This supplemental resource contains one-page biographical sketches of the people and decisions that were made prior to 1865 in American history. Each lesson includes the summary information, results (or consequences of the events), timeline, suggested activities, essay questions, challenges, correlations to standards, and websites. The challenges are a series of questions that guide the student in exploring the topic, either online or through library resources.

The resource can be used to provide some structure and an outline for unit studies, or as a guide to "learning through discovery" for independent learners. Answers are included in the back of the book.