Students define the word reconstruction and predict what needed to be reconstructing in post-Civil War United States. Then they learn about the challenges of reconstruction and they categorize political, economic, and social issues. Next they analyze the three Reconstruction Amendments. Finally they create a timeline of key events in the history of voting rights for African Americans.
Students are introduced to the Reconstruction Era and its goals, examine an image of postwar destruction in Atlanta, and analyze the word “reconstruction” by breaking it into prefixes, root, and suffix to determine its meaning. They then predict what was being rebuilt during the Reconstruction Era by responding to a table prompt.
Teacher MovesPreview the experience, highlight key vocabulary, and review the lesson objectives. Prompt volunteers to share and explain their predictions about what needed to be rebuilt after the Civil War, then transition students to the next scene when the class is ready.
Students view an image of emancipated children attending school and read background text describing major political, social, and economic questions during Reconstruction, including Lincoln’s and Congress’s approaches, the Reconstruction Act, military districts, carpetbaggers, the Freedmen’s Bureau, and the election of Hiram Revels. They then complete a drag-and-drop activity categorizing reforms in the South as political, economic, or social.
Teacher MovesEmphasize the many difficulties involved in rebuilding the country after the Civil War and, if desired, direct students to additional articles in the student pack for more information about Reconstruction. Organize students into small groups for the next two scenes and unlock the following scene when groups are ready.
Working in small groups, students examine an image of an African American man voting and read Section 1 of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. Using dictionaries as needed, they discuss the language of each amendment and collaboratively complete a graphic organizer summarizing each amendment and describing its effects.
Teacher MovesGuide students in interpreting the text of the Reconstruction Amendments and support their small-group discussions as they complete the organizer. Conclude by summarizing that these amendments were intended to guarantee rights to freed male slaves and preview that the next scene will show how southern states later restricted those rights.
Students read about the end of Reconstruction in 1877, the withdrawal of federal troops, and the rise of measures such as poll taxes, literacy tests, intimidation, and grandfather clauses that limited African American voting. In small groups, they closely examine an 1879 political cartoon, generate and answer three questions about it using a graphic organizer, and then post a response to a shared wall explaining what the cartoon is saying and how it reflects conditions in the South after Reconstruction.
Teacher MovesClarify how the end of Reconstruction allowed southern states to reverse many protections for African Americans, especially voting rights. Offer sample questions and answers to model effective analysis of the cartoon, then highlight interesting or strong student responses for whole-class discussion. If appropriate, connect the historical issues to later developments such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965 or current voting rights debates before moving students to the individual evaluation.
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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