PBS
Reconstruction: The Black Codes
During the era of Reconstruction, the planter class of the South tried to replicate the time before the Civil War by squashing rights given in the Thirteenth, Fourteenths and Fifteenth amendments. Using a video clip featuring renowned...
PBS
Reconstruction: The Birth of a Nation - Rewriting History through Propaganda
How historically accurate was the film The Birth of a Nation? Using a video that features clips from the film and analysis from historians, young scholars explore the connection between art and history. Additional activities...
PBS
Reconstruction: Ida B. Wells - Pioneer of Civil Rights
When Ida B. Wells was kicked off the whites-only ladies railway car, it ignited a ferocious warrior for civil rights. Wells and others worked to preserve the hard-won freedoms of Reconstruction, which were tenuous at best during...
PBS
Reconstruction: The 15th Amendment and African American Men in Congress
To escape to freedom, Robert Smalls had to steal a Confederate ship and sail to Union lines. He continued that fight for freedom as one of the first African American representatives in Congress during the Reconstruction era. Learners...
National Constitution Center
The Fourteenth Amendment
What does equal protection under the law mean? This right is given to Americans thanks to the Fourteenth Amendment, although historical events and Supreme Court cases have led to its refinement over the years. A video resource traces the...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment with Jeffrey Rosen
What makes the Fourteenth Amendment relevant to today's America? Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center, attempts to answer the question by walking through the clauses of the Reconstruction-era amendment. Due...
PBS
The Supreme Court: The Civil Rights Cases
The relationships between civil rights and the Supreme Court is a long, complicated chapter from American history. Pupils view a video, engage in discussion, and read background information to learn about the steps the highest court in...