The Homeschooler's Book of Lists: More than 250 Lists, Charts, and Facts to Make Planning Easier and Faster

Author

Introduction

Like many parents interested in homeschooling, we began by spending lots of money on books, curriculum, and other supplies. Over the past decade, I’ve tried packaged curriculum, workbooks, read-alouds, and even a bit of unschooling at times. No matter what we have used, however, answers to the questions that arise in our household frequently aren’t found in the typical books at hand. Our family is blessed to have access to the Internet and large local libraries, but the best answers usually are those I can give within a few minutes—not after an hour of searching online or after our regular trips to the library.

This book is designed to provide parents with important facts and other essential information that will augment any education curriculum. You will find details about great people, important dates, famous speeches, renowned works of art, and mathematical formulas. Parents who teach multi-grade levels or subjects will find the book particularly appealing since the lists are designed to provide students with essential information in major academic areas in a manner that is accessible for children of different ages. Parents can use the book to answer questions that otherwise could take several hours per week to research. Then, depending on their age level and abilities, early elementary-age children can memorize portions of the lists (make copies for each of your children), and older children can be responsible for memorizing entire lists.

Finally, another great feature of the book is the inclusion of useful checklists, reading lists, descriptions of homeschool methodologies, and other information exclusively for the parent who teaches at home. Use the lists—make copies of them or just take this book with you to the bookstore or used curriculum fairs to save yourself time and energy. I plan to keep a copy of the book handy any time I might be purchasing homeschool supplies so that I have a record of what I already have, and what I need, right there with me.

God is great and I am thankful He has made this project a reality. It is my wish that this book will make your life easier and enhance your children’s education in ways that you never imagined. Use it yourself and hand it over to them every now and then so that they can enjoy reading through the facts and trivia.

Enjoy your children each day and relish every moment of your homeschooling journey. Even through the difficult times, God will be glorified. Please write if you have questions and let me know if you have any comments about the book or would like to schedule a speaking engagement. You can visit my Web site for more information about the book and my family.

Sincerely,

Sonya Haskins

sonya@sonyahaskins.com

www.sonyahaskins.com

1

History and Government

Important Dates in History

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Modern Wonders

Natural Wonders

Pharaohs

Rulers of England

Rulers of France

Rulers of Germany

Government Types Defined

Governments Around the World

United States Presidential Election Results

Assassinations/Attempts

Native American Tribes

Major Military Conflicts

Ongoing Conflicts

The Thirteen Original U.S. Colonies

Important Dates in the American Revolution

Battles of the Revolutionary War

History of Slavery in the U.S.

Steps to Creating a Bill and Making It Law

U.S. Government: Legislative Branch

U.S. Government: Executive Branch

U.S. Government: Judicial Branch

The Executive Departments

Independent Agencies of the Federal Government

Holidays in the United States

Holidays Around the World

List #1 Important Dates in History

Although there are some wars and Christian dates listed here, this is more of a general timeline to use for reference with your studies. Additional dates are included in more specific lists (military conflicts, scientific discoveries, inventions, etc.) throughout the book.

Significant dates beyond 1901 are covered in other lists in this book. All dates are based on the Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582.

List #2 Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza, Egypt

The Great Pyramid of Khufu is 756 feet wide and 450 feet high. It is composed of 2.3 million stone blocks, each averaging two and a half tons. The pyramid is perfectly oriented to the points of the compass and each side has a variance of no more than eight inches, which is amazing considering the builders’ limited surveying equipment. The pyramid was the tallest building in the world until the nineteenth century. Approximately 4,500 years old, it is the only remaining wonder of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that still stands.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, on the Banks of the Euphrates River

Ancient historian Diodorus recorded that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were approximately 400 feet wide, 400 feet long, and more than 80 feet high. There are several different accounts regarding the size of the Hanging Gardens, but clearly this green mountain in the desert must have been a wonderful sight. According to stories passed down through ancient historians, the Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 BC.

The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece

In ancient times, athletes traveled from faraway lands such as Asia Minor, Egypt, and Sicily to compete in the Olympic Games. This event was one of the most important festivals to the Greek people because the Games were held in honor of Zeus, king of their gods. The location of the Games centered around a shrine to Zeus at Olympia. Initially this shrine was modest, but as the Games increased in popularity, the decision was made to erect a new temple containing a majestic statue of Zeus. Construction of the larger temple began between 470 and 460 BC and was completed in 456 BC.

