Unit 4
Semester 1: Long, Long History for Equality (1865-1915)
Semester 1: Long, Long History for Equality (1865-1915)
Unit Overview/Summary:
This unit focuses on the period of Reconstruction (1865-77), Black Settlement, Towns, and Settlers in the West (1865-1915), and the struggle against the Jim Crow System.
This unit will also go into detail on the political contributions of African American politicians to the passage of the Reconstruction era: acts and laws that brought the right to citizenship, the right to vote, and public education. In addition, this course will focus on the African past as it relates to the development of the African American culture in the western hemisphere.
Unit Duration:
8 Days
Relevant Standards:
Standards Coding Key:
Civ= Civics Geo= Geography Eco= Economics His= History Inq= Inquiry
Content Standards
CIV 9–12.3 Analyze the impact of constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements on the maintenance of national and international order.
HIST 9–12.4 Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives. (e.g., immigration, labor, the role of women)
INQ 9–12.8 Identify evidence that draws information directly and substantially from multiple sources to detect inconsistencies in evidence in order to revise or strengthen claims.
National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
5.3A.3 Explain the provisions of the 14th and 15th amendments and the political forces supporting and opposing each. [Consider multiple perspectives]
V.B.2.4.b explain the importance to the individual and society of such political rights as right to vote and to seek public office
From CT Core Standards for English Language Arts (i.e., Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
From CT English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards (i.e., Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking and Language)
CELP.9-12.1.RI.7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account
CELP.9-12.4. L.6. Acquire and use accurate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Examples and Explanations:
CIV 9–12.3
Purpose: Analyze the impact of constitutions, laws, treaties, and agreements on national and international order.
Real-World Application: Understanding these impacts helps students grasp the significance of legal frameworks in maintaining societal stability and addressing global challenges.
HIST 9–12.4
Purpose: Examine how historical contexts shape people's perspectives.
Real-World Application: This enables students to understand contemporary issues through the lens of historical influences, fostering informed citizenship.
INQ 9–12.8
Purpose: Identify evidence from multiple sources to detect inconsistencies and strengthen claims.
Real-World Application: This skill is crucial for developing sound arguments and critical thinking, essential in academic and real-world discussions.
5.3A.3
Purpose: Explain the provisions of the 14th and 15th Amendments and the political dynamics surrounding them.
Real-World Application: Understanding these amendments is vital for recognizing the ongoing struggles for civil rights and social justice.
V.B.2.4.b
Purpose: Discuss the importance of political rights, such as voting and public office.
Real-World Application: This knowledge empowers students to engage actively in democratic processes and advocate for their rights and those of others.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2
Purpose: Determine central ideas in historical sources and summarize key details.
Real-World Application: This enhances comprehension skills, which are critical for navigating complex information in any field.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7
Purpose: Integrate and evaluate information from diverse formats to address questions.
Real-World Application: This fosters interdisciplinary thinking, equipping students to tackle complex issues using varied perspectives.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.9
Purpose: Use evidence from texts to support analysis and research.
Real-World Application: This encourages analytical rigor, essential for academic success and informed decision-making.
CELP.9-12.1.RI.7
Purpose: Analyze accounts told in different mediums to understand varied emphases.
Real-World Application: This cultivates media literacy, enabling students to critically evaluate diverse narratives in today’s information landscape.
CELP.9-12.4.L.6
Purpose: Acquire and use academic vocabulary for effective communication.
Real-World Application: A strong vocabulary is crucial for academic achievement and professional success, facilitating clear expression of ideas.
Transfer Goal: Aligned to District Vision of a Graduate
Aligned to District Vision of a Graduate
An Effective Communicator
clearly and concisely conveys information for shared understanding
able to use multiple modes of communication
A Critical Thinker
applies unbiased analysis and evaluation
evaluates sources of information for reliability
Respectful
embraces cultural diversity
Coherence:
How does this unit build on and connect to prior knowledge and learning?
Historical Context: This unit builds on previous studies of slavery and the abolition movement, helping students understand the immediate aftermath and challenges of Reconstruction.
