SAMPLE SITE ONLY
This site is intended as a sampler for visitors. Volume I, Chapter 3, offers a preview of what every chapter will contain for those who purchase the books and the Roadmaps. See the order forms for purchasing details.

About Team HOPE (History Opens Eyes)

Team HOPE and the Revolution in American History Education

We are called Team HOPE, History Opens Eyes, and we have joined together because we believe that America: The Last Best Hope and the curriculum materials, called the Roadmap, have the potential to shape the future of history education.

Team HOPE consists of our author, Dr. William J. Bennett, recipients of the Milken Educator Award (www.mff.org), and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Our vision is curriculum adoptions, Last Best Hope in schools and libraries, American History teachers reading Last Best Hope to inform their instruction, college professors teaching survey courses with Last Best Hope, and homeschool parents using Last Best Hope for their curriculum. In essence, this generation learning American History through Last Best Hope, a balanced, comprehensive, narrative about our country.

We strive to address a critical national problem and need. According to surveys and assessments, students are either historically illiterate, or think history is boring.

Dr. Diane Ravitch, Research Professor of Education, New York University cited the following in a 2005 interview:

"Every national assessment has shown that students don't know history. On the authoritative National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the scores for U.S. history are consistently the lowest of any subject tested; typically more than half of seniors score 'below basic,' the lowest possible rating. In no other subject do a majority of students register so little knowledge of a subject taught in school."

"A middle school teacher in New York surveyed 100 students and found that 95 had no knowledge of such basic facts as the capital of their state, the name of the governor, the identity of Churchill or Stalin, or when the Civil War or World War II were fought."

Last Best Hope does not look or read like a textbook. In Last Best Hope, history is drama, romance, comedy, mystery, action, tragedy, and triumph. Our vision for Last Best Hope is ambitious but to use an historical analogy, so was the founding of our country. Our Founding Fathers shaped our country. We invite you to join our "revolution" and help us shape the future of history education.

  • If you are a teacher, administrator, or school board member, advocate to adopt Last Best Hope for American History, AP American History, IB, or dual enrollment; whatever is relevant for your school, district, or state.
  • If you are a librarian, put these books on your shelves.
  • If you are a college professor, use Last Best Hope as the text for your American History survey course or for teacher education.
  • If you are a parent, give Last Best Hope to a history teacher at your child's school.
  • If you are a homeschool parent, plan to use Last Best Hope for American History instruction in your home.

There is no time like the present to get our students excited and knowledgeable about the past. We look forward to your participation and ideas.