DESCRIPTION
After the Civil War and following his assassination, Lincoln's policies of Reconstruction were challenged and
changed. From 1865-1877, Radical Republicans, military governors, unscrupulous men, the KKK, Freedmen,
and others influenced these 12 years of Reconstruction in the South. Reenactments add flavor to the
chronological presentation. A brief quiz follows the credits.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS
Subject Area: U.S. History
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Standard: Understands how various reconstruction plans succeeded or failed
§ Benchmark: Understands the elements of different plans for Reconstruction (e.g. how each plan
viewed secession, amnesty, pardon, and procedure for readmission to the Union; the influence of the
issue of Federalism on the debate over Reconstruction policy; the motives of the Radical Republicans)
(See Instructional Goal #1 and #2)
§ Benchmark: Understands the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution (e.g., how citizenship
was included, why the clauses of "equal protection of the laws" and "due process" were included, why
women were excluded in the 15th amendment) (See Instructional Goal #3)
§ Benchmark: Understands events leading to the formation of the Compromise of 1877 (e.g., the role of
violence and tactics of the "redeemers" in bringing about the Compromise, the consequences in the
South (See Instructional Goal #1)
§ Benchmark: Understands social and economic factors during and toward the end of Reconstruction
(e.g., how economic expansion and development in the North and South were influenced by
Reconstruction, the impact of fraud and violence on the end of Reconstruction (See Instructional Goal
#1 and #4)
INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS
1. To identify the political, social and economic factors contributing to the Reconstruction of the Southern
states following the Civil War.
2. To examine the various programs of the Reconstruction period.
3. To study the impact of the 13th , 14th and 15th Amendments on Reconstruction.
4. To discuss the successes and failures of Reconstruction in the South.
VOCABULARY
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freedmen
Reconstruction
sharecropping
Black Codes
scalawag
carpetbagger
ratify
impeachment
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BEFORE SHOWING
1. Explain the concept of Reconstruction.
2. Introduce the 13th , 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. Write them on the board for easy
reference.
3. Predict what might happen when the slaves were freed.
4. Discuss the Ku Klux Klan and other secret organizations that developed in the South.
DURING SHOWING
Discussion Items and Questions
1. View the video more than once, with one showing uninterrupted.
2. Pause after each of the four reenactments. Discuss the significance of the scene. Examine the
perceptions of each character.
AFTER SHOWING
Discussion Items and Questions
1. Discuss and compare the problems that were facing the newly freed slaves and the plantation owners.
2. Explain President Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan.
a. What freedoms did it give to slaves?
b. How did it treat the Confederates?
3. President Johnson followed most of Lincoln’s’ ideas for Reconstruction.
a. How did the President’s Reconstruction plan differ from that of the Congress?
b. Why was Congress not comfortable with Johnson’s plan?
c. What did Congress do to President Johnson?
4. Explain sharecropping and discuss why the Northerners thought it was an attempt by the Southerners to
bring back slavery.
5. Give some examples of the Black Codes.
a. Why were they established?
b. How did they make the freedmen’s lives more difficult?
6. Distinguish between the 13th , 14th and 15th Amendments.
a. What did each amendment proclaim?
b. What was the effect of each amendment?
7. The Freedmen’s Bureau formed by Congress established schools and hired teachers to educate the nowfreed slaves.
a. What were the different reactions to this by the local people?
b. Did the Bureau accomplish what it set out to do?
8. What three conditions, under Congress’ plan, would end military rule for the Southern states?
9. Since most of the leaders of the South were ex-Confederates, who made the constitutions for the Southern
states?
10. What were the economic changes that took place in the South during Reconstruction?
11. Some Northerners tried to capitalize on the South’s misfortune.
a. Identify and explain the name that Southerners gave to these Northerners.
b. Provide examples of the kinds of schemes these Northerners developed.
12. During Reconstruction, many different secret societies were formed.
a. Explain the purpose of these groups.
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b. Name some of the things they did.
13. What were the options of a freed slave?
14. Examine the events that led up to the end of the Reconstruction period in 1877.
15. What were some of the successes and failures of the Reconstruction era?
Applications and Activities
1. Imagine being President Lincoln’s advisor. He wants a plan for the Reconstruction of the South to be
devised. Include in the plan the:
a. major philosophical ideas of Reconstruction.
b. best way to serve both the freedmen and the plantation owners.
c. process in which the South should be admitted back into the Union.
d. best way to deal with lawlessness in the South.
2. Construct a timeline. Include the major events of the Reconstruction from 1865 to 1877.
3. Examine the positions of different people of the post-Civil War era. Identify their concerns. Determine
how those concerns were addressed.
a. a white Southerner
b. an African American slave
c. a white Northerner
d. an African American Northerner
4. Research present-day political conflicts between the President and Congress. Use newspapers,
magazines, television and the Internet.
5. Discover different aspects of discrimination within the local community.
a. What are some of the different forms of discrimination?
b. How is discrimination tolerated?
c. What are some solutions to eliminate discrimination?
d. How will the community react to these reforms?
6. Analyze John William De Forest’s statement at the end of the video concerning the lessons learned from
the Civil War and Reconstruction.
7. Take the video quiz presented at the conclusion of the video.
RELATED RESOURCES
Captioned Media Program
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Sojourner Truth: Ain’t I a Woman? #2525
World Wide Web
The following Web sites complement the contents of this guide; they were selected by professionals who have
experience in teaching deaf and hard of hearing students. Every effort was made to select accurate, educationally
relevant, and “kid-safe” sites. However, teachers should preview them before use. The U.S. Department of
Education, the National Association of the Deaf, and the Captioned Media Program do not endorse the sites and
are not responsible for their content.
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RECONSTRUCTION http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/recon.htm
An outline with Reconstruction information. Text only.
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CIVIL WAR LINKS http://home.ptd.net/~nikki/cwlinks.htm
A general Civil War links site with many good links. Includes the American Civil War with a well-done
timeline; the United States Civil War Center with many good links in categories; a copy of the Gettysburg
Address; and Maddie’s Civil War Battlefield Trips with a dog’s tour of different battlefields that is cute
and informative.
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ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S ASSASSINATION http://members.aol.com/ RVSNorton/Lincoln.html
Good information on the assassination of the United States’ 16th president.
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