Cultural Narratives: Prior explorations of African contributions to history connect to the development of African American culture and identity during the Reconstruction era and beyond.
Civil Rights Foundations: Previous discussions on civil rights movements provide a framework for understanding the significance of the 14th and 15th Amendments and their historical importance.
Resistance and Agency: Lessons on resistance strategies from earlier units prepare students to analyze the agency exercised by African Americans during Reconstruction and the Jim Crow era.
By linking new content to these familiar themes, this unit enhances students' understanding of the historical trajectory and prepares them for more complex discussions in social studies and beyond.
How does this unit prepare students for future learning?.
Critical Thinking Skills: By analyzing the complexities of Reconstruction and the civil rights movement, students develop essential skills for evaluating historical and contemporary issues critically.
Understanding Legal Frameworks: Learning about the 14th and 15th Amendments equips students with foundational knowledge of constitutional rights, preparing them for deeper exploration of law and civic responsibility.
Interdisciplinary Connections: This unit encourages connections between history, politics, and sociology, preparing students to approach future topics from multiple perspectives.
Engagement with Social Justice: By examining the struggles against the Jim Crow system, students become more informed and engaged citizens, ready to advocate for equality and justice in their communities.
Essential Questions:
How was Reconstruction a success or failure?
Enduring Understandings:
Examine how Africans and African descendants worked individually and collectively to spark revolutionary change to their existence.
Explore the Reconstruction politics through literature and other accounts from primary documents and impact on Whites and Blacks.
What Students Will Know:
13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, along with the Black Codes and Jim Crow laws
How laws and policies related to Reconstruction influenced the role of the African American Church in education and community organization
Reconstruction politics through primary and secondary documents and impact on Whites and Blacks
The post-Civil War era and the changing political environment shaped the actions and perspectives of African Americans during Reconstruction and beyond.
African Americans fought and struggled for justice during Reconstruction and Jim Crow
Explore the Reconstruction politics through primary and secondary documents and impact on Whites and Blacks
How the 14th and 15th Amendments were central to African Americans' fight for civil rights
Analyze the political forces during Reconstruction, exploring how these forces shaped the implementation and impact of the 14th and 15th Amendments.
The significance of political rights, particularly the right to vote, for African Americans during Reconstruction
How African Americans' pursuit of political rights, such as voting and holding office, was a form of collective resistance and a means to effect change.
Central ideas in documents related to Reconstruction and provide summaries that clarify the relationships between key details and broader historical themes.
African American struggles and summarize how these ideas connect to the broader context of American history.
Reconstruction and its successes/failures
Different media and formats to understand and evaluate the political and social impact of Reconstruction on different groups.
Range of texts, including legal documents, historical narratives, and scholarly articles, to support their analysis of African American resistance and the ongoing fight for justice.
Evidence from historical texts to reflect on the strategies employed by African Americans to challenge and change their circumstances.
Different portrayals of Reconstruction, considering how details are emphasized differently across mediums (e.g., films, articles, speeches)
Different mediums represent the struggles of African Americans during this period, identifying which aspects are highlighted or downplayed.
Domain-specific vocabulary related to Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and civil rights
Appropriate academic language to discuss the historical and social significance of the African American Church and its role in education.
What Students Will Do:
Evaluate the effects of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, as well as Jim Crow laws, on African Americans' rights and their struggle for justice during Reconstruction and beyond.
Examine how the historical context of Reconstruction, including political, social, and economic factors, shaped the perspectives of African Americans and Whites during this era
Analyze evidence from a variety of primary and secondary sources, such as legal documents, personal narratives, and historical accounts, to identify inconsistencies or gaps in the historical record
Analyze the provisions of the 14th and 15th Amendments and the political debates surrounding their adoption.
Explore the significance of political rights, such as voting and holding public office, for African Americans during Reconstruction.
Analyze primary and secondary sources related to Reconstruction and the struggles of African Americans, identifying central ideas and summarizing how these ideas connect to broader historical themes.
Gather information from various formats—such as documentaries, scholarly articles, and visual media—to address complex historical questions about Reconstruction.
