Active learning about the founding of the United States The American History Workbook engages students in the study of our nation's history with challenging exercises that promote more active learning. Volume I: To 1865 begins with the golden age of exploration and the relationships between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, setting the stage for colonial establishment. From early territorial issues through the Revolution, then on to the Civil War, this workbook tracks the tumultuous early period of the history of the United States.