of “everyday” citizens were able to alter the trajectory of American history. By doing so, students leave the classroom empowered to contribute in meaningful ways to U.S. society.
New Course, New Approach
The course is based on a brand new pedagogical approach developed by TeachRock: The 5 “M’s” of Music as a Primary Source. We have partnered with Maryland Public Television to develop an online module that prepares teachers to use the course, or helps teachers incorporate music into their history class. You can check out the learning module here.
A Gradual Unveiling
The complete course will consist of 10 units spanning Reconstruction to the present. Because of great interest from our users, we will be gradually publishing each unit throughout 2025 and 2026. See our rough publishing schedule below:
Unit 1: Post Civil War America – Available now!
Unit 2: The Gilded Age and The Progressive Era – Spring 2025
Unit 3: American Imperialism – Spring 2025
Unit 4: The Roaring 20s and the Great Depression – Fall 2025
Unit 5: World War II – Spring 2026
Unit 6: Cold War America – Summer 2026
Unit 7: The Civil Rights Era – Summer 2026
Unit 8: The 70s Recession and the Rise of Reaganism– Fall 2026
Unit 9: Into the New Millennium– Winter 2026
The People’s Playlist is funded by a grant from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program, through the Lewis-Houghton Initiative. Content created and featured in partnership with the TPS program does not indicate an endorsement by the Library of Congress.
Chapters
chapter:
Unit 1: Post Civil War America
Unit 1: Reconstruction and Westward Expansion Grade Range: High School Subject: U.S. History Estimated Time: Two Weeks Unit 1 of A People’s Playlist: U.S. History with Music as a Primary Source includes six lessons that cover the time period of Reconstruction and Westward Expansion in United States history. An introduction activity and assessment...