Canvas course shells:
World Civilizations I (OER Canvas course)Tip: Log into your TCC Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! OER Canvas course shared in 2020. Modules cover Ancient and Medieval History. Includes assignments, quizzes, and discussions. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
HIST&126 World Civilizations I (WACTC OER course)Tip: Log into your TCC Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! OER Canvas course shared by Pierce College instructor, 2018. Designed for an 8-week schedule, this course includes modules, quizzes, and discussions. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
World History: Cultures, States, and Societies to 1500University of North Georgia Press, 2016. "offers a comprehensive introduction to the history of humankind from prehistory to 1500. Authored by six USG faculty members with advance degrees in History, this textbook offers up-to-date original scholarship. It covers such cultures, states, and societies as Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Israel, Dynastic Egypt, India's Classical Age, the Dynasties of China, Archaic Greece, the Roman Empire, Islam, Medieval Africa, the Americas, and the Khanates of Central Asia.It includes 350 high-quality images and maps, chronologies, and learning questions to help guide student learning. Its digital nature allows students to follow links to applicable sources and videos, expanding their educational experience beyond the textbook." 12 chapters. PDF format. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license.
World History: Cultures, States, and Societies (Global Remix)Remixed, updated, and expanded version of the "World History: Cultures, States, and Societies to 1500" text. Updated by a Michigan Community College instructor, 2018. Purpose was "to provide a more globally integrated narrative."
HIST103: World History in the Early Modern and Modern Eras, 1600-Present (OER course)OER course by Saylor Academy. "This course will present a comparative overview of world history from the 17th century to the present era. You will examine the origins of major economic, political, social, cultural, and technological trends of the past 400 years and explore the impact of these trends on world societies. This course will be structured chronologically and thematically, with each unit focusing on a significant historical subject. The units will include representative primary-source documents and images that illustrate important overarching themes, such as the emergence of modern nation-states, the economic and technological interactions between Western and non-Western peoples, the changing social and cultural perceptions about religion and the state, and the development of physical and virtual networks of information exchange." Organized into 10 main units. TIP: The Resources link in the course menu is a shortcut to the sources and files used in the course. Online format. Overall, course has CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license, but sources used may have different or additional licenses.
Boundless World History (via Lumen Learning)Boundless course content hosted by Lumen Learning. Multiple modules, ranging from "Ancient Mesopotamian Civilizations" to "The 21st Century." Online and EPUB download formats. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - ShareAlike) license.
Western Civilization: A Concise History - Volume 1Textbook series created by Portland Community College instructor, 2019. Volume I has 15 chapters, from "The Origins of Civilization" and "Mesopotamia" to "Early Medieval Europe." PDF format. Peer reviews of the text available on this site. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Western Civilization: A Concise History - Volume 2Textbook series created by Portland Community College instructor, 2019. Volume 2 has 15 chapters, from "The Crusades and the High Middle Ages" and "The French Revolution." PDF format. Peer reviews of the text available on this site. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Western Civilization: A Concise History - Volume 3Textbook series created by Portland Community College instructor, 2019. Volume 3 has 15 chapters, from "Napoleon" and "Toward the Present." PDF format. Peer reviews of the text available on this site. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
US History.org -- free online textbooksThree online textbooks, including U.S. History, American Government, and Ancient Civilizations. Each page includes vocabulary words and links for more info on the side. Each textbook has a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Keys to Understanding the Middle East: Diverse Perspectives (OER textbook)Alam Payind and Melinda McClimans, Ohio State. "This book is intended for readers who have never studied the Middle East, or experts who may wish to fill gaps in their knowledge of the region from other disciplines." Organized into 3 main chapters: Languages, Faith and Religious Identity, and The Middle East and the Impact of Imperialism. CC BY SA (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike) license.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. primary sources, games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
World History CrashCourse videosCrashCourse video series, 2014. 42 videos in total, from Agricultural Revolution and the Indus Valley Civilization to modern day. Each video 9 to 13 minutes long, combining lecture and innovative graphics. Each video has captions. Not openly licensed but freely available to embed or link to within Canvas.
Ancient History EncyclopediaOnline encyclopedia with lots of resources, including a timeline, videos, images, atlas, and more. Entries are quite extensive. Browsable encyclopedia and tools, as well as searchable by a search box for specific articles or topics. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - Share-Alike) license.
