Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum vs The Story of the World
The sharpest difference is approach: Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum is Spiral, The Story of the World is Blended. Six more come apart as well, so the two have little in common past the subject.
At a glance
Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum
Grades K-12
Owners report it suits
Independent workersThe Story of the World
Grades 1-8
Owners report it suits
Multi-age familiesReluctant learnersWhere they differ
| Attribute | Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum | The Story of the World |
|---|---|---|
Rigor
?How demanding the material is versus grade level. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Prep load
?How much the parent prepares before a lesson. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Screen time
?How much daily work is on a device. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Independence
?How much the child can do alone. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Time commitment
?How long a daily lesson takes the child. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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| Approach | Spiral | Blended |
| Used as | Spine | Spine or supplement |
| Best for Tags show where owners consistently report a good fit. They are not exclusions. | Independent workers | Multi-age familiesReluctant learners |
| Method | ClassicalTraditional | ClassicalCharlotte Mason |
| Grades | K-12 | 1-8 |
Solid tags are unique to that program. Muted tags are carried by both.
Where they match
- Parent involvementboth shared
- Faith contentboth None
- Formatboth Textbook
How each one plays by grade
Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum runs 4 grades further than The Story of the World. If you want one program to carry the subject for the long haul, plan on leaving The Story of the World around grade 8 and choosing again.
Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum
Grades K-12
Grade bands K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 each cover the American story at greater depth. K-5 leans on a teacher reading and guiding; the 6-8 and 9-12 American history and government units support more independent reading and writing.
The Story of the World
Grades 1-8
The four volumes (Ancient, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern) map onto a four-year elementary history cycle, one volume per year, then repeat at a deeper level in later grades.
Cost
| Cost item | Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum | The Story of the World |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (optional printed edition sold separately) | $11-26/component |
| Consumable | No | Partial |
| Per child / year | $0 (free download) | ~$40-75/volume (text plus activity guide), less if you reuse the text and go oral |
What parents report
Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum
Consistently praised
- It's completely free
- Rich primary sources and lesson plans
- Deep, content-heavy American history
- Strong civics and government track
- Well-organized for a teacher
Reported as challenges
- Written for classrooms, not open-and-go for parents
- Prep-heavy to adapt at home
- Reading and reasoning load is high for younger kids
- Patriotic framing won't suit every family
The Story of the World
Consistently praised
- Kids beg for the next chapter
- Easy to stretch across several ages at once
- The activity guide does the planning for you
- Audiobooks are great for car rides
- Affordable and reusable
Reported as challenges
- Coverage skips around and isn't comprehensive
- Activities need supply-gathering and prep
- Some Catholic families edit the Reformation chapter
- Writing gets thin on non-Western regions
Who Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum fits
Rigorous, primary-source American history and civics at no cost, for families who don't mind adapting classroom lesson plans, especially in middle and high school. Parents wanting open-and-go materials, gentle elementary history, or a curriculum that avoids a traditional civic framing should keep looking.
Read the full Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum entry Check price Hillsdale CollegeWho The Story of the World fits
Affordable, story-first world history to read aloud to several kids at once, expandable with hands-on projects. Families wanting a rigorous, comprehensive text or fully independent student work will find it thin.
Read the full The Story of the World entry Check price Well-Trained Mind PressSome links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes how a curriculum is described or scored.
Still deciding?
Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum compared with
Descriptions aggregate what homeschool parents consistently report across public community sources together with each publisher's own materials. Prices and editions change over time. Both entries last reviewed August 2026.