Killing England by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard and read by Robert Petkoff 

Told through the perspectives of Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, and King George III, Killing England brings the American Revolution to life. It covers major battles, brutal combat, Benedict Arnold’s betrayal, and Francis Marion’s guerrilla tactics, showing how colonial protests turned into a deadly war. 

A Midwife’s Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich and read by Susan Ericksen 

Using Martha Ballard’s real diary, this book paints a vivid picture of life on the Maine frontier in the late 1700s. It explores childbirth, medicine, family life, religion, and community through the experiences of a hardworking midwife who delivered more than 800 babies. 

The Great Courses Video BingePass 

These interesting, easy-to-understand courses cover myriad topics, with quite a few about American history. Check out The American West: History, Myth, and Legacy; The American Civil War; or America’s Founding Fathers, which is also available as a stand-alone borrow. 

The American Revolution Season 1 

This six-episode PBS series tells the story of how 13 British colonies fought for independence and built a new nation. Ken Burns conveys what the American revolution was like, seen through the lives of soldiers, political leaders, Loyalists, Native Americans, and African Americans.  

A Nation Rising by Kenneth C. Davis 

Davis dives into the next chapter of America’s hidden history, covering the rough and chaotic first half of the 1800s—one of the most turbulent periods in the nation’s early years. 

Washington’s Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben by Josh Trujillo and illustrated by Levi Hastings 

This graphic novel tells the true story of Baron von Steuben, the overlooked Revolutionary War leader who helped train and organize the Continental Army. It also explores his life as a flamboyant gay man, highlighting both his military impact and the importance of queer history in early America. 

Liberty Tree: Early American Music 1776-1861  

Sing along, loud and proud! These 26 tunes celebrate early music, including “Yankee Doodle,” “Jefferson and Liberty,” and “Ode to Science.” 

American Storyteller: Folk Standards 

A beautiful collection of 15 songs that create a soundtrack to the country’s early days. Includes “Jonny Comes Marching Home,” “Goodnight Irene,” “You Are My Sunshine,” and “Big Rock Candy Mountain.” 

Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster by Gerri Willis and read by Nan McNamara 

This gripping Civil War story follows Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Southern woman who secretly became one of the Union’s top spies. Risking everything, she built a spy network in Richmond, working with freed slaves, Union supporters, and prisoners to help Abraham Lincoln and the Union cause. 

Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster is also available as an eBook. 

Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson and read by Jonathan Davis 

This well-researched history explores the different beliefs and lifestyles that fueled the Civil War. Using voices from leaders, soldiers, and everyday people, it shows how a conflict both sides expected to end quickly became a brutal four-year war that reshaped America. 

Ken Burns Collection BingePass  

Includes 40+ years of America’s greatest stories, as told by preeminent director Ken Burns. Learn more about Lincoln’s iconic Gettysburg Address in The Address and be sure to check out Burns’s acclaimed nine-part series The Civil War. Burns’s Civil War series is also available as a stand-alone rental. 

Action Presidents: Abraham Lincoln! by Fred Valente and illustrated by Ryan Dunlavey 

This fun, full-color graphic novel shares surprising facts about Abraham Lincoln, from his famous Gettysburg Address to being a licensed bartender. Packed with comic-style art, maps, charts, and timelines, it makes history entertaining and easy for curious readers to dive into. 

History of the United States 

This series brings together three award-winning professors to walk through US history, from early European settlement and the Revolution to the Civil War, industrial growth, and the world wars. Over more than 80 episodes, it gives a clear, engaging look at how the US grew into a major global democracy. 

Rise to Greatness by David Von Drehle 

This dramatic history follows Abraham Lincoln’s rise during the Civil War’s most dangerous year. In 1862, the Union was close to collapse, but over the next year, Lincoln’s leadership helped turn the tide, shaping modern America and transforming him into one of the nation’s greatest presidents. 