The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, Greece

The Temple of Artemis was still under construction in 333 bc, when Alexander the Great came to Ephesus. It is believed that this was the first building completely constructed of marble, and it had other unique features as well. Of the approximately 127 columns, 36 had lower portions that were carved with figures in high relief. There were also works of art housed in the temple. According to Pliny, the temple was 425 feet long and 225 feet wide.

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Near the Aegean Sea

Mausolus was a leader of the Caria civilization, which at varying times was either friend or foe to the nearby Greek states. Stories differ as to whether Mausolus actually began building the famous Mausoleum of Halicarnassus or if his wife (and sister) Artemisia began building the tomb after his death. It was customary at that time for Caria rulers to marry their own sisters, and it is recorded that Mausolus’s death in 353 BC left Artemisia devastated. Whether it was Mausolus or Artemisia who commissioned the project, it is evident that Artemisia invited Greek artists to design the statues and reliefs around and on the tomb. Artemisia died two years after her husband, but work on the magnificent tomb continued, and she was probably buried there with him. It was completed in 350 BC and overlooked the city of Halicarnassus for centuries. Eventually a series of earthquakes before 1400 destroyed the columns, setting off gradual destruction of the tomb. One of the amazing things about the tomb for Mausolus is that it was so grand that people began associating the term mausoleum with great tombs, and we retain this word even today.

The Colossus of Rhodes

Rhodes was an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Wars were common in the third century before Christ, and the Rhodians relied on their patron god Helios for blessing in battle and celebrated his name with their victories. The Colossus of Rhodes was built to honor Helios. It stood 120 feet tall with a fifty-foot pedestal. The statue was erected at the entrance of the harbor to the island in 282 BC, but unfortunately it only remained until 226 BC, when an earthquake destroyed it.

The Great Lighthouse at Alexandria on the Island of Pharos in Egypt

Throughout his vast domain, Alexander the Great founded at least seventeen cities that he christened Alexandria. One of the Alexandria cities was on the island of Pharos in Egypt. Ptolemy Soter took over rule of Egypt after Alexander’s death in 323 BC, but he did not rename the city. Instead, he saw the city develop into a prosperous port area and he authorized the building of the great lighthouse to guide ships into the busy harbor. At the time, it was the second tallest building in the world, ranking behind the Great Pyramid. The lighthouse is thought to have been a great tourist attraction, and it was so popular that the word Pharos became the root for the word lighthouse in the French (phare), Spanish (faro), Italian (faro), and Romanian (far) languages.

List #3 Modern Wonders

List #4 Natural Wonders

List #5 Pharaohs

A complete list of pharaohs is impossible because the dating systems for Egyptian studies vary. Also, sometimes the pharaohs were known by more than one name, and sometimes the reigns of fathers and sons overlapped, causing confusion about who reigned when. This list will be a good quick reference for world studies or Egyptian studies, or to determine who reigned during a particular era. It is not meant to be exhaustive.

Early Dynastic or Archaic Period (c. 3150 to 2686 BC)

The First Dynasty ruled from c. 3150 to 2890 BC.

The Second Dynasty ruled from 2890 to 2686 BC.

Old Kingdom (2686 to 2181 BC)

The Third Dynasty ruled from 2686 to 2613 BC.

The Fourth Dynasty ruled from 2613 to 2498 BC and represented the period of pharaohs who commissioned the building of the Great Pyramids.

The Fifth Dynasty ruled from 2498 to 2345 BC.

The Sixth Dynasty ruled from 2345 to 2181 BC.

First Intermediate Period—This is the period between the Old Kingdom and the Middle Kingdom (2181 to 2040 BC).

The Seventh and Eighth Dynasties ruled from 2181 to 2160 BC.

The Ninth Dynasty ruled from 2160 to 2130 BC.

The Tenth Dynasty ruled Lower Egypt from 2130 to 2040 BC.

Middle Kingdom (2055 to 1650 BC).

The Eleventh Dynasty ruled Upper Egypt from 2134 to 1991 BC.

The Twelfth Dynasty ruled from 1991 to 1802 BC. Many Egyptians consider this the greatest dynasty.

The Second Intermediate Period (1750 to 1570 BC) marked the end of the Middle Kingdom and the beginning of the New Kingdom. This was a period of disarray in Egypt, with the Hyksos from Asia taking over leadership during the reign of Dudimose I. The Hyksos were eventually forced back to Asia during the Seventeenth Dynasty.

The Thirteenth Dynasty ruled from 1803 to 1649 BC.

The Fourteenth Dynasty ruled from 1705 to c. 1690 BC.

