Failure of Reconstruction

Why did Congress’ Reconstruction efforts to ensure equal rights to formerly enslaved people fail? This lesson and activity examines the reasons why Reconstruction failed in the effort to ensure equal rights to newly freed peoples. Students will analyze primary source documents and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. They will answer the final summary question to apply their knowledge.

Included in this resource:

Do Now - Creative writing: write as if you’re a newspaper reporter!
Reconstruction historical context reading passage with scaffolding questions
Failure of Reconstruction Document Pass/Station Activity: students analyze primary source documents and answer corresponding scaffolding questions (documents can be used as stations and groups can travel station to station OR documents can be passed group to group)
Document #1: Views Against Voting Rights
Document #2: Emergence of the Ku Klux Klan
Document #3: Restoration of Rights to Former Confederates in 1872
Document #4: Call for Formation of White Leagues in the South
Document #5: 1874 Congressional Election - Democratic Victory and Republican Defeat
Document #6: Economic Challenges and African American Voting Rights
Document #7: Life After Emancipation
Document #8: Election of 1876
Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: Why did Congress’ Reconstruction efforts to ensure equal rights to formerly enslaved peoples fail?
Answer key for teachers (suggested)
★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you!

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