Why did the enfranchisement of African Americans play a significant role in the outcome of the election of 1868? This lesson examines the background and outcome of the presidential election of 1868. Students will examine the electoral map and background of the election analyzing reading passes and answering scaffolding questions. They will critically think to conclude how the African American vote significantly influenced the outcome of the election. Included in this resource: Do Now - Election of 1868 electoral map analysis questions Election of 1868 reading passage with graphic organizer scaffolding questions Ulysses S. Grant Election of 1868 perspective with scaffolding questions Horatio Seymour Election of 1868 perspective with scaffolding questions Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: How did the significant participation of African American voters in the election of 1868 influence the outcome and contribute to the advancement of Reconstruction and civil rights in the United States? Answer key for teachers ★ Please Note: I execute this lesson with my 8th grade honors students and my 11th grade gen-ed students. Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

How did the presence of carpetbaggers and scalawags during Reconstruction impact the political, economic, and social transformation of the South? This lesson examines the definition, background and effects of carpetbaggers and scalawags on the South during Reconstruction. Students will examine political cartoons and analyze documents to conclude how carpetbaggers and scalawags lived and how they played a complex role. They will critically think to conclude how carpetbaggers and scalawags helped shape the path and long-term expectations of the Reconstruction era. Included in this resource: Do Now - “The Man with the Carpet Bags” by Thomas Nast political cartoon analysis questions Carpetbaggers reading passage with graphic organizer scaffolding questions Carpetbagger perspective with scaffolding questions Scalawags reading passage with graphic organizer scaffolding questions James Lusk Alcorn/Scalawag perspective with scaffolding questions Who was Thomas Nast? short reading passage with three scaffolding questions “The Strong Government 1869-1877” political cartoon with analysis questions Social, Political, and Economic Influence of Carpetbaggers and Scalawags reading passage Carpetbaggers and Scalawags Venn diagram Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: How did the involvement of carpetbaggers and scalawags during Reconstruction shape the path and long-term expectations of the Reconstruction era, and what were the consequences for the future of the South? Answer key for teachers ★ Please Note: I execute this lesson with my 8th grade honors students and my 11th grade gen-ed students. Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

How did formerly enslaved people strive to achieve social equality? This lesson examines the realities of Reconstruction including sharecropping, the violence of the KKK, and differing viewpoints on education. Students will evaluate documents to conclude how sharecropping played a complex role in shaping the lives of formerly enslaved peoples. They will critically think to conclude if or how the experiences of the formerly enslaved, including their challenges and aspirations, shaped the path toward a more equitable future in the United States. Included in this resource: Do Now - “The First Vote” by Harper’s Weekly political cartoon analysis questions Reconstruction Realities: Sharecropping, the KKK, Hiram Revels, and Education Perspectives reading passage with scaffolding questions Exploring Sharecropping reading passage and definitions Exploring Sharecropping: An Agreement activity which includes: an agreement/contract Sharecropping outcomes dice roll game/simulation Ku Klux Klan reading passage and scaffolding questions Booker T. Washington perspective with scaffolding questions W.E.B DuBois perspective with scaffolding questions Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: How did the experiences of the formerly enslaved, including their challenges and aspirations during Reconstruction, shape the path toward a more equitable future in the United States? Answer key for teachers ***cut out the colored cards in the document (landowner/sharecropper cards) to distribute to your students in their groups ★ Please Note: I execute this lesson with my 8th grade honors students and my 11th grade gen-ed students. Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

How did the sharecropping system during Reconstruction impact the economic and social status of formerly enslaved individuals and their descendants? This activity examines the realities of the sharecropping system. Students will evaluate documents to conclude how sharecropping played a complex role in shaping the lives of formerly enslaved peoples. They will critically think to conclude if or how the experiences of the formerly enslaved, including their challenges and aspirations, shaped the path toward a more equitable future in the United States. Included in this resource: Exploring Sharecropping reading passage and definitions Exploring Sharecropping: An Agreement activity which includes: an agreement/contract Sharecropping outcomes dice roll game/simulation Answer key for teachers ***cut out the colored cards in the document (landowner/sharecropper cards) to distribute to your students in their groups ★ Please Note: I execute this activity with my 8th grade honors students and my 11th grade gen-ed students. Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

Why did the Ku Klux Klan resort to violence and terror as a means to achieve their goals during the Reconstruction era? This activity examines the realities of the violence of the KKK. Students will analyze the reading passage and answer the corresponding scaffolding questions. Included in this resource: Violence of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) reading passage with scaffolding questions Answer key for teachers ★ Please Note: I execute this lesson with my 8th grade honors students and my 11th grade gen-ed students. Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! This activity is also included in the full Reconstruction Realities lesson plan found here: Sharecropping, Education Viewpoints, Life for the formerly enslaved ASSL ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

Why did Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois have differing viewpoints on the approach to African American education during the Reconstruction era, and how did these differences influence their respective visions for racial progress in the United States? This activity examines the realities of differing viewpoints on education. Students will analyze the viewpoints of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. Included in this resource: Booker T. Washington perspective with scaffolding questions W.E.B DuBois perspective with scaffolding questions Answer key for teachers ★ Please Note: I execute this lesson with my 8th grade honors students and my 11th grade gen-ed students. Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

Why was the election of 1872 significant in shaping the United States’ path towards national reconciliation and the subsequent passage of the Amnesty Act? This lesson and activity examines the election of 1872 and how amnesty granted to southern voters affected the outcome of the election. Students will analyze the viewpoints of Grant and Greeley and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. They will answer the final summary question to apply their knowledge. Included in this resource: Do Now - 1872 electoral map analysis questions The Election of 1872 and the Amnesty Act reading passage with scaffolding questions Ulysses S. Grant election perspective with scaffolding questions Horace Greeley election perspective with scaffolding questions Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: How did the election of 1872 and the subsequent Amnesty Act impact the United States’ path toward national reconciliation and the post-Civil War era’s policies? Answer key for teachers ★ Please Note: I execute this lesson with my 8th grade honors students and my 11th grade gen-ed students. Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

Why did the Panic of 1873 lead to widespread financial distress and economic hardship in the United States? This lesson and activity examines the Panic of 1873 how it impacted banks, financial institutions, and American citizens. Students will analyze documents the viewpoint of Grant and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. They will apply their knowledge by creating their own diary entry and answering the final summary question to apply their knowledge. Included in this resource: Do Now - Wall Street 1873 political cartoon analysis and scaffolding questions The Panic of 1873: A Tough Time for America reading passage with scaffolding questions Ulysses S. Grant’s role during the Panic of 1873 analysis and corresponding graphic organizer scaffolding questions Ulysses S. Grant Panic of 1873 perspective with scaffolding questions Panic of 1873: Time Traveler’s Diary creative writing assignment analysis Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: How did the Panic of 1873 contribute to the economic challenges faced by people during that time? Answer key for teachers ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

Why were poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses, Jim Crow laws, and other voter suppression tactics employed during the Reconstruction era in the United States? This lesson and activity examines the tactics used to deter newly able people to vote. 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 - “The Georgetown Elections,” illustration by Thomas Nash political cartoon and scaffolding questions Voter Suppression tactics during Reconstruction reading passage with scaffolding questions Analyzing primary source documents and corresponding scaffolding questions JH Hayden and Angus Hamilton letter to President Taft addressing disenfranchisement Robert S. Anderson’s poll tax receipt, 1940 Literacy Test example 1965 Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: Why did voter suppression tactics during Reconstruction have a significant impact on the democratic participation of certain groups, particularly African American citizens? Answer key for teachers ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

How did poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses function as tools during the Reconstruction era to restrict voting rights and disproportionately impact certain groups within the population? This activity closely examines the tactics used to deter newly able people to vote. Students will analyze documents and scenarios and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. They will answer the final summary question to apply their knowledge. Included in this resource: Do Now - Voter Suppression Tactics graphic organizer refresher Voter Suppression Tactics Station Activity or Document Pass with corresponding scaffolding questions Station #1 - Voter Registration Office Station #2 - Poll Tax Payment Station #3 - Literacy Test Station #4 - Intimidation Tactics Station #5 - Gerrymandering/Unfair Voting Districts Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: Why did the implementation of various voter suppression tactics during Reconstruction disproportionately affect African Americans, and how did these tactics contribute to the broader issues of systematic racism in the United States? Answer key for teachers ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

Why did the Election of 1876 lead to the Compromise of 1877, and how did this compromise impact the political and social landscape in the United States during the post-Civil War era? This lesson and activity examines the outcome of the election of 1876 and the terms of the agreement and compromise in 1877. 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 - Election of 1876 electoral map and scaffolding questions “Election Riddles: The Mystery of 1876” poem with critical thinking question Remembering the Amnesty Act of 1872 primary source document with vocabulary Understanding the Amnesty Act of 1872 reading passage with scaffolding questions The Election of 1876 and Compromise of 1877 reading passage with scaffolding questions Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana during the Election of 1876 inference graphic organizer and corresponding questions The End of Reconstruction reading passage with graphic organizer questions Rutherford B. Hayes’ on the Compromise of 1877 perspective and questions Samuel J. Tilden on the Compromise of 1877 perspective and questions Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: Why did the Amnesty Act of 1872 have a notable impact on elections, and how did it influence the political dynamics and participation in the post-Civil War era? Answer key for teachers ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

