8th Grade Instructional Guide
Model Lesson 5
Reconstruction Document Based Question
Standards
8.11 Students analyze the character and lasting consequences of Reconstruction.
8.11.3. Understand the effects of the Freedmen's Bureau and
the restrictions placed on the rights and opportunities of
freedmen, including racial segregation and "Jim Crow" laws.
8.11.4. Trace the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and describe the
Klan's effects.
8.11.5. Understand the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth
Amendments to the Constitution and analyze their
connection to Reconstruction.
History/Social Science Analysis Skills Connection
Research, Evidence, and Point of View
• Students assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources and draw sound
conclusions from them.
• Students detect the different historical points of view on historical events and determine
the context in which the historical statements were made.
Historical Interpretation
• Students understand and distinguish, cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in
historical events, including the long- and short-term causal relations.
Materials
Student Handout 1: Visual Analysis Worksheet
Student Handout 2: Overview of Reconstruction
Student Handout 3: Document Analysis Sheet
Student Handout 4: Reconstruction DBQ Prompt
Student Handout 5: Essay Graphic Organizer
Document 1: Emancipation
Documents 2-4: The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments
Document 5: The Fifteenth Amendment. Celebrated May 19th 1870.
Document 6: “The First Vote”
Document 7: Protest of the Freedmen of Edisto Island
Document 8: “This is a White Man’s Government”
Document 9: “Worse Than Slavery”
Document 10: Sharecropping
Transparency 1: Emancipation
Guiding Inquiries:
1. What does it mean to be free?
2. What did emancipation mean for the freedmen? Were freedmen really free?
3. What forces were at work during the Reconstruction era?
4. In what ways was Reconstruction both a success and a failure?
12-1
Lesson Study Research Questions:
1. Can students see the nuances and complexities of a historical event?
2. Can students see how Reconstruction changed over time?
3. Can students make sense of conflicting information?
4. Can students realize the strengths and limitations of varying types of sources?
Lesson Overview
This lesson should be taught after students have gained a basic understanding of key elements
of Reconstruction (Reconstruction plans, Lincoln’s assassination, the need for rebuilding and
reconciling). The lesson and documents focus on the experience of the freedmen during
Reconstruction and use their positive and negative experiences to bring out the complexities of
that era. This lesson, including both document analysis and student writing, should take from
three to five days to complete. Each day of the lesson was designed with a 50 minute
instructional period in mind.
Day 1
Teacher/Student Activities
Hook
This hook exercise has been designed to prepare students for the larger
lesson and to build on their background knowledge.
Helpful Hints
Time Suggestion:
15 minutes
Part 1:
Discuss the questions:
“What does it mean to be free? Are you free? How do you know?”
These questions could be connected to the present as well as the past.
Students should make a list individually then share with a partner for the
purpose of creating a class list. An example like “having the right to freely
practice religion” could be shared to help students begin their lists. If students
are struggling, remind them of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of
Rights, particularly the First Amendment.
Part 2:
Analyze Emancipation by Thomas Nast. Access prior knowledge about the
term emancipation by connecting to the Emancipation Proclamation.
Discuss the details of the visual. Student Handout 1 provides questions to
help focus student analysis if needed.
Discuss Nast’s vision of life for the freedmen and discuss the following
question:
“Will life be better for the former slaves/freedmen? Why or why not?”
Background information on Emancipation by Thomas Nast: This visual
represents Nast’s optimistic vision of freedom for former slaves. The center
shows the image of a freedmen’s family gathered around a “union” stove. The
statue of “freedom” which is on the dome of the U.S. Capitol is above the
family. On the left side of the visual, the experience of slavery is portrayed
with the selling and beating of slaves. On the right side, the hope of
education, payment from a cashier and a cottage are represented.
12-2
Student Handout 1
may be completed as a
full group or in pairs
focusing on selected
questions.
Background Reading
Transition to the topic of Reconstruction and the DBQ process by reading
Student Handout 2 with the class. Help students to come up with a basic
definition of the term reconstruction. Discuss some of the challenges posed in
the first paragraph. Reconnect with some of the items that have already been
presented to the students about Reconstruction to students in earlier lessons.
Analyze the timeline to establish a time-frame for Reconstruction and to
foreshadow some of the documents that students will be analyzing.
The timeline may also lend itself to a think-pair-share with questions such as:
• What title would you give this timeline?
• What item (on the timeline) will impact freedmen the most?
• How could you categorize the items on the timeline?
• Which item is the most significant to the history of Reconstruction?
Introduce Document Analysis Sheet
Transition to the document analysis work by introducing Student Handout 3.
As a whole class analyze a document to model and to clarify the organizer if
there are any questions. Document 5 would work best with this activity, as the
details are small and students would benefit from teacher guidance. Analyze
this document as a class, having students record the appropriate information
on Student Handout 3.
