Causes and Consequences of The Civil War - Writing Day
Lesson Outline
Today Cam spent most of our session writing (since we have structured a curriculum that allows for all work to be completed during class time). Cam is working on a fictional narrative that begins during the Civil War. Today he finished the first chapter of his project. He read me his draft, and I was very impressed. He included the names and descriptions of many of the important historical figures and events we have been discussing, including dates. He wrote a very interesting narrative. He developed a young protagonist who is empathetic toward enslaved persons even though he lives on a plantation, and who ultimately joins with the Union army to fight against slavery. The story has a surprising twist that impressed me very much, and drew me in immediately. I can't wait to see how the story progresses as we move into The Reconstruction next week.
Session Minutes
45
Minutes Student Attended
45
Lesson Comments
Today Cam spent most of our session writing (since we have structured a curriculum that allows for all work to be completed during class time). Cam is working on a fictional narrative that begins during the Civil War. Today he finished the first chapter of his project. He read me his draft, and I was very impressed. He included the names and descriptions of many of the important historical figures and events we have been discussing, including dates. He wrote a very interesting narrative. He developed a young protagonist who is empathetic toward enslaved persons even though he lives on a plantation, and who ultimately joins with the Union army to fight against slavery. The story has a surprising twist that impressed me very much, and drew me in immediately. I can't wait to see how the story progresses as we move into The Reconstruction next week.
U.S. History Lesson 2: ReconstructionLesson 2 /Chapter 16: Reconstruction and the New South (1863 - 1896)
CPalms Standards Met:
SS.912.A.2.2: Assess the influence of significant people or groups on Reconstruction.
SS.912.A.2.3: Describe the issues that divided Republicans during the early Reconstruction era.
SS.912.A.2.4: Distinguish the freedoms guaranteed to African Americans and other groups with the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.
SS.912.A.2.5: Assess how Jim Crow Laws influenced life for African Americans and other racial/ethnic minority groups.
SS.912.A.2.6: Compare the effects of the Black Codes and the Nadir on freed people, and analyze the sharecropping system and debt peonage as practiced in the United States.
SS.912.A.2.7: Review the Native American experience.
SS.912.A.3.1: Analyze the economic challenges to American farmers and farmers' responses to these challenges in the mid to late 1800s.
U.S. History Lesson 2: The Reconstruction
What did Reconstruction entail after The Civil War?
Rebuilding homes and shops: Vast stretches of land in the South lay in ruins
Rebuilding social and Political systems
What provisions would be made for people living in slavery?
Homeless refugees - African American and White - needed shelter, food and work
What plans were initially suggested to “Reconstruct” the South and bring seceded states back into the Union?
Lincoln: Ten Percent Plan - First Plan, December, 1863
Abraham Lincoln Introduced to bind Union as quickly as possible
If ten percent of a state’s voters swore an oath of loyalty to the U.S. they could organize a state government
State government would be required to declare and end to slavery
State government would then be allowed to send members to Congress and take part in National government again
Amnesty / Pardon for former Confederates who took the Oath (but not top government officials or leaders)
Congress: Wade Davis Bill - Second Plan, 1864, MUCH STRICTER
“Radical Republicans” introduced, Congress passed this Bill
50% of voters must sign a loyalty oath before state could return to Union
Anyone who voluntarily fought for Confederacy barred from voting for delegates
Lincoln would not sign this Bill and it NEVER BECAME LAW
Freedman’s Bureau Created, March 1865
Created to deal with needs of enslaved peoples freed by the War and other refugees
Set up schools to teach these peoples to read and write
Edmonia Highgate, the daughter of freed slaves, taught at a Freedman’s Bureau school and spoke about her students coming from plantations 3-8 miles away on foot because they were so eager to learn
Freedman’s Bureau helped freedmen find jobs
Freedmen’s Bureau resolved disputes between whites and blacks
Murder of Abraham Lincoln (1865)
Shot dead on April 14, 1865 (five days after General Lee’s surrender at APPOMATTOX) by Confederate sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth (do you know the story?)
Booth was killed two weeks later with a pistol after being pursued into a barn that the pursuers set on fire
Lincoln’s death shocked the Nation
VP Andrew Johnson of Tennessee becomes President (1865)
Johnson was a Southern Democrat who had remained loyal to the Union
Many people thought he would take a strict approach to the South and Reconstruction, but he followed Lincoln’s approach and proposed a relatively lenient plan, putting his plan into effect himself, without consulting Congress
The Thirteenth Amendment to Our Constitution (1865): Abolishes slavery and forced labor throughout the Nation
Session Minutes
45
Minutes Student Attended
0
Lesson Comments
Cam is absent this afternoon so I worked on lesson planning.
Today Cam and I continued discussing the primary source we had read yesterday. Cam wondered yesterday whether the former "Master" had responded to the letter, and I did some research on this so we could discuss. We extended our conversation to think about what has motivated humans throughout history to use slavery as a form of labor, and why it is wrong. We reviewed again the main points we have discussed this far to reinforce in Cam's memory the major events, names, etc. that he should remember and incorporate into his project. Cam has so many big, interesting ideas about human nature and these topics. He is very interesting to converse with about these subjects.
Session Minutes
45
Minutes Student Attended
45
Lesson Comments
Today Cam and I continued discussing the primary source we had read yesterday. Cam wondered yesterday whether the former "Master" had responded to the letter, and I did some research on this so we could discuss. We extended our conversation to think about what has motivated humans throughout history to use slavery as a form of labor, and why it is wrong. We reviewed again the main points we have discussed this far to reinforce in Cam's memory the major events, names, etc. that he should remember and incorporate into his project. Cam has so many big, interesting ideas about human nature and these topics. He is very interesting to converse with about these subjects.
Cam has begun working on his project. He does not have homework, but may work on his story outside of class-time if desired.
Session Minutes
45
Minutes Student Attended
45
Lesson Comments
Today Cam and I recapped the materials we learned this week (Northern vs. southern views, compromise of 1850, Stephen Douglas, fugitive slave laws, the growing divide, etc). We discussed the creation of the Republican party and Dred Scott decision in more detail, focused in on the dates in more of a timeline fashion. We discussed how certain events and dates should appear in his project. We talked about the election of 1860, and introduced two new topics: the secession of the southern states and Fort Sumpter. We will spend more time on these tomorrow and Friday. Cam also solidified his idea for his project. He has developed a character for a fiction narrative who will travel through the different events that have taken place in history. He started writing his project today in class with me. He was very engaged in developing his character and his story. Before he began, he showed me two writing samples to show that he enjoyed and could write extensive narrative. I told him it would be OK to do a short narrative for each topic, or each quarter, but Cam feels confident about attempting the longer project, and I look forward to reading his first chapter.