This activity examines the provisions of the Amnesty Act of 1872. Students will analyze the primary source document and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. Included in this resource: Remembering the Amnesty Act of 1872 primary source document with vocabulary Understanding the Amnesty Act of 1872 reading passage with scaffolding questions Answer key for teachers ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

How did the Plessy v. Ferguson decision shape the course of racial segregation laws in the United States? This lesson and activity examines the circumstances surrounding the Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case decision and its impact. Students will analyze documents and perspectives and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. They will answer the final application question to apply their knowledge. Included in this resource: Do Now - Timeline leading up the Plessy v. Ferguson decision and corresponding scaffolding questions Plessy v. Ferguson 1896 reading passage with corresponding scaffolding questions Spotlight on: Homer Plessy document with scaffolding questions graphic organizer Justice Brown on Plessy v. Ferguson majority opinion perspective and questions Justice Harlan on Plessy v. Ferguson dissenting opinion perspective and questions Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: Why was the Plessy v. Ferguson decision significant in shaping social and legal attitudes towards segregation and civil rights in the United States? Answer key for teachers ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

This activity examines the end of the Reconstruction era. Students will analyze the reading passage document and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. Included in this resource: The End of Reconstruction reading passage with scaffolding questions Withdrawal of Federal Troops Election Resolution Impact on African Americans Resurgence of Southern Control Answer key for teachers ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2024 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

How did Ulysses S. Grant’s policies and actions during his presidency influence the course and outcomes of the Reconstruction era, particularly in terms of civil rights and national reunification? This lesson and activity examines President Grant’s policies during his presidency and the Reconstruction era. Students will analyze primary source documents including Grant’s first inaugural address and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. They will answer the final summary question to apply their knowledge. Included in this resource: Do Now - President Grant’s first inaugural address primary source document with scaffolding questions Ulysses S. Grant and the Reconstruction Era reading passage with scaffolding questions graphic organizer Ulysses S. Grant on Reconstruction perspective/point of view and questions Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: Why was Ulysses S. Grant’s approach to the Reconstruction era significant in shaping the post-Civil War United States, and how did his strategies and policies contribute to the goals of national unity and civil rights advancement? Answer key for teachers ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! ©2023 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

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! ©2024 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

Why are the political, social, and economic changes during Reconstruction important for understanding how the United States developed after the Civil War, especially in terms of civil rights and equality? This lesson and activity examines the social, political, and economics effects of the Reconstruction era. Students will analyze documents and answer corresponding scaffolding questions in graphic organizer form. They will apply their knowledge of social, political, or economic effects in a law or organization activity as well as answer the final summary question to apply their knowledge. Included in this resource: Do Now - Inferring and dividing the social, political, and economic effects into correct categories Economic Changes during Reconstruction document with scaffolding questions graphic organizer Political Changes during Reconstruction document with scaffolding questions graphic organizer Social Changes during Reconstruction document with scaffolding questions graphic organizer Effects of Reconstruction Activity Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: Why is it important to evaluate the social, political, and economic effects of Reconstruction when discussing modern-day efforts to achieve racial equality and social justice in the United States? 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! ©2024 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

This activity examines the social, political, and economics effects of the Reconstruction era. Students will apply their knowledge of social, political, or economic effects in a law or organization activity. Included in this resource: Effects of Reconstruction Activity 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! ★ Looking for the full lesson that also includes this activity? Find it here! SPE Effects Reconstruction ASSL ©2024 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

This activity evaluates students’ application of their knowledge from the Reconstruction era unit. They will wrap up the Reconstruction unit by creating rap songs using Reconstruction vocabulary and terms in this engaging and fun activity! Included in this resource: Reconstruction ‘Rap’ Up Directions Reconstruction vocabulary and terms (teacher and/or student can also insert more vocabulary) Sample student created rap song ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! Up to teacher’s discretion regarding grading ©2024 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.

This assessment evaluates students’ knowledge from the Reconstruction era unit. Can be used as a review sheet or quick quiz/assessment. Included in this resource: Multiple Choice questions Short Response question Answer key for teachers ★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you! Up to teacher’s discretion regarding grading ©2024 A Social Studies Life For personal use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Please have other teachers purchase their own copy. If you are a school or district interested in purchasing several licenses, please contact me for a district-wide quote.