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 they affected African Americans following the Civil War. Young academics complete worksheets and participate in group discussions to enhance their understanding of events such as Plessy v. Ferguson. 

Concepts

reconstruction, the reconstruction era, jim crow laws, civil rights, african american history, american history

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Have learners create a political cartoon based on Reconstruction policies 
• Create a pros and cons list of the government's actions during Reconstruction 

Classroom Considerations

• The theme of segregation may be a sensitive topic 

Pros

• Uses photos from the Reconstruction era 
• Easy to pair with other topics such as the Civil War or the Civil Rights Movement

Cons

• None