The Fifteenth Dynasty was ruled by Bedouins from the Fertile Crescent who came to Egypt and governed the Nile region. They were known as the Hyskos and ruled from 1674 to 1535 BC.

The Sixteenth Dynasty ruled from 1663 to c. 1555 BC.

The Seventeenth Dynasty ruled from 1650 to 1550 BC and was based in Upper Egypt.

The New Kingdom spanned the sixteenth century to the eleventh century BC (1550 to 1069 BC). Egyptian armies fought the Hittites during this time and exhibited military dominance abroad, expanding their territories.

The Eighteenth Dynasty ruled from 1550 to 1295 BC.

The Nineteenth Dynasty ruled from 1295 to 1186 BC.

The Twentieth Dynasty ruled from 1185 to 1070 BC.

The Third Intermediate Period (1069 to 656 BC), also known as the Libyan Period due to the rule of a number of dynasties of Libyan origin, marked the end of the New Kingdom. (Notice there is an overlap between the Third Intermediate Period and the Late Period. Some datelines place the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty in the Third Intermediate Period and others place it in the Late Period. We have placed it in the former.)

The Twenty-First Dynasty was a weak dynasty that ruled from 1069 to 945 BC. Their influence was limited primarily to Lower Egypt.

The Twenty-Second (945 to 729 BC) and Twenty-Third Dynasties (836 to 720 BC) were made up of pharaohs of Libyan origin.

There was a Twenty-Fourth Dynasty with only two pharaohs from 732 to 720 BC.

The Twenty-Fifth Dynasty was ruled by five pharaohs, according to most experts.

The Late Period of Egypt extends from 664 to 30 BC, when Egypt became a province of Rome. There were periods of rule by the Nubians, Persians, and Macedonians during this period, which included Dynasties Twenty-Six through Thirty-One.

The Ptolemaic Period (332 to 30 BC) also overlaps the Late Period (664 to 30 BC). By this time in Egyptian history, rulers from other nations began to set themselves up as Pharaohs. During the Ptolemaic Period, this trend continued when Alexander the Great came to Egypt.

The Thirty-Second Dynasty ruled from 332 to 310 BC.

The Thirty-Third Dynasty ruled from 310 to 30 BC.

List #6 Rulers of England

(Noted are the dates of rule, not birth and death dates.)

House of Normandy

William I the Conqueror (1066–1087)

William II Rufus (1087–1100)

Henry I (1100–1135)

Stephen (1135–1154)

Matilda (1141)

House of Plantagenet

Henry II (1154–1189)

Richard I (1189–1199)

John Lackland (1199–1216)

Henry III (1216–1272)

Edward I (1272–1307)

Edward II (1307–1327)

Edward III (1327–1377)

Richard II (1377–1399)

House of Lancaster

Henry IV (1399–1413)

Henry V (1413–1422)

Henry VI (1422–1461; 1470–1471)

House of York

Edward IV (1471–1483)

Edward V (1483)

Richard III (1483–1485)

House of the Tudors

Henry VII (1485–1509)

Henry VIII (1509–1547)

Edward VI (1547–1553)

Jane Grey (1553)

Mary I (1553–1558)

Elizabeth I (1558–1603)

House of Stuart

James I (1603–1625)

Charles I (1625–1649)

Charles II (1660–1685)

James II (1685–1689)

Mary II (1689)

William III (1689–1702)

Anne I (1702–1714)

House of Hanover

George I (1714–1727)

George II (1727–1760)

George III (1760–1820)

George IV (1820–1830)

William IV (1830–1837)

Victoria (1837–1901)

Edward VII (1901–1910)

House of Windsor

George V (1910–1936)

Edward VIII (1936)

George VI (1936–1952)

Elizabeth II (1952–present)

House of Capet

Hugh Capet (987–996)

Robert II (996–1031)

Henry I (1031–1060)

Philip I (1060–1108)

Louis VI (1108–1137)

Louis VII (1137–1180)

Philip II August (1180–1223)

Louis VIII (1223–1226)

Louis IX (1226–1270)

Philip III (1270–1285)

Philip IV (1286–1314)

Louis X (1314–1316)

John I (1316)

Philip V (1316–1322)

Charles IV (1322–1328)

House of the Valois

Philip VI of Valois (1328–1350)

John II the Good (1350–1364)

Charles V the Wise (1364–1380)

Charles VI the Mad (1380–1422)

Charles VII (1422–1461)

Louis XI (1461–1483)

Charles VIII (1483–1498)

Louis XII (1498–1515)

Francis I (1515–1547)

Henry II (1547–1559)

Francis II (1559–1560)

Charles IX (1560–1574)

Henry IIII (1574–1589)

House of Bourbon

Henry IV (1589–1610)

Louis XIII (1610–1643)

Louis XIV (1643–1715)

Louis XV (1715–1773)

Louis XVI (1773–1792)

Louis XVII (1792–1795)

List #7 Rulers of France

(Noted are the dates of rule, not birth and death dates.)

