Spring 2026 Class: U.S. History & Geography IIB

Basis for Rating: I loved this course! However, it was difficult for me because this is the only class I take with STAA, and some of the assignments used outlines from other courses that I didn't attend, such as the TRIAC outline. However, this was on my end!I think one important lesson I have learned is the toll war takes on innocent people. When we read Hiroshima by John Hersey, I learned just how deadly nuclear war is. The bomb dropped on the city is described as a "tremendous flash of light." (Hersey 5) The people struggle with radiation sickness, injuries, and death. This made me realize just how terrifying that would be and how unethical it was for the US to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. This caused me to learn the lethality of nuclear bombing and how war changes the lives of uninvolved people forever.

Basis for Rating: I chose 5 stars because I learned a lot more about the world wars than I had ever known and that was really interesting for meThe most important lesson was the lesson where we talked about the Great Depression and the impact it had on the world.

Basis for Rating: I liked the books we read and I felt that I really learned a lot and retained a great amount of information about our country's history from this class.One important lesson from this semester that I believe will have a lasting impact on my life would have to be the Hiroshima story. The way John Hersey described the events with such vivid imagery and how he shared the stories of the survivors after the bombing made me really think about the events of that day. I also never really read about the story before in depth so it was interesting to be able to understand that history better.

Basis for Rating: Use of Catholic resourcesUnderstand the importance of knowing history. It is imperative that a Catholic knows his background. Christ and the Americas should be well thumbed by the time you leave this course.

Basis for Rating: I enjoyed reading Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Conquest of Darkness. The geography was the most challenging part of this course for me.Review: Coming into my first semester of high school, I was not looking forward to History and Geography. It had never been one of my favorite subjects in middle school, and more times than not, I left more confused than I had been before I opened the history book. But the materials in this course had me really intrigued, and I enjoyed reading about the origin of our country and the notable Catholics throughout the centuries. I loved how the lessons intertwined so well with some of my other subjects, such as Composition and Church History. The topic that struck me the most was how prominent the Catholic faith was in the lives of some of the most famous explorers and heroes in Christ and the Americas. Despite the many horrors and setbacks they faced, the Church on earth persevered to complete their holy mission. As St. Elizabeth Ann Seton said, "May the most holy and high will of God be accomplished forever." (Carroll 142)