The Civil War (Original Soundtrack Recording) 

Here’s the music from Ken Burns’s celebrated series, with more than two dozen tracks, including “We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder,” “Hail Columbia,” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” 

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe and read by Anderson Cooper 

The story follows Cornelius Vanderbilt, a ferry worker’s son who built a massive shipping and railroad empire and became America’s richest man. After his death, his family’s fortunes rose and fell through drama, luxury, and conflict. Anderson Cooper explores his famous family’s legacy and impact on American wealth and society. 

America in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era written and read by Edward T. O’Donnell 

This 24-lecture series looks at when America rapidly transformed from an agrarian nation into a global industrial powerhouse. It covers rising corporate power, widening wealth gaps, and major technological change, showing how this turbulent period shaped modern America. 

Ken Burns: Prohibition  

This documentary explores the rise and fall of Prohibition in America, going beyond the usual stories of speakeasies and gangsters. It shows how heavy drinking, reform movements, immigration, and groups like the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union led to the 18th Amendment, and how enforcing the alcohol ban quickly proved difficult. 

Pillar of Fire by Taylor Branch and read by Janina Edwards and Prentice Onayemi 

This book covers the peak of the civil rights movement, from early tensions with the Nation of Islam to major events in Mississippi and Alabama. It highlights Birmingham, Medgar Evers’s murder, the March on Washington, the Civil Rights Act, voter drives, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nobel Peace Prize. This is the second volume of a three-part history. 

Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center by bell hooks and read by Bahni Turpin 

First published in 1984, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center offered a bold new vision for feminism that challenged and sometimes unsettled readers. Still relevant today, it calls for shared understanding and a global feminist movement, delivered in bell hooks’s clear, direct voice and narrated in audio form. 

Social Studies for Kids BingePass  

So much information here! Kids can learn about the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Migration, women’s suffrage, and lots more. 

March: Book One by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell 

Book One follows John Lewis growing up in rural Alabama, meeting Martin Luther King Jr., and helping launch the Nashville Student Movement. It covers their nonviolent sit-ins against segregation, leading to a powerful climax at City Hall. Told as a graphic story, it brings the civil rights movement to life for new readers. 

Suffrage Song: The Haunted History of Gender, Race and Voting Rights in the U.S. written and illustrated by Caitlin Cass 

This graphic novel by New Yorker cartoonist Caitlin Cass looks at the women’s voting rights movement in a more complex way, celebrating major wins while also calling out the racism within parts of the movement. It traces generations of activists, from Susan B. Anthony to Fannie Lou Hamer, and highlights lesser-known figures who shaped this history.  

Across that Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change by John Lewis 

In Across That Bridge, John Lewis reflects on his time as a key civil rights leader, sharing personal stories and lessons learned. He offers practical wisdom and inspiration for anyone looking to stand up against injustice and help build a fairer, more peaceful society.

She Votes: How U.S. Women Won Suffrage, and What Happened Next by Bridget Quinn  

She Votes tells the story of women who fought for suffrage and those still pushing for equality today. It highlights barrier-breaking figures, from the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation to early Senate trailblazers, and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with art by 100 women artists.

One Woman, One Vote (2020) 

How could America call itself the world’s greatest democracy while still denying women the right to vote? With an introduction by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, One Woman, One Vote traces the events and struggles that led to the 19th Amendment finally passing. 

Daring Women Doctors: Physicians in the 19th Century (2020) 

This documentary looks at the overlooked history of 19^th century women doctors, showing how they broke barriers long before women could vote or own property. It also highlights the early all-women medical schools and the important role women physicians and nurses played in shaping healthcare. 

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You – Aretha Franklin 

This iconic album opens up with “Respect,” runs through “A Change Is Gonna Come,” and ends with “Do Right Woman – Do Right Man.” Quite a collection. 

Suffs (Original Broadway Cast Recording) 

That’s “Suffs” as in “suffragettes,” the American women who fought for the right to vote. (The 19^th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted many women that right, while the Voting Rights Act of 1965 ensured that Black women could vote anywhere in the country.) These brave women, including Alice Paul and Ida B. Wells, are depicted in this Tony-winning Broadway musical. These 36 triumphant songs celebrate the long path to voting equality.