Carolingian (Carlovingian) Dynasty

Pepin the Short (751–768)

Charlemagne (768–814)

Louis I the Pious (814–840)

Charles I the Bald (840–877)

Louis II the Stammerer (877–879)

Louis III (879–882)

Carloman (879–884)

Charles II the Fat (884–887)

Eudes (Odo), Count of Paris (888–898)

Charles III the Simple (893–923)

Robert I (922–923)

Rudolf, Duke of Burgundy (923–936)

Louis IV d’Outremer (936–954)

Lothair (954–986)

Louis V the Sluggard (986–987)

Capetian Dynasty

Hugh Capet (987–996)

Robert II the Pious (996–1031)

Henry I (1031–1060)

Philip I (1060–1108)

Louis VI the Fat (1108–1137)

Louis VII the Young (1137–1180)

Philip II (Philip Augustus) (1180–1223)

Louis VIII the Lion (1223–1226)

Louis IX (St. Louis) (1226–1270)

Philip III the Bold (1270–1285)

Philip IV the Fair (1285–1314)

Louis X the Quarreler (1314–1316)

John I the Posthumous (1316)—a baby who ruled for the five days he lived

Philip V the Tall (1316–1322)

Charles IV the Fair (1322–1328)

House of Valois

Philip VI (1328–1350)

John II the Good (1350–1364)

Charles V the Wise (1364–1380)

Charles VI the Well-Beloved (1380–1422)

Charles VII (1422–1461)

Louis XI (1461–1483)

Charles VIII (1483–1498)

Louis XII the Father of the People (1498–1515)

Francis I (1515–1547)

Henry II (1547–1559)

Francis II (1559–1560)

Charles IX (1560–1574)

Henry III (1574–1589)

House of Bourbon

Henry IV of Navarre (1589–1610)

Louis XIII (1610–1643)

Louis XIV the Great (1643–1715)

Louis XV the Well-Beloved (1715–1774)

Louis XVI (1774–1792)

Louis XVII (1793–1795)

The French Revolution leads to abolition of French monarchy and establishment of Republican government, which lasted until First French Empire in 1804.

First Republic

National Convention (1792–1795)

Directory (1795–1799)

Consulate (1799–1804)

Napoléon Bonaparte rules 1799–1804 as country’s first consul until he declares himself emperor in 1804.

First Empire

Napoléon I (1804–1815)

Restoration of House of Bourbon

Louis XVIII le Désiré (1814–1824)

Charles X (1824–1830)

Bourbon-Orleans Line

Louis Philippe (Citizen King) (1830–1848)

Second Republic

Louis Napoléon (1848–1852)

Second Empire

Napoléon III (Louis Napoléon) (1852–1870)

Third Republic (Presidents)

Louis Adolphe Thiers (1871–1873)

Marie E. P. de MacMahon (1873–1879)

François P. J. Grévy (1879–1887)

Sadi Carnot (1887–1894)

Jean Casimir-Périer (1894–1895)

François Félix Faure (1895–1899)

Émile Loubet (1899–1906)

Clement Armand Fallières (1906–1913)

Raymond Poincaré (1913–1920)

Paul E. L. Deschanel (1920)

Alexandre Millerand (1920–1924)

Gaston Doumergue (1924–1931)

Paul Doumer (1931–1932)

Albert Lebrun (1932–1940)

Vichy Government (Chief of State)

Henri Philippe Pétain (1940–1944)

Provisional Government (Presidents)

Charles de Gaulle (1944–1946)

Félix Gouin (1946)

Georges Bidault (1946–1947)

Fourth Republic (Presidents)

Vincent Auriol (1947–1954)

René Coty (1954–1959)

Fifth Republic (Presidents)

Charles de Gaulle (1959–1969)

Georges Pompidou (1969–1974)

Valéry Giscard d’Estaing (1974–1981)

François Mitterand (1981–1995)

Jacques Chirac (1995–2007)

Nicolas Sarkozy (2007–present)

List #8 Rulers of Germany

(Noted are the dates of rule, not birth and death dates.)

