In this one-day lesson, students will examine and understand the defining characteristics of the Reconstruction era.
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Pacing
Just the Basics: To meet the TEKS requirements while minimizing the amount of time spent in the unit, educators can focus solely on the following lessons (Approximately 7-8 class periods)
- The Big Picture (1 class period)
- Vocabulary (2 class periods)
- What’s the Story? (1 - 2 class periods)
- Reconstruction Guided Notes (2 class periods)
- The Constitution of 1876 (1 class period)
Contents
Era Overview
When the Civil War ended, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlawed slavery in Texas. Yet three far-reaching questions still had to be answered, and the struggles over these questions would define Texas during the period of Reconstruction (1865-1876).
First, what would become of the newly freed 230,000 African Americans in Texas? They were no longer enslaved, but were they to become citizens or perhaps something else? Second, what was to become of the ex-Confederates in Texas who had waged war against the United States? Were they to regain their citizenship or perhaps take on a different status? Third, how would the United States restore states like Texas to the American Union? Was Texas to regain its full political representation immediately after the war, or would there be punishment for having rebelled against the United States?
During the first part of Reconstruction, commonly called “Presidential Reconstruction,” President Andrew Johnson attempted to answer these questions. Johnson promised that states like Texas could rejoin the Union simply by ratifying the 13th Amendment, he offered a pardon to nearly all ex-Confederates so they could regain their citizenship, and he left the status of African Americans to be decided by their former masters. Anglo-Texans, as a result, quickly passed laws that denied citizenship rights to the former slaves and elected ex-Confederate political leaders to represent Texas in the U.S. Congress.
All of this angered Northerners and led Republicans in the U.S. Congress to forcibly take over Reconstruction policy, which began a new phase commonly known as “Congressional Reconstruction.” After putting Texas and the other ex-Confederate states under military rule, the Congress stated that Texas could not be represented by ex-Confederates and could not rejoin the Union until it ratified the 14th Amendment, which gave African Americans citizenship rights under the Constitution. The Congress also passed the 15th Amendment that defined voting rights. In so doing, the U.S. Congress attempted to ensure citizenship rights for African Americans while reducing the political power of ex-Confederates in states like Texas.
Anglo-Texans reacted with outrage. Some ex-Confederates joined groups like the Ku Klux Klan and used violence to try to intimidate African Americans and their white Republican allies in Texas. These Anglo-Texans also organized themselves politically and, by the mid-1870s, began to regain political power within the state. In 1876, ex-Confederates passed a new Texas constitution that stripped power out of the state government in an effort to undo much of what the Republican Party had brought to Texas during Reconstruction.
Unit Level Downloads (English)
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Downloadable/Editable versions of the unit plan. Provides an Era Overview and pacing, and outlines each lesson’s estimated completion time, essential questions, a description of each lesson, and student learning experiences and activities.
Other Units
Lessons
Most lessons contain downloadable and printable documents, activities, and other resources to aid in classroom instruction. Lesson materials are available in multiple formats and typically contain variations based on learning needs. Learn more about alternative formats here.
The Big Picture
How Do We Know What We Know?
In this one day, primary source based lesson, students will use a set of primary source materials to examine significant events, topics, and points of view related to Texas history Reconstruction.
Vocabulary
In this two-day lesson, students will be able to identify, define and give an example of each vocabulary term within the context of the Reconstruction era.
What's the Story?
In this one- or two-day lesson, students will examine six readings presenting significant events that took place during Reconstruction and identify their significance to United States and Texas history.
Who's who of Reconstruction
In this one or multi-day optional extension lesson, students will read passages about key people of Reconstruction to identify and summarize each person’’’s significance to the era. This lesson includes multiple ways to interact with the materials including biographical fact sheets, a dinner party activity, “I have / Who has” and student worksheets. Special Note: There is only one person in this lesson directly identified in the TEKS. This lesson can be shortened by focusing solely on Lawrence “Sul” Ross.
Guided Notes
In this two-day, guided note-taking lesson, students will examine the three phases of Reconstruction, the significant developments, and the defining characteristics of each phase. Students will be able to compare the three primary phases of Reconstruction.
The Constitution of 1876
In this one-day lesson, students will examine the seven principles of government and categorize excerpts from the Constitution of 1876 based on which principle or principles they uphold.
Texas Today
In this one day lesson, students will examine the state, county, and municipal levels of government. Students will be able to identify the functions and responsibilities of each level.
Looking Ahead
In this one day lesson, students will get a glimpse into the major topics and defining characteristics they will see in the next unit. Students will use four primary source materials to make observations, inferences, and predictions about the next unit: Cotton, Cattle, and Railroads.
Study Guide and Flashcards
In this one-day review lesson, students will identify the significance of key terms, cause and effect relationships between significant events, and answer practice test questions to prepare for the unit 9 test.
Review Mind Map
In this one day review lesson, students will create a visual representation of terms and concepts from the unit in a mind map. Students will be able to identify how information from the unit is connected by making connections between terms on a mind map.
Review Bingo Game
In this optional one day review lesson, students will review key terms, ideas, people, places, events, and major themes of Reconstruction by playing Bingo using terms from the unit and clues about each term.
Maps
We've assembled the following list of maps that are applicable to the Reconstruction Unit.
Bacon's map of the United States
"Map of the United States that shows railroads, military outposts, Pony Express and postal routes, and historical routes of exploration and commerce."
Colton's new map of the State of Texas : Compiled from J. De Cordova's large map
"Map shows counties, major roads and cities, areas of Native American habitation, and notable geographical features; only four counties shown for west Texas and Panhandle: Bexar, El Paso, Presidio, and unnamed 4th county."
Johnson's Texas
"Map shows mid-nineteenth century Texas counties, roads, cities and towns, railroads, and areas of Native American habitation."
Bird's eye view of Jefferson Texas
"Map shows late nineteenth century Jefferson, Texas street names, buildings, and riverboats. Includes key to numbered buildings."
Map of Fort Richardson, and vicinity, Texas
"Map shows geography, roads, and buildings in Fort Richardson located in northern Texas during the late nineteenth century."
Richardson's new map of the state of Texas, prepared for the Texas almanac, 1873
"Hand drawn color-shaded map showing counties, cities, rivers, creeks, railroads, roads, and topographical features of Texas as of 1872."
Map of Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas
"Map shows late nineteenth century cities, railroads, military outposts, areas of Native American habitation, and geographic features in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and a portion of New Mexico and "Indian Territory" [Oklahoma]."
Map of Texas
"Map of Texas and Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), showing the Red River, the Brazos River, Fort Phantom Hill, Fort Chadbourne, and Fort Concho."
Videos
We provide videos for both continuing education and classroom use. Please see each video's descriptive page for related resources and details about accessibility and viewing options.
Preview of the Reconstruction Period
A short introductory video to the Reconstruction Period. Includes worksheets and/or other attachments.
Road to 'Redemption'
The period after reconstruction in Texas, covering: Republicans in Texas, Constitution of 1868, Violence and the Klan, The “Redemption” of Texas.
Presidential Reconstruction
Civil War reconstruction in Texas, covering: Three Major Questions, Presidential Reconstruction, Constitution of 1866, Congress Takes Over Reconstruction.
More Resources
The following list of resources provide additional information to help you dive deeper into the context of the unit. Books are linked to OCLC WorldCat, allowing you find a copy in your nearest local library or to make a request for it using interlibrary loan.
General
website Results for Reconstruction in The Portal to Texas History