Evaluate the reliability of these sources and integrate them into a cohesive analysis of the period’s successes and failures.
Engage in research projects that require them to draw on a range of informational texts, including historical documents, scholarly articles, and other sources.
Use this evidence to support their analyses of African Americans’ fight for justice during Reconstruction and to reflect on the broader implications of this struggle.
Compare and contrast different portrayals of Reconstruction and African American resistance across various media, such as films, books, and speeches.
Analyze how different formats emphasize certain details and narratives, leading to a deeper understanding of the period.
Develop a strong vocabulary related to Reconstruction and civil rights, applying this language in their writing, discussions, and presentations
Demonstration of Learning:
Pre-Assessment: Poll students: How did Reconstruction impact Africans, African Americans, and Blacks?
Formative Assessments/Checks for Understanding
Class Discussions
Posters
Short Essay Response
Exit Tickets
Journal Entries
Performance Tasks and Criteria/Project Based Applications (Aligned with Compelling Questions)
This unit concludes with an End-of-Unit Performance Task in which students return to the compelling and pre-assessment questions (e.g., Was the Reconstruction a success or failure?). These questions guide students as they participate in a Socratic Seminar. After the Socratic Seminar, students individually write a response answering the compelling question and integrating information from the unit. Measure the Socratic Seminar elements and the individual writing using rubrics.
Reconstruction Netflix Project.
Unit Specific Vocabulary and Terminology:
Black Codes
Reconstruction
Amendments
Sharecropping
Constitutional Rights
Segregation
exodus
migration
Racial Trauma
Jim Crow
Lynching
Racial Apartheid
Entrepreneur
HBCUs
Aligned Unit Materials, Resources, and Technology:
Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Connections:
ELA - The Souls of Black Folk, by W.E.B. Du Bois
ELA - Students can develop an Exoduster Character that can be developed into a graphic mini novel or comic book story.
US History - Excerpts from THE SOULS OF BLACK FOLK: ESSAYS AND SKETCHES by W. E. B. Du Bois. - Alabama Textual Materials Collection - Alabama Department of Archives and History
Opportunities for Application of Learning:
Reconstruction Netflix Project
Critical Consciousness for Diversity and Equity:
Use these reflective questions to enhance critical consciousness for diversity and equity for both educators and students.
Why is it important for me and my students to be critically conscious for diversity and equity?
How do I define diversity? How do my students define diversity? What do I need to learn? What do my students need to learn?
How do I define equity? How do my students define equity? What do I need to learn? What do my students need to learn?
How does my identity and my students’ identities impact my teaching and classroom practices? How does it impact my students’ learning and engagement?
What do I know about various aspects of identity? What do I need to learn?
What do my students know about various aspects of identity? What do they need to learn?
In developing our K-8 social studies model curriculum, we place a strong emphasis on cultural relevance to captivate and empower our students. It’s important to create inclusive spaces for meaningful dialogues where students not only engage with previous lessons but also share their unique life narratives, contributing to a collective awareness of diverse perspectives. The aim is to thoughtfully integrate the rich cultural tapestry of students' homes into the social studies classroom, mindful of the multifaceted diversity within our communities.
Cultivate authentic connections with families through reciprocal conversations that honor their cultures as invaluable assets for promoting both equity and learning. This approach prioritizes experiences that place students at the forefront, ensuring activities not only mirror their lives but also provide windows to a broader understanding of an equitable world.
One crucial context, language serves as a powerful conduit to students' diverse cultural backgrounds. Embrace a translanguaging approach, recognizing and appreciating the varied linguistic repertoires our students bring to the social studies classroom. This approach acknowledges that individuals draw upon diverse languages and language varieties, such as English and Spanish, to construct a meaningful understanding of equity and diversity in their educational journey.
Multilingual Learners:
For information on how to support English Learners in this unit, refer to the Connecticut English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards with Correspondences to the K-12 Practices and Connecticut Core Standards.
Use the EL Strategies Desk Cards (Tip Sheets for ALL Classroom Teachers) for specific questioning techniques and teaching strategies to support students’ learning.