Reading About the World, Vol. I (book excerpts)Excerpts from world history and literature textbooks from retired WSU faculty member. "This anthology prints short selections sharply focussed on major topics of interest to beginning students of World Civilizations. It combines traditional historical sources with literary and philosophical selections." Book is out-of-print, but the available excerpts have a CC BY NC SA (Attribution - NonCommercial - Share Alike) license listed at the bottom of each page.
Reading About the World, Vol. 2 (book excerpts)Excerpts from world history and literature textbooks from retired WSU faculty member. "This anthology prints short selections sharply focussed on major topics of interest to beginning students of World Civilizations. It combines traditional historical sources with literary and philosophical selections." Book is out-of-print, but the available excerpts have a CC BY NC SA (Attribution - NonCommercial - Share Alike) license listed at the bottom of each page.
Internet Ancient History SourcebookSourcebook provides and organizes ancient history texts for use in classroom situations. Topics covered are along the left navigation bar. Most texts are in the public domain and/or allowed for educational use. Compiled by Fordham University.
Saylor.org Open Resource Guide for HIST 321: Comparative New WorldsGoogle Doc created by Saylor Academy that icludes open texts, audio-video lectures, and supplementary sites for both World and American history. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
Western Civilization I (OER textbook)East Georgia State College, 2018. "This hybrid textbook and open course is a comprehensive set of teaching materials for Western Civilization I (until 1648) [...] Topics covered include prehistory and ancient history by region, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Reformation." Full text, accessible PDF, and zip file downloads. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike) license.
Western Civilization: A Concise History - Volume 1Textbook series created by Portland Community College instructor, 2019. Volume I has 15 chapters, from "The Origins of Civilization" and "Mesopotamia" to "Early Medieval Europe." PDF format. Peer reviews of the text available on this site. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Western Civilization: A Concise History - Volume 2Textbook series created by Portland Community College instructor, 2019. Volume 2 has 15 chapters, from "The Crusades and the High Middle Ages" and "The French Revolution." PDF format. Peer reviews of the text available on this site. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Western Civilization: A Concise History - Volume 3Textbook series created by Portland Community College instructor, 2019. Volume 3 has 15 chapters, from "Napoleon" and "Toward the Present." PDF format. Peer reviews of the text available on this site. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
The History Guide (online courses)Contains the complete content of three undergraduate courses in European history: Ancient and Medieval European History, Early Modern European History, and Modern European Intellectual History. Not technically OER but freely available to view and link to. Last update 2014.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. primary sources, games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
Canvas course shells:
OpenStax U.S. History, Chapters 1-16 (OER Canvas course)Tip: Log into your TCC Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! Canvas course shared by California Community Colleges, 2019. Uses the OpenStax OER textbook for U.S. History, covers before 1492 through Reconstruction era. Organized into chapter modules, with readings, powerpoints, and appendices of primary sources. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
OpenStax U.S. History, Chapters 16-32 (OER Canvas course)Tip: Log into your TCC Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! Canvas course shared by California Community Colleges, 2019. Uses the OpenStax OER textbook for U.S. History, covers Reconstruction era through 21st century. Organized into chapter modules, with readings, powerpoints, and appendices of primary sources. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
U.S. History (OpenStax textbook)OpenStax textbook, 2014, "U.S. History is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of most introductory courses. The text provides a balanced approach to U.S. history, considering the people, events, and ideas that have shaped the United States from both the top down (politics, economics, diplomacy) and bottom up (eyewitness accounts, lived experience). U.S. History covers key forces that form the American experience, with particular attention to issues of race, class, and gender." Online, PDF, and ebook formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Boundless U.S. History (via Lumen Learning)Boundless course content hosted on Lumen Learning. Modules range from "Ancient America Before 1492" to "America in the 21st Century." Online and EPUB formats. Instructor resources include quiz files and lecture slides. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - ShareAlike) license.
The American Yawp (open textbook)“Balancing academic rigor with popular readability, The American Yawp offers a multi-layered, democratic alternative to the American past.” and “Without losing sight of politics and power, it incorporates transnational perspectives, integrates diverse voices, recovers narratives of resistance, and explores the complex process of cultural creation.” Online, PDF, and print formats available. CC BY SA (Attribution - Share Alike) license.
