"History" as a separate subject, studied independent of other content areas wasn't broadly accepted until the late 1800's. As a young man from a family of means, in the 1770's, you'd likely encounter history as you learned Greek and Latin, read English literature, or studied the law. There were books for young people about American history available in the 1780's, and you may have encountered those if your tutor or parents purchased you a copy.

A previous question asked about the evolution of "history" class itself.