In order to make the task more rigorous have students use the last column of
the organizer to identify the category that the document relates to. Key
categories may include: political, economic, social.
Students may also provide an analytical statement in the last box explaining
how the evidence is significant.
Day 2
Teacher/Student Activities
Reconnecting with Day 1
Review the task and the document analyzed on Day 1. Ask students to share
one thing they remember from Day 1. Briefly review all completed activities.
Modeling of Document Analysis (continued)
Analyze Document 8 as a class to bring out all of the details. Have students
record key information on Student Handout 3.
Compare Documents 5 and 8 to help bring out the two-sided nature of
Reconstruction and the experience of freedmen. Discuss point of view and
bias as they relate to the two visuals.
Document Analysis
Continue analyzing documents. Have students work in groups of 3-4 to
analyze the documents with periodic checking for understanding. This may
12-3
15 minutes
The reading could be
done as a paired
paraphrase in which
two students work
together to read and
then paraphrase each
paragraph.
Finish the overview by
connecting to the DBQ
task. Consider building
up the DBQ as a
challenge for students
to think as historians by
informing them that
DBQ’s are often done
in high schools in
history classes.
20 minutes
To scaffold for students
who may need it,
consider utilizing a (+)
or a (–) for the second
box, to indicate
whether the portrayal
of the experience was
positive or negative.
Refer to “Notes on the
Documents” found on
Day 3 for information
on each document.
Helpful Hints
5 minutes
10 minutes
Students may need
assistance realizing the
complexity of the topic
and era.
35 minutes
If students are working
be structured with all students looking at the same document at the same
time, or with more flexibility allowing students to work at their own pace.
Day 3
Teacher/Student Activities
Reviewing the Documents
Reconnect with the document analysis by checking for understanding of the
documents. Provide information when students have misconceptions or not
enough information by sharing the information noted below. Have students
follow along with Student Handout 3, adding information when appropriate.
Notes on the Documents
Documents 2-4 are known as the Reconstruction amendments. They
abolished slavery, guaranteed citizenship and due process, and gave
African-American males the right to vote.
Document 5 represents a celebration in Baltimore, MD to mark the passage
of the Fifteenth Amendment. Abraham Lincoln, John Brown, Ulysses Grant,
Martin Dulany (the highest ranking African American Union soldier during the
Civil War), Hiram Revels (the first African-American Senator), and Schuyler
Colfax (Grant’s Vice President) are represented. This document can also be
used to call out the creation of history black colleges like Howard University
and Morehouse College, the reuniting of families, the election of sixteen
African-Americans to Congress, and the establishment of black churches.
Document 6 portrays the first vote of African-American men. The image
brings out a range of experiences and opportunities for freedmen as typified
by the type of clothing worn by the men.
Document 7 is an early account of Reconstruction era frustrations
experienced by freedmen. The document shows that some freedmen were at
the mercy of others and feared for their well- being and physical safety. The
document also brings out the issue of land/property and may be useful in
connecting with “forty acres and a mule” and other promises.
Document 8 by Thomas Nast brings out the experience of freedmen losing
their voting rights. The image is directed at the Democratic party as
represented by three individuals (from left to right): an Irish immigrant; Nathan
Bedford Forrest former Confederate General and founder of Ku Klux Klan
(KKK); and August Belmont, a wealthy New York financier who served as the
chairman of the Democratic party. An African-American Union veteran who
should enjoy full participation is being denied the right to vote. The phrase of
“This is a white man’s government” (also found on Document 9) was uttered
by Governor Benjamin Perry at the South Carolina Constitutional Convention
of 1865 in opposition to extending the franchise to African Americans.
Document 9, also by Thomas Nast, represents Reconstruction as being
“worse than slavery.” This is similar to the sentiment expressed by the
12-4
in groups, rotate
around the room to
check on their progress
and provide
assistance.
Helpful Hints
20 minutes
The review of the
documents can take
place before all
students have
analyzed all of the
documents.
Documents 2-6
represent
Reconstruction and the
experience of
freedmen in a positive
light. Documents 7-10
represent the
experience of
freedmen and
Reconstruction in a
negative light.
Comparing the dates
and representations of
Reconstruction in the
documents, particularly
those of Thomas Nast,
may help students to
see how
Reconstruction
changed over time.
freedman who said, “If this is freedom, what do you call slavery?” This image
portrays the experience of violence at the hands of racists such as the white
leagues and the KKK. The parents are holding what appears to be a dead
child who may have been killed in the violent acts perpetrated against the
school in the background. It appears that a school book belonging to the child
lies in the foreground.
Document 10 provides secondary source information related to the
experience of sharecropping as a new form of slavery for freedmen.
