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Best free homeschool civics and economics curriculum

Two full courses on our list are free: Constitution 101 from the National Constitution Center and Documents of Freedom from the Bill of Rights Institute. Both are rich in primary sources, and both ask a lot of the teacher or group.

Updated September 2026 · 14 programs compared · rankings from our published scoring rules

Every child is different. Add your child's grade, the viewpoint you want and what you want to study for a personal ranking.

Try it with free resources selected

What matters for free resources

Check the time. Both free courses are more demanding than a typical textbook.

Think about the format. Both work best with a parent or small group leading discussion, not alone.

Add economics if you need it. Constitution 101 covers only the Constitution, and Documents of Freedom has one economics unit.

Our top 2 for free resources

  1. Bill of Rights Institute: Documents of Freedom

    A free online course built on primary sources, with nine units and 66 lesson plans on government and free enterprise

    • Covers your grade (9th–12th)
    • Meets government and economics requirements; no exams
    • Watch for: heavy parent preparation
    Grades 9th–12thInquiry and discussion around founding documents, with essays and activitiesCost: $0: free online course

  2. Constitution 101 (National Constitution Center)

    A free, nonpartisan one-semester online course on the Constitution, with 15 modules of video, readings and tests

    • Covers your grade (9th–12th)
    • A one-semester course with tests
    • Watch for: academically demanding
    Grades 9th–12thOnline modules with video, readings, vocabulary, graphic organizers and a 20-question testCost: $0: free online course

Questions parents ask

What free options exist beyond these two?

iCivics offers free games and lessons, and Khan Academy has free courses in government, economics and financial literacy. They are in our supplement list.

Are free courses good enough for a credit?

Documents of Freedom is designed to meet government and economics requirements and Constitution 101 is a one-semester course. You document the credit yourself.

Do I need an account?

iCivics and Khan Academy want a free account. Constitution 101 is free online.

How this list is made: each program is scored against the needs above using features documented in parent reviews and publisher materials (sources are listed in each program's profile). It's a starting point, not medical, legal or educational advice.