Students learn about the Reconstruction Era and what Texas had to do to rejoin the Union. They compare and contrast the Constitution of the United States and the Texas Constitution of 1876, including the Bills of Rights.
Students learn about the Reconstruction Era and what Texas had to do to rejoin the Union. They compare and contrast the Constitution of the United States and the Texas Constitution of 1876, including the Bills of Rights.
Students read a brief introduction to the end of the Civil War, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and Andrew Johnson’s role in continuing Reconstruction. They then respond to a word cloud prompt by posting one or more synonyms for the word “reconstruction.”
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, ensuring students understand that they will examine Reconstruction in Texas and compare the U.S. and Texas constitutions. Use student responses in the word cloud to surface initial ideas about “reconstruction” (such as rebuild or reform) and connect these ideas to the historical context before moving on.
Students read an overview of the Reconstruction period and watch Compromise of 1877 to understand how Reconstruction concluded at the national level. They then read selected sections of Civil War and Reconstruction and Reconstruction in Civil War Texas to learn about key events and conditions in Texas. Next, they complete a drag-and-drop activity to sequence major Reconstruction-era events affecting Texas, and finally post to a collaborative wall listing problems the South faced during Reconstruction.
Teacher MovesClarify the time frame and major outcomes of Reconstruction, emphasizing how national developments shaped Texas. Support students as they sequence events, prompting them to use dates and context clues. Review and synthesize student wall responses, highlighting issues such as freedpeople’s lack of resources, labor shortages on plantations, ongoing racial tensions, and resistance to rejoining the Union.
Students continue reading Reconstruction in Civil War Texas and revisit Civil War and Reconstruction to learn about the phases of Reconstruction and the specific requirements Texas had to meet to rejoin the United States. They post to a teacher-view wall explaining what Texas had to do to rejoin the Union and describing other political and social changes in Texas after the Civil War.
Teacher MovesGuide students to distinguish between Presidential and Congressional (Radical) Reconstruction and how each affected Texas. Use student responses to discuss key requirements for readmission—pledging loyalty to the United States, nullifying secession, and accepting the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. Explain the role of the Freedmen’s Bureau in supporting formerly enslaved people and note the short-lived Texas constitution that strengthened the governor’s power, setting up the transition to the Constitution of 1876.
Students read about the Civil War Amendments and how they expanded rights for formerly enslaved people, then study the Constitution of 1876 to understand its main features and enduring role in Texas. They review the U.S. Bill of Rights and the Texas Constitution’s Bill of Rights, and read Two Constitutions: A Comparison to examine similarities and differences between the U.S. and Texas constitutions. Using this information, they write an essay comparing and contrasting the two constitutions and then read classmates’ essays, responding to at least two peers with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesReinforce the purposes of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments and connect them to changes in Texas governance under the Constitution of 1876. Provide guidance for the compare-and-contrast essay, prompting students to address both similarities (democratic principles, bills of rights, three branches, bicameral legislatures) and differences (length and detail, distribution of executive power, and fiscal restrictions). Use the key points to frame whole-class discussion and model how to give constructive, content-focused feedback on peer essays.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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