Reconstruction and Jim Crow: What Would You Do?

(Decision-Making and Critical Thinking Curricula)

Students tackle fascinating historical questions that put them in the shoes of a range of people from the past, from the rich and famous to ordinary citizens. Each lesson can be done either as an in-depth activity requiring up to two full class periods, or as a “quick motivator” requiring only 20–30 minutes. Detailed teacher pages give step-by-step instructions, list key vocabulary terms, offer troubleshooting tips, present ideas for post-activity discussions, and furnish lists of related sources. Reproducible student handouts clearly lay out the decision-making scenarios, provide "outcomes," and present related primary source readings and/or images with analysis questions. Decision-Making Book available for purchase on Social Studies School Service. Critical Thinking book available from Critical Thinking Co. Free samples available below!

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Free Lessons

Sample Lesson: Policies Toward African Americans: Decision Making in History

Lesson List: Reconstruction: Critical Thinking in History

BOOK 3: RECONSTRUCTION TO PROGRESSIVISM RECONSTRUCTION UNIT (partial list)

  • LESSON 6: Skill: EVALUATE INTERPRETATIONS Historical Topic: How Corrupt Were Reconstruction Governments?

  • LESSON 7: Skill: EVALUATE INTERPRETATIONS Historical Topic: Was Reconstruction a Tragic Era?

  • LESSON 8: Skill: EVALUATE EVIDENCE Historical Topic: Visual Evidence on Reconstruction

  • LESSON 9: Skill: ANALYZE EVIDENCE Historical Topic: Why Was the Fourteenth Amendment Passed?

Lesson List: Civil War / Reconstruction: Decision Making in History

  • LESSON 1 – African-Americans in the Civil War: Will you recruit African-Americans into the Union army? SAMPLE LESSON

  • LESSON 2 – Northern Civil War Strategy: What will your war strategy be?

  • LESSON 3 – Northern Civil War Policies at Home: How will you finance the war? What will your policies be on transcontinental railroad, tariff, public land, and national bank?

  • LESSON 4 – Freedmen: What will you do as a freedman in 1865 now that you are free?

  • LESSON 5 – Reconstruction Policies: What reconstruction policies will you adopt as President Johnson? As Congress?

  • LESSON 6 – 14th and 15th Amendments: How will you protect the civil rights of freedmen?

  • LESSON 7 – Jim Crow Era: What position will you take as a southern white person with regard to freedmen in the 1870s?

Free Critical Thinking Lesson: Reconstruction + Night Riders Terrorism (Evaluating evidence)

Published Materials

Free Lesson! Conspiracy Theories (1860-1875)