American History has always been one of my children's favorite subjects to learn about and one of my favorite subjects to teach. We regularly go over important events, dates, times, names, places, etc., but we haven't often paused to dig into the answered prayers and miracles that transformed many of these events. William and Sue Federer have created a fantastic DVD series that outlines exactly that- Miracles in American History. 

The Miracles in American History DVD series comes in four volumes. Each volume has ten segments about a different historical event and the miracle that occurred within it. The segments are quick at about five minutes each. Volume One focuses on the Revolutionary War Era. Volume Two includes our nation's independence, Barbary Pirates, and the War of 1812. Volume Three discusses The Battle of New Orleans, The Bank War, Cholera, The Civil War, The Red Cross, George Carver, WWI, and the Great Depression. Lastly, Volume Four covers World War II, The Korean War, The Apollo Space Mission, and more. William J Federer narrates all the DVDs with pictures of the events and music playing in the background. There is also a book, Miracles In American History, by Susie Federer that pairs nicely with the DVDs. The website lists each DVD volume as $20 per disc and the book for an additional $20. 

For my family, this DVD series has been such a blessing. We recently welcomed our fourth child into the world, and our homeschool schedule was completely thrown out the window as we adjusted to life as a family of six. The Miracles in American History DVD series was so handy to just pop into the DVD player and press play. I could choose to play a specific segment if there were certain events I wanted to discuss that day, or I could click "play all." Sometimes, I would let my children choose which event they wanted to hear about and ask them to write down three new facts that they learned while watching. Afterward, we would discuss what they learned and do further research to learn more. I found that these short, five-minute segments were a great jumping-off point for deeper conversations with my 8- and 9-year-old children. I did find some of the verbiage used to be more appropriate for older students, but we took advantage of this and pulled out our dictionary for some vocabulary expansion. 

My favorite part of this series was how it connected history to God's plan. God shaped so many of these historical moments by answering man's prayer- and by highlighting that part of history, my children and I were able to have some beautiful discussions about the importance of prayer and God's plan for us. I found the descriptive storytelling to be very well done and appreciated how Mr. Federer shared so many vital facts in a short amount of time. Every segment shows Mr. Federer center screen, accompanied by pictures of the event as he narrates what occurred. For my children, at the age of 8 and 9, I did notice their minds wandering a bit at times. They have a shorter attention span, and for this reason, I would recommend this series for ages ten and up. In the future, I would love to see this series updated to include reenactments of the events! 

The Miracles in American History DVD Series is an excellent resource for homeschool families looking for a simple, easy way to learn and discuss God's role in our history as a nation. In addition, it is perfect for older students who have the skill and desire to listen well. We will refer to this series as we move through our history curriculum in the upcoming school year and revisit it again as my children grow older! 

-Product review by Danielle Lenz, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, July 2021