U.S. History to 1865 (open textbook)Bay College textbook, organized into 11 chapters. Heavily incorporates The American Yawp text with additional text and resources. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
U.S. History, 1865 to present (open textbook)Bay College textbook, organized into 12 units. Heavily incorporates The American Yawp, with additional content. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license
United States History I (Lumen Learning course)"This text comes almost entirely from OpenStax U.S. History, but is supplemented with primary source readings from The American Yawp Reader. There are other minor additions and enhancements made by Lumen Learning or other faculty." Online course with PDF download option, as well as PowerPoints and assignments. Course overall has CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution), but individual page content may have different or additional licenses.
United History II (Lumen Learning course)"This text comes almost entirely from OpenStax U.S. History, but is supplemented with primary source readings from The American Yawp Reader. There are other minor additions and enhancements made by Lumen Learning or other faculty." Online course with PDF download option, as well as PowerPoints and assignments. Course overall has CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution), but individual page content may have different or additional licenses.
American History I: Colonial Period to Civil War (OER textbook)Developed by Gordon State College, 2019, this textbook "contains all modular text content used in the LMS implementation of their American History I (HIST 2111) courses. American History 1 covers topics ranging from the colonial period to the Civil War." Includes lecture slides and primary source documents. PDF and editable Word formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
A History of the United States, 1870-Present (OER text/course)Version of Saylor's "A History of the United States Vol. 2 " OER text, hosted on the LibreTexts platform, which provides additional formats: PDF, print book files, LMS cartridge, and zip file formats (click the blue "Download" button in the top right). Organized into 13 main chapters. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Digital History (online textbook + website)Online textbook of American history organized into history eras from "The First Americans" to "The 21st Century." Also browsable by topic. Incorporates active learning. Not strictly open but educational use and linking encouraged. On Copyright page, states “Teachers are expressly given permission to reproduce print copies of Digital History materials for their courses as long as Digital History is credited and the Digital History copyright remains on each page that is printed.”
HIST 146 – US History I (Open Course Library)Course developed by SBCTC. Utilizes Digital History site, linked above, as main textbook, plus folder of assignments + activities, etc. Arranged in Google Docs folders. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
US History.org -- free online textbooksThree online textbooks, including U.S. History, American Government, and Ancient Civilizations. Each page includes vocabulary words and links for more info on the side. Each textbook has a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
History in the Making: A History of the People of the United States of America to 1877 (open textbook)Georgia Galileo project, 2013. "This textbook examines U.S. History from before European Contact through Reconstruction, while focusing on the people and their history. Prior to its publication, History in the Making underwent a rigorous double blind peer review, a process that involved over thirty scholars who reviewed the materially carefully, objectively, and candidly in order to ensure not only its scholarly integrity but also its high standard of quality. This book provides a strong emphasis on critical thinking about US History." 17 chapters. PDF format. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license.
American Environmental History (open textbook)Created by history professor, 2019. " This text surveys findings of the new field of Environmental History about how the environment of the Americas influenced the actions of people here and how people affected their environments, from prehistory to the present." Organized into 15 chapters. Online, digital PDF, print PDF, and editable OpenDocument formats. Peer reviews of the text available on this site. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. primary sources, games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
Instructor resources for OpenStax U.S. History textbookInstructor resources freely available upon verified log-in. Includes PowerPoint slides, instructor answer guide, supplemental test items, and two Canvas course cartridge options.
The American Yawp ReaderA documentary companion to the American Yawp textbook, with primary source readings for both Volume I (before 1877) and Volume II (after 1877). CC BY SA (Attribution - Share Alike) license with public domain readings.
Digital Public Library of America - Primary Source Sets“Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop critical thinking skills by exploring topics in history, literature, and culture through primary sources. Drawing online materials from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States, the sets use letters, photographs, posters, oral histories, video clips, sheet music, and more. Each set includes a topic overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide.” CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Japanese American incarceration - Densho Publications (OER collection)"Information dedicated to preserving, educating, and sharing the story of World War II-era incarceration of Japanese Americans in order to deepen understandings of American history and inspire action for equity." CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license.
Library of Congress Classroom MaterialsExtensive educational resources about American history and memory, including primary source sets, lesson plans, themed resources, and presentations & activities. Public domain.