Mini-Debate
Begin preparing students to take a side on the DBQ by engaging in a minidebate.
10 minutes
Debate the following statement: “Based upon the documents you have
analyzed, was Reconstruction more of a success or failure for freedmen?”
Have students choose a side and practice presenting the arguments they will
use in their writing by verbally arguing for their side. Ensure there are a few
“plants” on each side that will be able to support their view using evidence
from the documents. Students can utilize their document analysis sheet for
the activity
Writing Prompt
Have students turn to Student Handout 4. Go over the task with the students
identifying the key expectations for this task.
For the conclusion of the essay, consider having students address the
question, “How free were the freedmen after all?”
Pre-Writing
Allow students to use the remainder of the period to organize their thoughts
into an outline using the ideas from Student Handout 3. If students are
struggling with this task, review writing organizers from previous Model
Lessons. In addition, Student Handout 5 provides a structure for organization.
A highly structured writing organizer has not been provided intentionally to
remove some scaffolding as a check to see how much students have
internalized the planning and organization from earlier lessons.
Day 4
Teacher/Student Activities
Review the Task and Pre-Writing
To wrap up the preparation for student writing, briefly review Student Handout
3 and student pre-writing.
Student Writing
Students should be given ample time to write their essays. Assigning the
students to complete the essay at home is also an option.
Reflection
Upon completion of the writing task, have students reflect on their writing and
learning. This may be done in class by students who finish early or for
homework.
12-5
5 minutes
15 minutes
Helpful Hints
10 minutes
Students can share
with a partner what
they plan on writing.
40 minutes
Student Handout 1
Visual Analysis Worksheet
Visuals
1. List the objects or people you see in
the image.
Words (if any)
1. Identify the image caption and/or title.
2. Record any important dates or numbers
that appear in the image.
2. Which of the objects on your list are
most important?
3. Describe the emotions portrayed in the
image.
3. How is the right side of the image
different from the left?
4. What is the artist trying to convey in
the middle image
4. Which words or phrases in the image
appear to be most significant? Why do
you think so?
5. Why is the organization of the image
important?
A. Describe the experience of freedmen in the image.
B. Explain the evidence that led you to your conclusion.
Student Handout 2
Overview of Reconstruction
The term reconstruction means to repair or rebuild something that has been damaged or
destroyed. In the history of the United States, the term Reconstruction refers to the time
after the Civil War in which the country was rebuilt. This rebuilding involved physical
things that were destroyed such as railroads, houses, cities, and farms. The greatest
challenges during the Reconstruction era however involved the social and political
rebuilding that needed to take place. What should happen to the former Confederates?
How should the North and the South be reunited? How should the wounds of secession
and the war be healed? What should happen to the four million formerly enslaved
people called freedmen? Finally, what would freedom mean for the freedmen?
You will be spending the next few days exploring the last question. This exploration will
take place by analyzing primary and secondary sources on the experiences of
freedmen. You will look at artistic depictions of events and political cartoons. You will
read a letter written by freedmen. You will also read portions from amendments to the
Constitution.
By analyzing these sources you will realize that Reconstruction was a complicated time
with both positive and negative experiences for freedmen. After analyzing these sources
and discussing them with your classmates you will need to answer the following
document based question (also called a DBQ): Was Reconstruction more of a success
or failure for freedmen? As you will see, you can answer this question either way. The
success of your argument will depend on how well you use the evidence from the
sources to support your argument.
Below is a brief timeline of some events from the Reconstruction Era
Student Handout 3
Number, Title and Date Does the document represent a Evidence that supports your of Document positive or negative experience interpretation for freedmen? Additional Notes
and Analysis Number, Title and Date Does the document represent a Evidence that supports your Additional Notes and Analysis
of Document positive or negative experience interpretation for freedmen? Student Handout 4
Reconstruction DBQ Prompt
Background:
You have spent the last few days examining documents that relate to the
experiences of the freedmen during the time of Reconstruction. The
Reconstruction era lasted from roughly 1863 – 1877. This was a time of rebuilding
for America and new experiences for the formerly enslaved African-Americans.
Using the document analysis sheet and the essay organizer you have filled out,
answer the following question.
Prompt:
Was Reconstruction more of a success or failure for freedmen?
Task: Write an essay in which you:
1. Provide a short explanation of Reconstruction to build the historical
context/background for your essay.
2. Write a clear thesis statement that addresses the question above.
3. Use at least three documents in your essay. Cite the specific document
titles such as (The Thirteenth Amendment).
4. For each document you use, identify at least one specific piece of
evidence that supports your argument. To be specific, it should either
be a direct quote from a document, a paraphrased version of a quote,
or a description of a specific detail from an image.
