West Virginia Department of Education
Declarations and the Quest for Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
Understanding how John Brown got his inspiration from the Declaration of Independence helps learners further understand both West Virginia and United States history. The resource, a standalone, uses worksheets, discussion, and essay...
Mr. Nussbaum
Abraham Lincoln Reading Comprehension—The Presidential Years (Part 4)
How do you bring a nation back together after there is civil war? Readers learn how the United States Civil War concluded with a passage focused on the latter part of Abraham Lincoln's presidency. Multiple choice questions check pupils'...
Curated OER
The Battle Over Reconstruction: The Aftermath of War
Students explore public sentiment regarding Reconstruction. In this Reconstruction lesson, students analyze primary sources for evidence of the political, social and economic stability of the U.S. following the Civil War. Students...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Strange Fruit: Lynching in America
To continue their study of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the beginning of the civil rights movement, class members watch the YouTube video of Billie Holiday singing "Strange Fruit" as an introduction to an examination of...
Curated OER
Need for Reconstruction: Devasation and Liberation in the South
Eighth graders examine the amount of destruction in the South following the Civil War. They explore the reasons why Reconstruction was needed.
Curated OER
Robert Smalls: Warrior and Peacemaker
Students research the events that led to the Civil War and the Reconstruction. For this Civil War history lesson, students study images of Robert Smalls and research his role in the Civil War. Students review the South Carolina...
Curated OER
A Lesson on Reconstruction Legislation and Amendments
Learners study the legislation and Amendments of Reconstruction period in America. In this Reconstruction lesson, students work in groups to dissect the Black Codes, an article in the US Constitution, as well as the 13th, 14th, and...
Curated OER
The Supreme Court and the Fourteenth Amendment
Students examine the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. In this Reconstruction Era instructional activity, students read and analyze 4 Supreme Court decisions regarding the Fourteenth Amendment and determine how the decisions...
Curated OER
Race and Voting in the Segregated South
Students examine the history of African American voting rights. In this voting rights lesson, students listen to a lecture on African American voting rights between the years 1890 and 1965. Students respond to discussion questions...
Curated OER
Reconstruction
Students explain how the Civil War and Reconstruction both solved and created problems for our nation. They study how Reconstruction caused a further decline in relations between the North & South and how racism has been and is...
Curated OER
The Plight of Four Million Newly Emancipated Slaves: Reconstruction - 1865-1877
Students study the Reconstruction Era after the US Civil War. In this Reconstruction lesson set, students examine the problems that were encountered by the South after the Civil War, look at different plans for Reconstruction, and...
Curated OER
Freedmen's Bureau
Students examine the African American experience after they received their freedom after the Civil War. They complete a Mind Map, read and analyze a poem, and write a paragraph using key vocabulary words. They analyze the impact of the...
Curated OER
“Will I or Won’t I?” Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, 54th Massachusetts Regiment
Students discover the story of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. In this American Civil War lesson plan, students study the life of Robert Gould Shaw and the regiment he led. Students research primary and secondary sources to learn about...
Curated OER
A Nation Divided: Why Couldn't They Just Get Along?
Fourth graders examine both perspectives of the Civil War as related to the differing economies. In this nation divided lesson plan, 4th graders view primary sources, examine paper money and a political chart, and review recruitment...
Curated OER
The Freedom to Fight
Students study the African American troop experiences in the Civil War. In this American history instructional activity, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the experiences and contributions of African American...
Curated OER
A Hoosier Perspective on the March to the Sea: The Diary of William Miller
Eighth graders take a closer look at Sherman's March to the Sea. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders analyze the diary entries of William Miller. Discussion questions are included with the entries. Students create illustrated...
Curated OER
Brutal British
Learners read and predict the outcome of a story set during the Civil War, then map the story. To prepare for the activity, students determine why it is important to look at historical events from all angles by using primary and...
Curated OER
Lincoln's Reconstruction Plan
Students explore Lincoln's Reconstruction plan. In this Reconstruction lesson, students examine Lincoln's speeches and writings on bringing the country back together following the war.
Carolina K-12
Group Project: Freedom Parade
Parades are a great way to celebrate. Get young historians into the festivities by asking them to create an informational float for a Freedom Parade. Picking a topic from the provided list or suggesting one of their own, class members...
Center for History and New Media
The Impact of the Jim Crow Era on Education, 1877–1930s
Even though American slaves were officially emancipated in 1865, the effects of slavery perpetuated throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Middle and high schoolers learn about the ways that discrimination and the Jim Crow laws...
Simon and Schuste
Gone with the Wind - Reading Group Guide
Love, war, race, class, religion, honor are just a few of the topics readers of Gone with the Wind are prompted to discuss by the questions included in this very thoughtful reading guide.
Curated OER
With Liberty and Justice for All
High schoolers examine the role of Supreme Court justices. In this judicial branch lesson, students consider the civil rights and civil liberties as they investigate Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) and West Virginia State...
Center for History Education
The Freedmen's Bureau: Success or Failure?
What is freedom? The United States grappled with the question at the end of the Civil War after four million enslaved people were freed. Using circulars and images from the Reconstruction period, individuals examine how successful the...
West Virginia Department of Education
Editorials: The Guiding Voice of Authority?
How much can opinion influence a news story? A standalone resource discusses the importance of John Brown's Raid through the lens of journalism. Learners analyze two different texts, one from the perspective of the North and the other of...