Saylor.org Open Resource Guide for HIST 321: Comparative New WorldsGoogle Doc created by Saylor Academy that icludes open texts, audio-video lectures, and supplementary sites for both World and American history. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Canvas course shells:
Made In America: Exploring the Hollywood Western (OER Canvas course)OER Canvas course developed and shared by Sue Matheson, CanvasNet, 2020. "Designed for audiences interested in American culture, this six-week course offers fascinating insights into Hollywood's presentation of the American Character, depictions of American Indians and the American West, and the genre's ethical ambiguities." Modules organized by specific film title, with related lectures, readings, discussion forums, and quizzes; could use Canvas course structure with different films. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
Film - Digital History siteOnline textbook about American history, with several sections devoted to Film and history of film. Not strictly open but educational use and linking encouraged.
Library databases for streaming videos (incl. feature films):
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.)
Classic Cinema Online"Classic Cinema Online provides film students with an excellent collection of movie serials to watch and study. Here you will find classic movie serials like Flash Gordon, Dick Tracy, Captain America, and more. In addition, several of the classic movies in their collection feature the promotional advertising billboards shown at movie theaters." Silent films, serials, and films in the public domain.
Folkstreams"Folkstreams provides a venue for independent film-makers to showcase their documentaries about American traditional folklore and cultural roots. Their film archival collection focuses on the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of unnoticed Americans from many different regions and communities." Film pages also include related links and introductory guides. All rights reserved copyright, but films are available to link to.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
HistoryLinkA free, authoritative, Washington State history encyclopedia.
Washington State History - Transitional Learning (OER textbook)Created by Denise Ranney and published by Whatcom Community College. Organized into 6 lessons about Washington state history: Our Land, Our Native American Heritage, Cultural & Economic Change, Our State Government, Local Governments, and Current Economy. Online format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) format.
Oregon’s History: People of the Northwest in the Land of Eden (OER textbook)By Athanasios Michaels, published by Open Oregon. "A social and cultural history of the people of Oregon representing powerful figures from the dominant Euro-American culture, the marginalized and oppressed, and social and political reformers who shaped the historical legacy of the state." Organized chronologically into 9 chapters. Online, PDF, and EPUB formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Library e-books with unlimited user access:
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. primary sources, games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
Instructor Companion Site -- Contested Boundaries: A New Pacific Northwest HistoryA companion website for this ebook, linked above, includes test banks, PowerPoint presentations, student self-assessment tests, useful primary documents, and resource links.
Japanese American incarceration - Densho Publications (OER collection)"Information dedicated to preserving, educating, and sharing the story of World War II-era incarceration of Japanese Americans in order to deepen understandings of American history and inspire action for equity." CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license.
Washington Rural Heritage: Community Digital Archives for Washington StateA community memory project of primary resources from Washington State Library that "brings together unique local history materials from libraries, museums, and private collections of citizens across Washington State." Browse the resources by collection, community, format, and date.
Washington State History Research CenterResearch Washington is the gateway to learning about Washington’s past by exploring objects, publications, ephemera and more. The Washington State Historical Society is home to many unique collections and includes over 70,000 artifacts and half a million images.
Washington State Historical SocietyThe Washington State Historical Society website has a lot of information about the state's history. Search through various collections using this website.
Field Guide to the Hall of Washington History"The WSHM Field Guide to the Hall of Washington History is packed with narrative descriptions, vocabulary, timelines, and drawings. It includes three levels of activity sheets for each area of the Great Hall as well as pre- and post-visit activities for your visit to the History Museum. Before your museum visit, we suggest that you prepare your class by doing a few of the activities described in this guide." Online field guides available, including a comprehensive teacher's guide as well as PDFs of particular sections.
Tacoma Public Library: Northwest RoomCollection includes photographs, obituary information, historical building indexes, and northwest people databases.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
Since Time Immemorial: Tribal Sovereignty in Washington State curriculumHS curriculum project, begun in 2015, by Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in partnership with the Federally Recognized Tribes in Washington State. Although developed for HS-level, some resources could be used or adapted for community college courses/topics. Focuses on Washington state tribal perspectives on U.S. History and Contemporary World Problems. Each unit includes curriculum downloads and related ancillary resources, including videos, maps, activities, and guides (available on right-hand columns). CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license.
