US National Archives
Docsteach: To What Extent Was Reconstruction a Revolution? (Part 1)
Students will examine several historical congressional records from the Reconstruction period to assess whether they show evidence that the Reconstruction period of American history should or should not be viewed as a revolution. The...
US National Archives
Docsteach: To What Extent Was Reconstruction a Revolution? (Part 2)
This activity is a continuation of the instructional activity for Part 1. In it, students will examine the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and determine whether their analysis of this document changes their responses to the guiding question in...
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Gilder Lehrman Institute: Post Civil War America
[Free Registration/Login Required] "A variety of materials demonstrates the rise and fall of civil rights for African Americans during the latter half of the nineteenth century, including constitutional amendments, sharecropper...
Read Works
Read Works: Slavery, the Civil War, and Reconstruction Gettysburg
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the Battle of Gettysburg and President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Slavery, the Civil War, and Reconstruction Slavery in the Territories
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the Congressional disagreements about slavery in the territories before the Civil War. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Transcontinental Railroads: Compressing Time and Space
[Free Registration/Login Required] Abridged from the full text located at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, this passage provides information about the development of the transcontinental railroad. Paired texts, a text...
State Library of North Carolina
N Cpedia: Hiram Rhoades Revels
Biography of Hiram Rhoades Revels, who is best remembered as not only the first African American to hold a seat in the U.S. Senate, but also for his dedication to improving the spiritual and educational needs of the African American...
State Library of North Carolina
N Cpedia: Andrew Johnson
This site contains a biography of Andrew Johnson's life, as well as facts about his presidency. Short video included.
A&E Television
History.com: Compromise of 1877
Article explaining what the Compromise of 1877 was, accompanied by a short video about the struggles of African-Americans after the Civil War.
Other
Celebrating Rights and Responsibilities: Story of the 15th Amendment in Maryland
This resource houses an essay on the passing of the 15th Amendment in Maryland. The essay discusses the political motivations behind the passing and how this affected the black population of the state.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Constitution: Thirteenth Amendment
This source provides the Thirteenth Amendment as it is worded in the U.S. Constitution. At the bottom of the page are annotations with links to information about the abolition of slavery, origin and purpose of the amendment, peonage, and...
University of North Carolina
Documenting the American South: The New Slavery in the South
This autobiography of an African-American man relates his experiences as a free laborer in Georgia after the Civil War. You will see that he felt his conditions were not unlike the slavery that existed before the Civil War. From the...
Tom Richey
Tom Richey: Reconstruction Goes South 1867 1877
So we've reconstructed, now what? A slideshow which illustrates what happens in the southern United States following the Civil War Reconstruction.
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.
New Georgia Encyclopedia: Cotton
Encyclopedia article portraying the importance of cotton to Georgia's agricultural economy during the Civil War up until World War I.
Black Past
Black Past: Berea College
In this brief encyclopedia article, you will read about Berea College, the first fully integrated college in the South.
Black Past
Black Past: Blanche Kelso Bruce
A biography of an African American senator from Mississippi during Reconstruction, Blanche K. Bruce. Read about his political life and the causes he supported.
Black Past
Black Past: Historically Black Colleges and Universities of Atlanta
This interesting encyclopedia article gives information about theblack universities that were founded in Atlanta after the Civil War. Later several joined together to make a consortium called the Atlanta University System.
Black Past
Black Past: Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback
An interesting biography of P.B.S. Pinchback, first African American to be governor of any state. Read about his childhood, his life in politics, and his education to be a lawyer.
Black Past
Black Past: White, George Henry
In this encyclopedia entry, the story of George Henry White is told. He was a congressman from North Carolina during Reconstruction.
Black Past
Black Past: Wright, Jonathan
The importance of Jonathan Wright's legal career is explained in this encyclopedia article.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History Period 5: 1844 1877
This Khan Academy resource provides a table of contents with notes for several sections of AP US History Period 5: 1844-1877.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History: Period 6: 1865 1898
This Khan Academy resource provides a table of contents with notes for several sections of AP US History: Period 6: 1865-1898.
Library of Congress
Loc: African American Odyssey: Reconstruction and Its Aftermath
From the Library of Congress, this resource documents the course of post-Civil War, post-slavery life for black Americans. Topics include education, constitutional amendments, voting rights and the many challenges African Americans faced...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Reconstruction and Black Education
Highlights the development of schools for African Americans during the Reconstruction Era and the subsequent resistance to the schools by White supremacist groups.