Dual Credit US History – 2026-27 Summer Reading

In preparation for the fall History 1301, /Dual Credit U.S. History course offered by Ridge Point High School in conjunction with Houston City College, students will be required to read two non-fiction books on early American history for both a critical review essay (first required book) and video assignment (second book – student’s choice) that will be due in late-August (essay) and late-September (video).

The required book is the newly-published The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson. This thin book (80 pages) examines the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and specifically, one of its defining principles exemplified in the sentence referenced in the book’s title – “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Your essay on this book will be completed in class during the month of August 2026 so students are highly recommended to finish reading this book before the start of the fall semester.

You can find one online source for purchasing this book at the following URL: https://tinyurl.com/32rmvfmx

Students must also select one of the three following book options. You will be required to make a video (the specific assignment will be outlined at the beginning of the fall semester) on specific content in your chosen book and will not need to read the entire book but should certainly take advantage of the extra time over the summer to obtain one of these three books and read as much of it as possible. The books you may choose are as follows:

1) American Patriarch: The Life of George Washington by HW Brands (2026) - https://shorturl.at/53rBu

or

2) We The People: A History of the US Constitution by Jill Lepore (2025) – https://shorturl.at/0P2fO

or

3) This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark by Craig Fehrman (2026) https://shorturl.at/RR8zh

The initial book listed is a brand new one-volume biography of George Washington that was written by best-selling historian HW Brands (a professor at the University of Texas in Austin) and is 640 pages long (including footnotes and index). It will provide you a thorough and terrific look at the life of the Father of His Country – George Washington.

The second book listed above recently won the Pulitzer Prize for best historical book published in 2025. Jill Lepore is another highly respected historian who currently teaches at Harvard University. This history of the American Constitution will be another great summer read as the nation celebrates its 250th birthday. It also is a little lengthy at 720 pages (including footnotes).

Finally, you can choose another new work – a fresh look at the Corps of Discovery, the important scientific and social journey led by Lewis and Clark from 1804-06. You’ll read different chapters on many of the major figures and lesser-known participants in the trek to explore the Louisiana Purchase in this 540-page book.

You only need to pick one of these three books, and you can purchase it from any bookstore or online source and in any format you prefer (audio books, Kindle e-book, hard cover, paperback if available, etc.)

Your first summer assignment will be to write (in class) a critical essay which will allow you to strengthen the historical analysis skill of identifying main thesis arguments in essays or books. The second assignment will require some of the same skills but in video form. Specific information on your writing assignments will be provided once the fall semester starts, but students are advised to select and acquire the required Isaacson book as well as one of the three other books listed here in the summer and complete it as summer reading. Thanks, and please contact Mr. Sanders (craig.sanders@fortbendisd.gov) if you have any questions at this point.