Native Peoples of North America (open textbook)Open SUNY, 2013. “[A]n introductory text about the Native peoples of North America (primarily the United States and Canada) presented from an anthropological perspective. As such, the text is organized around anthropological concepts such as language, kinship, marriage and family life, political and economic organization, food getting, spiritual and religious practices, and the arts. Prehistoric, historic and contemporary information is presented. Each chapter begins with an example from the oral tradition that reflects the theme of the chapter.” Textbook edition available in PDF and EPUB versions. CC BY NC SA (Attribution - NonCommercial - Share Alike) license.
Rethinking American Indian History (open access book)University of New Mexico Press, 1997. Organized into 2 parts, with 7 chapters. Ech chapter has online or PDF download formats. Not openly licensed but freely available to view or link to.
The American Yawp (open textbook)“Balancing academic rigor with popular readability, The American Yawp offers a multi-layered, democratic alternative to the American past.” and “Without losing sight of politics and power, it incorporates transnational perspectives, integrates diverse voices, recovers narratives of resistance, and explores the complex process of cultural creation.” Online, PDF, and print formats available. CC BY SA (Attribution - Share Alike) license.
E-books from the Library:
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. primary sources, games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
Enduring Legacies: Native Case StudiesEvergreen State College. "The Enduring Legacies Native Cases Initiative develops culturally relevant curriculum and teaching resources in the form of case studies on key issues in Indian Country. Culturally relevant curriculum is a key factor in student success and essential to prepare students for leadership roles. Key topics of our cases have been identified by Native leaders."
The American Yawp ReaderA documentary companion to the American Yawp textbook, with primary source readings for both Volume I (before 1877) and Volume II (after 1877). CC BY SA (Attribution - Share Alike) license with public domain readings.
Washington State History - Transitional Learning (OER textbook)Created by Denise Ranney and published by Whatcom Community College. Organized into 6 lessons about Washington state history: Our Land, Our Native American Heritage, Cultural & Economic Change, Our State Government, Local Governments, and Current Economy. Online format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) format.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
Slavery to Liberation: The African American Experience (OER textbook)Eastern Kentucky University, 2019. "[A] comprehensive and up-to-date account of African Americans’ cultural and political history, economic development, artistic expressiveness, and religious and philosophical worldviews in a critical framework. It offers sound interdisciplinary analysis of selected historical and contemporary issues surrounding the origins and manifestations of White supremacy in the United States. By placing race at the center of the work, the book offers significant lessons for understanding the institutional marginalization of Blacks in contemporary America and their historical resistance and perseverance." Organized into 14 chapters. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
African American History and Culture (Lumen Learning course)Open course developed by Florida State College at Jacksonville through an Achieving the Dream grant, hosted via Lumen Learning. Organized into 10 modules, ranging from "African Origins - History and Culture" to "Reconstruction." Integrates primary sources throughout. Faculty resources, including discussions and exams, available upon verified request. Course overall has CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license, but some pages may have different or additional licenses.
African American History (OER text/course)Version of Lumen Learning's "African American History and Culture" course hosted on the LibreTexts platform, which provides additional formats: PDF, print book files, LMS cartridge, and zip file formats (click the blue "Download" button in the top right).
Oppression and resistance, 1745-today (OER modules)26 modules developed by smARThistory, 2019. The "the long history of African-American struggle — through art and artifacts." Each module, which goes from the slave trade to current events, has videos, readings, and a short quiz. Online format. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons
Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
African American Heritage & Ethnography"A self-paced learning resource or course jointly sponsored by the Park Ethnography Program and the Cultural Resources Stewardship Careers Program." Organized into five sections: Key Concepts, Ethnographic Research Center, Content Modules, Heritage Preservation Notes and the Learning Resources Center. Online format. Public domain.
Canvas course shells:
eSankofa: Conversations About the Black Experience (OER Canvas course)Tip: Log into your TCC Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! Online Canvas course shared by Rita Kiki Edozie, CanvasNet, 2016. "eSankofa is a 'massive open online community course conversation' that leverages African American history and heritage to engage with new digital disciplinary studies. This course is designed to challenge your thoughts and perceptions about the Black Race and give rise to a “call of action” within yourself as a learner." Organized into thematic modules, with badges, readings, discussions, and assignments. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license.