5. Provide clear analysis for each document in which you explain how
your evidence “proves” your argument.
6. Include a conclusion in which you restate your main ideas.
Suggested Vocabulary
Reconstruction
freedmen
emancipation
amendment
political
social
economic
sharecropper
equality
racism
voting
slavery
*
*
*
*
Historical Context
1- 2 sentence
summary of topic
Historical Context
1- 2 sentence summary of topic
Thesis
Your main argument
or idea that you will
support
Topic
Sentence
*
*
*
*
Main
Idea
I
N
T
R
O
D
U
C
T
I
O
N
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Explanation/
Analysis
Concluding
Sentence
Topic
Sentence
Main
Idea
B
O
D
Y
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Explanation/
Analysis
Concluding
Sentence
Topic
Sentence
*
*
Main
Idea
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Explanation/
Analysis
Concluding
Sentence
C
O
N
C
L
U
S
I
O
N
Restate Thesis
*
*
Review Main Points
Final Thought
Student Handout 5
Document 1
Thomas Nast Emancipation, 1865
Documents 2-4
Excerpts from the Constitution of the United States
Document 1
The Thirteenth Amendment
Ratified December 6, 1865
involuntary
servitude: being
forced to work
against your will
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except
as a punishment of a crime wherof the party shall have
been duly convicted, shall exist in the United States, or any
place subject to their jurisdiction.
Document 2
The Fourteenth Amendment
Ratified July 9, 1868
abridge: take
away
due process: legal
procedure that
must be the same
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United
States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of
the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No
State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor
shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law; nor deny any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Document 3
The Fifteenth Amendment
Ratified February 3, 1870
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote
shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by
any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of
servitud
Document 5
Thomas Kelly after James C. Beard, The 15th Amendment. Celebrated May 19 1870, 1870.
Key
The corresponding text
for the five images at
the bottom of the
document reads:
A. "Education will
prove the equality of
the races,"
B. "Liberty protects the
marriage altar,"
C. “The ballot box is
open to us,"
D. "Our representative
sits in the national
legislature,"
A.
E.
B.
C.
D.
E. “The holy
ordinances of religion
are free."
Document 6
Alfred R. Waud, “The First Vote,” in Harper’s Weekly, November 16, 1867.
Document 7
Protest of the Freedmen of Edisto Island , South Carolina to General
Howard, October 1865
Note: This document is in the original spelling in which it was written.
homesteads:
land to settle and
live on
…General we want Homesteads; we were promised homesteads by
the government; If It does not carry out the promises Its agents made
to us, If the government Haveing concluded to befriend Its late
enemies and to neglect to observe the principles of common faith
between Its self and us Its allies In the war you said was over, now
takes away from them all right to the soil they stand upon save such
as they can get by again working for your late and thier all time
enemies—If the government does so we are left In a more unpleasant
condition than our former.
we are at the mercy of those who are combined to prevent us from
getting land enough to lay our Fathers bones upon. We Have property
In Horses, cattle, carriages, & articles of furniture, but we are landless
and Homeless, from the Homes we Have lived In In the past we can
only do one of three things Step Into the public road or the sea or
remain on them working as In former time and subject to their will as
then. We can not resist It In any way without being driven out
Homeless upon the road.
You will see this Is not the condition of really freemen….
In behalf of the people
Committee: Henry Bram, Ishmael Moultrie, Yates Sampson
Document 8
Thomas Nast, “This is a White Man’s Government,” in Harper’s
Weekly, September 5, 1868.
"We regard the Reconstruction Acts (so called) of Congress as
usurpations, and unconstitutional, revolutionary, and void." Democratic Platform
Document 9
Thomas Nast, "Worse than Slavery” 1874
Document 10
Sharecropping
Most former slaves desperately wanted land to farm but had no
money to buy it. Meanwhile, their former owners desperately needed
workers to farm their land but had no money to pay them. Out of the
needs of both groups came a farming system called sharecropping.
Planters who turned to sharecropping divided their land into
small lots. They rented these plots to individual tenant farmers
(farmers who pay rent for the land they work). A few tenants paid the
rent for their plots in cash. But most paid the rent by giving the
landowner a share – usually a third or a half – of the crops they raised
on their plots.
Sharecropping looked promising to freedmen at first. They
liked being independent farmers who worked for themselves. In time,
they hoped to earn enough money to buy a farm of their own.
However, most sharecroppers had to borrow money from
planters to buy food, seeds, tools, and supplies they needed to
survive until harvest-time. Few ever earned enough from their crops
to pay back what they owed. Rather than leading to independence,
sharecropping usually led to a lifetime of poverty and debt.
From History Alive! The United States Through Industrialism,
Teacher’s Curriculum Institute, Palo Alto CA. 2005 (page 327).