Reconstruction

Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 Reconstruction
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.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

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Teacher Pack

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Here are the teacher pack items for Reconstruction:

Preview - Scene 1
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Overview

In this experience, 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 analyze a political cartoon about voting rights in the South.

Students will collaborate in small groups for scene 3 to scene 4.

Estimated duration: 40-50 minutes

Vocabulary words:

  • assassinated
  • district
  • bureau
  • bargain
  • intimidation
  • illiterate

Objectives

  • Describe the purpose of Reconstruction.
  • Explain the Reconstruction Amendments.
  • Analyze the impact of Reconstruction on the former Confederate states.


Engage


When the Civil War ended in 1865, slaves were given their freedom, but the country was still divided. The U.S. government faced the challenge of rebuilding the South and reuniting the Union. In this experience you will learn about the years after the Civil War, known as the Reconstruction Era.

Objectives
  • Describe the purpose of Reconstruction.
  • Explain the Reconstruction Amendments.
  • Analyze the impact of Reconstruction on the former Confederate states.


old photograph showing the shell of a building and a railroad engine off the tracks

The Atlanta, Georgia railroad yards in ruins after the Civil War (1866)


The word reconstruction combines word parts that are probably familiar to you:

  • re-: a prefix meaning “to do over”
  • con: a prefix meaning “with”
  • struere: a Latin root meaning “to build” or “to assemble”
  • tion: a suffix making the word a noun
Put the parts together, and the word means “to rebuild something.”


Make a prediction:


Ask for a few volunteers to explain their predictions.


When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

End of Preview
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