African American Folklore (OER Canvas course)Tip: Log into your TCC Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! Canvas course shared by William Carpenter, University of South Florida, 2020. "Here are some resources, links, and documents to help expose our learners to the riches of African-American folklore." Public domain license.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. primary sources, games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
Slave VoyagesThis websites explores the " dispersal of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic world" and "This digital memorial raises questions about the largest slave trades in history and offers access to the documentation available to answer them.
Index of Project Gutenberg Works on Black History by Various Writers (public domain works)Compilation of historical and primary source writings by a variety of African American writers and historians. Online, EPUB, and full text formats. Public domain.
African American History: From Emancipation to the Present (Open Yale course)Open Yale course, Spring 2010. "The purpose of this course is to examine the African American experience in the United States from 1863 to the present. Prominent themes include the end of the Civil War and the beginning of Reconstruction; African Americans’ urbanization experiences; the development of the modern civil rights movement and its aftermath; and the thought and leadership of Booker T. Washington, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X." Course uses traditional copyrighted texts, but lectures are openly licensed. Audio and video download formats, plus transcript files. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - Noncommercial - Share Alike) license.
Library resources (embed articles via permalinks):
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. primary sources, games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
Modern Japan: 1868 to Present (MIT open courseware)MIT open courseware, Spring 2017. Course uses traditional copyrighted texts, but most useful part of course may be the Lecture Slides and Assignments sections. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Library resources (embed resoures via permalinks):
Library resources (embed resoures via permalinks):
NOTE: All the library e-books below have unlimited user access.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. primary sources, games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
East Asia (includes China) - Primary Source guidesResearch guides with readings, interviews, and primary sources relating to different aspects of East Asian culture and history, including guides specific to China: Ancient China, Modern China, The Silk Roads, The Rise of State Level Society in Ancient China, The Chinese Family in the Twentieth Century, Chinese Dragon: A Powerful Metaphor in Chinese Cultural History, China: One of the World's Greatest Civilizations, and Asians/Asian Americans in the United States. Not openly licensed, but encourages fair use for educational purposes.
Women's Roles in China: Changes Over Time - Primary Source guideResearch guide of readings and interviews, last updated 2020. "Women's roles, responsibilities and expectations have changed in dramatic ways as Chinese society has transformed throughout different political eras. From family structure, marriage, and childbirth to education, workforce participation, and political activity, women have seen and taken part in historical transformations that have accelerated over the last century." Not openly licensed, but encourages fair use for educational purposes.
China (OER modules)OER modules developed by smARThistory, 2016-2020. The history of China, as revealed through art and artifacts. Modules, which include readings, images, and videos, go from Imperial China through the People's Republic of China. Online format. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license.
Chinese Heritage in the Making: Experiences, Negotiations and Contestations (open access book)Ebook from Asian Heritages series, 2018. "The Chinese state uses cultural heritage as a source of power by linking it to political and economic goals, but heritage discourse has at the same time encouraged new actors to appropriate the discourse to protect their own traditions." Online and PDF downloads of chapters. Not openly licensed but freely available to view and link to.
US History.org -- free online textbooksThree online textbooks, including U.S. History, American Government, and Ancient Civilizations. Each page includes vocabulary words and links for more info on the side. Each textbook has a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
Ancient History EncyclopediaOnline encyclopedia with lots of resources, including a timeline, videos, images, atlas, and more. Entries are quite extensive. Browsable encyclopedia and tools, as well as searchable by a search box for specific articles or topics. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - Share-Alike) license.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
American Environmental History (open textbook)Created by history professor, 2019. " This text surveys findings of the new field of Environmental History about how the environment of the Americas influenced the actions of people here and how people affected their environments, from prehistory to the present." Organized into 15 chapters. Online, digital PDF, print PDF, and editable OpenDocument formats. Peer reviews of the text available on this site. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation (open textbook)Developed by University of Illinois instructors, 2015. "[F]irst and second-year college students are introduced to this expanding new field, comprehensively exploring the essential concepts from every branch of knowledge – including engineering and the applied arts, natural and social sciences, and the humanities. As sustainability is a multi-disciplinary area of study, the text is the product of multiple authors drawn from the diverse faculty of the University of Illinois: each chapter is written by a recognized expert in the field." Online, PDF, and zip file formats. Peer reviews of the text available on this site. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by 