Germany’s First Reich Carolingian (Carlovingian)

Charles I the Great (771–814)

Louis I the Pious (814–833)

Lothar I (833–834)

Louis I the Pious (restored) (834–840)

Lothar I (restored) (840–843)

Louis II the German (843–876)

Carloman in Bavaria (876–880) with

Louis the Younger in Saxony (876–882) and

Charles III the Fat in Swabia (876–887)

Arnulf (887–899)

Louis the Child (899–911)

Franconian

Conrad I (911–919)

The Ottonians

Henry I the Fowler (919–936)

Otto I the Great (936–973)

Otto II (973–983)

Otto III (983–1002)

Henry II the Saint (1002–1024)

The Salians

Conrad II (1024–1039)

Henry III the Black (1039–1056)

Henry IV (1056–1106)

Henry V (1106–1125)

Lothair I (1125–1137)

House of Hohenstaufen and Welf

Conrad III (1138–1152)

Frederick I (1152–1190)

Henry VI (1169–1197)

Philip (1198–1208)

Otto IV (1198–1218)

Frederick II (1212–1250)

William of Holland (1247–1256)

Conrad IV (1237–1254)

Several Houses ruled 1254–1438.

House of Habsburg

Albrecht II (1438–1439)

Frederik III (1440–1493)

Maximilian I (1493–1519)

Charles V (1520–1556)

Ferdinand I (1556–1564)

Maximilian II (1564–1576)

Rudolf II (1576–1612)

Matthias (1612–1619)

Ferdinand II (1619–1637)

Ferdinand III (1637–1657)

Leopold I (1657–1705)

Joseph I (1705–1711)

Charles VI (1711–1743)

Charles VII (1743–1745)

House of Lorraine-Habsburg

Francis I (1742–1765)

Joseph II (1765–1790)

Leopold II (1790–1792)

Francis II (1792–1806)

Confederation of the Rhine

A Napoleonic creation that was to unite the German states but simply placed them under French rule from 1806–1815.

German Confederation

Established in 1815 to replace old Holy Roman Empire that Napoleon abolished with Confederation of the Rhine.

Ruled until 1866.

North German Confederation

1866–1871

Germany’s Second Reich

1871–1918

Modern German States

First Republic (1918–1933)

Nationalist Socialist Government (1933–1945); this period is also known as the Third Reich.

People’s Republic—East (1949–1990) and

Federal Republic—West (1949–present)

List #9 Government Types Defined

Absolute monarchy: a system in which the monarch (through election or inheritance) holds absolute power; the monarch, usually a king or queen, is the single ruler and their actions are not restricted

Communist State: ruled by a single political party that declares loyalty to Marxism-Leninism principles

Constitutional monarchy: a form of government where a constitution recognizes a monarch who is elected or born into office through inheritance; sometimes the monarch holds only a ceremonial role rather than executive powers

Jamahiriya: an Arabic term typically translated to state of the masses; the term was applied to Libya by Muammar al-Qaddafi, who was trying to equate Libya to republic or kingdom. Libya is the only country to which the term has been applied.

Military dictatorship: governmental system in which the political power rests with the military

Military junta: a military dictatorship that is governed by a junta, or a committee of members of the military regime’s senior leadership or sometimes the previous regime’s leadership

Parliamentary monarchy: a monarchy that also has a parliament

Parliamentary republic: much like a republic, but the head of state does not have as wide a range of powers because there is also a head of government, typically called a prime minister

Presidential republic (also called congressional system): a governmental system where the executive branch (president) exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not accountable and which it cannot dismiss in normal circumstances

Sacerdotal state: the head of state is also an ecclesiastical leader chosen by a religious body

Semi-constitutional monarchy: a constitution and a monarch, but the monarch may overrule the constitution if he chooses

Semi-presidential republic: a system of government where a president and prime minister are active in the ruling of the country

Semi-presidential state: the president is theoretically the head of the government, but not always so in practice

Stratocracy: the government is ruled directly by the military; similar to a military dictatorship

List #10 Governments Around the World

List #11 United States Presidential Election Results

Use this information on election results to help students practice using a key, interpreting a list, and learn about the electoral process and how it has changed over the years. The party key is at the end of this list (p. 52). For more information on the electoral process and election results after 2007, visit the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Web site at www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/index.html. There are numerous activities on the Web site that you can use if you want to delve further into the election process. (This list and results are from NARA public documents.)