The Reconstruction Era and the Fragility of Democracy
Resources
7Subject
- History
Grade
9–12Language
English — USPublished
Updated
In this lesson
Overview
About This Collection
During the Reconstruction Era, Americans were faced with the challenge of rebuilding a society divided by slavery and the political upheaval of the Civil War. Teaching this history is essential to helping students understand citizenship and democracy in the United States today.
The collection includes multiple entry-points for exploring the Reconstruction Era with your students, including a new 3-week unit, videos, and an array of primary sources available in both English and Spanish.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
We're never fully going to understand who are you, who am I, how did we get here, what are the problems that we're facing, unless we understand the histories that produced that.
Reconstruction, to my mind, is the most vital period of American history.
People were making history out of the ashes of war, creating an entirely new country.
The transfer from slavery to political liberty, practically overnight, had never happened anywhere else in history. This was a bold set of aspirations.
And it set in motion civil rights, notions of equal citizenship, the empowerment of Black people, the idea that white people and Black people could work together, could live together, could govern together, could love together, in a way that was unprecedented in American history. That was not going to be accomplished in 15 years, but it set in motion a series of things that we're still wrestling with today as a society.
Who is a citizen? What should the rights of citizens be? What are the relationships between the Federal government and the state governments? How do you deal with terrorism? That's a Reconstruction issue.
Those central questions of who is an American, what does it mean to be an American, and what is the American government, and therefore what is America, are really laid down from 1865, forward.
But all of this was happening in a society that had to face this, and try to deal with this, and define all of this, practically overnight in the wake of an all-out war.
It's a story of how ordinary people, facing very difficult odds, try to create a better society, try to create a functioning democracy, try to create a semblance of equality in this country.
In its highs and its lows, and its tragedy, its corruption, it's just a remarkable story and every student of American history should know it.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
This collection is designed to be flexible. You can use all of the resources or choose a selection best suited to your classroom. It includes:
- 3-Week Unit
- The Reconstruction Era and the Fragility of Democracy book
- 7 videos with 7 supporting lesson plans
- A collection of over 40 primary source documents and images
- Student materials available in both English and Spanish
Inside This Collection
Core Teaching Resources
The Reconstruction Era and the Fragility of Democracy
The Reconstruction Era 3-Week Unit
Videos and Lessons
Introduction: A Contested History
A Contested History
Part One: The World the War Made
The World the War Made
Part Two: Defining Freedom
Defining Freedom
Part Three: The Political Struggle, 1865-1866
The Political Struggle, 1865–1866
Part Four: Interracial Democracy
Interracial Democracy
Part Five: Violence and Backlash
Violence and Backlash
Part Six: The Legacies of Reconstruction
Legacies of Reconstruction
Primary Sources
The Reconstruction Era Primary Sources
Timeline
The Reconstruction Era Timeline
Related Facing History Resources & Learning Opportunities
Teaching Mockingbird
Materials and Downloads
Related Facing History Resources & Learning Opportunities
Make Good the Promises of Reconstruction: A Conversation and Virtual Exhibition Tour with Candra Flanagan
On-Demand
Teaching Reconstruction: A Conversation with Dr. Kidada Williams
On-Demand
Reexamining Reconstruction: A Conversation with Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries
On-Demand
The Reconstruction Era and the Fragility of Democracy
You might also be interested in…
The Union As It Was
Radical Reconstruction and the Birth of Civil Rights
Expanding Democracy
The Struggle over Women’s Rights
Equality for All
The Devastation of War
Healing and Justice
Backlash and the KKK
Shifting Public Opinion
Political Violence and the Overthrow of Reconstruction
The Unfinished Revolution
Enacting Freedom
Unlimited Access to Learning. More Added Every Month.
Facing History & Ourselves is designed for educators who want to help students explore identity, think critically, grow emotionally, act ethically, and participate in civic life. It’s hard work, so we’ve developed some go-to professional learning opportunities to help you along the way.
Exploring ELA Text Selection with Julia Torres
On-Demand
Working for Justice, Equity and Civic Agency in Our Schools: A Conversation with Clint Smith
On-Demand
Centering Student Voices to Build Community and Agency
On-Demand