In this Grade 8 lesson from IMPACT California Social Studies, students examine the political and social changes of the Reconstruction Era in the South, including the roles African Americans played as voters and elected officials in Southern legislatures and the U.S. Congress. Students analyze how groups such as carpetbaggers and scalawags shaped Republican control of Southern state governments, and how resistance movements like the Ku Klux Klan worked to discourage African American civic participation. The lesson also draws on primary sources, including Frederick Douglass's speeches, to help students evaluate competing perspectives on race and politics during Reconstruction.
Section 1
A New Coalition Governs the South
After the Civil War, the Republican Party's power grew in the South. This power came from an alliance of three distinct groups who had not worked together before.
This new Republican coalition included newly freed African Americans exercising their right to vote. It also brought in some white Southerners, who opponents called scalawags, and Northerners who moved South after the war, known as carpetbaggers.
Section 2
African Americans Shape Southern Politics
For the first time, African American men could vote and run for office during Reconstruction. They registered in large numbers, creating a new base of political power in the South.
This new influence helped elect thousands of African American men to positions in local, state, and federal government. For example, Hiram Revels of Mississippi became the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate.
Section 3
White Southerners Resist Reconstruction
Many white Southerners strongly resisted Reconstruction. They opposed the new Republican governments and the political rights gained by African Americans. This opposition was driven by a desire to restore a society based on white supremacy.
To achieve this, some formed secret societies like the Ku Klux Klan. These groups used violence and terror to intimidate African Americans and their white allies. Their goal was to stop them from voting, holding office, or exercising their new freedoms.
Section 4
Freedpeople Build Schools and Colleges
For millions of formerly enslaved people, education was a powerful symbol of freedom. With support from the Freedmen's Bureau and new Reconstruction governments, Southern states created public schools for the first time. These schools gave thousands of African American children the chance to learn to read and write.
This commitment to education also led to the founding of new colleges and universities. Institutions like Howard University and Morehouse College were established to train Black teachers, ministers, and community leaders. These schools created new opportunities and became lasting centers of African American culture and achievement.
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Section 1
A New Coalition Governs the South
After the Civil War, the Republican Party's power grew in the South. This power came from an alliance of three distinct groups who had not worked together before.
This new Republican coalition included newly freed African Americans exercising their right to vote. It also brought in some white Southerners, who opponents called scalawags, and Northerners who moved South after the war, known as carpetbaggers.
Section 2
African Americans Shape Southern Politics
For the first time, African American men could vote and run for office during Reconstruction. They registered in large numbers, creating a new base of political power in the South.
This new influence helped elect thousands of African American men to positions in local, state, and federal government. For example, Hiram Revels of Mississippi became the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate.
Section 3
White Southerners Resist Reconstruction
Many white Southerners strongly resisted Reconstruction. They opposed the new Republican governments and the political rights gained by African Americans. This opposition was driven by a desire to restore a society based on white supremacy.
To achieve this, some formed secret societies like the Ku Klux Klan. These groups used violence and terror to intimidate African Americans and their white allies. Their goal was to stop them from voting, holding office, or exercising their new freedoms.
Section 4
Freedpeople Build Schools and Colleges
For millions of formerly enslaved people, education was a powerful symbol of freedom. With support from the Freedmen's Bureau and new Reconstruction governments, Southern states created public schools for the first time. These schools gave thousands of African American children the chance to learn to read and write.
This commitment to education also led to the founding of new colleges and universities. Institutions like Howard University and Morehouse College were established to train Black teachers, ministers, and community leaders. These schools created new opportunities and became lasting centers of African American culture and achievement.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter