Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Reconstruction
When slavery ended, what did the government do to help African American during Reconstruction? An interesting instructional activity uses primary sources such as newspaper articles to help scholars analyze Reconstruction policies and how...
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Understanding Reconstruction in South Carolina
Eighth graders interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Reconstruction instructional activity, 8th graders research the role of Reconstruction in South Carolina by simulating the environment of...
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A Look at Virginians During Reconstruction
Fourth graders examine slavery and Reconstruction in Virginia. In this Virginians during Reconstruction lesson, 4th graders research primary sources for the story of William Jasper and other slaves. Students hypothesize how rights became...
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Reconstruction to Civil Rights
Eighth graders complete a unit of lessons on the period of time from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights movement. They analyze and interpret political cartoons and editorials, conduct research on famous civil rights places, and complete...
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Reconstruction
Students explain how the Civil War and Reconstruction both solved and created problems for our nation. They study how Reconstruction caused a further decline in relations between the North & South and how racism has been and is...
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Reconstruction and the Long Shadow of the Civil War
Eighth graders are introduced to the efforts of Reconstruction after the Civil War. In groups, they develop their own plan for Reconstruction and provide a mission statement which they share with the class. They must defend any...
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What price Freedom! Civil War and Reconstruction
Fifth graders become familiar with the events of Reconstruction and the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. In this reconstruction lesson, 5th graders work in pairs where each student creates a building with blocks and draws it. Their...
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Why Was It Difficult To "reconstruct the South"?
Students examine problems faced by the states of the Confederacy following the Civil war. They predict how Lincoln wanted to handle the problem of reconstruction by listening to his words. They describe conditions in the South...
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Chapter 8: Reconstruction
In this Reconstruction worksheet, students read assigned textbook pages regarding Reconstruction plans and respond to 44 short answer questions.
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A Lesson on Reconstruction Legislation and Amendments
Students study the legislation and Amendments of Reconstruction period in America. In this Reconstruction lesson, students work in groups to dissect the Black Codes, an article in the US Constitution, as well as the 13th, 14th, and 15th...
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U.S. History Worksheet #75
Get the facts straight when it comes to the Reconstruction Era! In this United States history instructional activity, students utilize a word bank of 10 terms or phrases to answer 10 fill in the blank questions about the nation following...
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The Great "What If" Question. How might American history have been different had Lincoln lived?
Eleventh graders study the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. In this American History lesson plan, 11th graders analyze documents related to Reconstruction. Students participate in a debate on Reconstruction.
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Three Visions for African Americans
Young scholars consider the plight of African Americans in post-Reconstruction America. In this African American history lesson, students discover the visions of African American leaders Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Marcus...
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Reconstruction (1865–1877)
In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 7 short answer and essay questions about the causes and effects of Reconstruction following the American Civil War.
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Kensington Mansion: Plantation, Sharecroppers, Tenants
Eleventh graders investigate the significance of the Kensington Mansion. In this South Carolina history instructional activity, 11th graders take field trips to the mansion and research primary and secondary sources about plantations,...
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Backward Lesson Plan
Students explore and analyze the position of freedmen in the post Civil War period as well as the impact of Andrew Johnson's presidency on Reconstruction. In addition, they evaluate the laws and amendments that were put in place during...
Library of Virginia
Life as a Liberated People
Imagine having no control over your life and then suddenly having to provide for yourself. Such was the challenge faced by many American slaves after emancipation. Class members are asked to consider these challenges are they examine...
West Virginia Department of Education
Editorials: The Guiding Voice of Authority?
How much can opinion influence a news story? A standalone resource discusses the importance of John Brown's Raid through the lens of journalism. Learners analyze two different texts, one from the perspective of the North and the other of...
Facing History and Ourselves
Defining Freedom
The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Confederate states. The Thirteenth Amendment banned slavery in the United States. However, neither document defined freedom. The second lesson in the Reconstruction Era series examines...
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Race and Voting in the Segregated South
Students examine the history of African American voting rights. In this voting rights activity, students listen to a lecture on African American voting rights between the years 1890 and 1965. Students respond to discussion questions...
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Who Led the South?
Eighth graders explore the role of Jefferson Davis and his leadership of the Confederacy during the Civil War. They examine the command system used in the Confederacy and analyze the effectiveness of the command system.
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John Gary Evans and the Politics of Race
Students read letters written by Evans and Gunton regarding race relations. In this Progressive Movement lesson, students interpret the intentions and tone of the letters to understand contemporary racial beliefs. Students discuss the...
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Traveling Southern Style: A Lesson on the Jim Crow Laws
Third graders create a poster of a travel route. In this discrimination lesson, 3rd graders read The Gold Cadillac and use it to discuss the problems African Americans faced while traveling south in the 1950's. Students compare three...
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Civil Rights through Photographs
Learners examine why racial tensions continued after laws were put into place to try and create equal treatment. In this two part Civil Rights lesson, students explored the causes of the movement through photography and a PowerPoint...