1. The House is Still Divided: Enduring Struggles for Equality in America In this project you will be creating a Digital Newspaper that analyzes and describes the struggles for social, economic, and political equality faced by African-Americans throughout U.S. History. You will be investigating two different time periods (Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement eras). It is important to remember that many of the struggles faced during Reconstruction persisted well into the next century, and so the Civil Rights Movement is really just one of the final chapters in a difficult and historic struggle for equality. As you go through this unit, focus on the following essential question: What were the social, economic, and political struggles that African-Americans faced during Reconstruction and how have these issues endured into contemporary American history?

2. The Civil War and Prelude to the Reconstruction Era: Introduction For the South, the Civil War was a necessary, although unfortunate, consequence of their desire to preserve their way of life, which had come to depend almost entirely upon the institution of slavery. Although the struggle against slavery and its expansion began far earlier in America, the Civil War (1861-1865) provided the opportunity for the former slaves to become “freedmen” during a period known as Reconstruction. Reconstruction Introduction Your study of the Reconstruction era will focus on 4 guiding themes: Legal (Constitutional) Rights Right to Vote (Political Rights) Struggle for Economic Opportunity Equal Rights for Education

3. Reconstruction Era: Political, Social, and Economic Change During the period of Reconstruction the South would undergo substantial changes to its political institutions, economy, and social customs. In part, these changes were mandated by Congress and were deemed necessary in order to rejoin the Union. On the other hand, although mandated by law, the freeing of slaves created tensions that often resulted in outbreaks of violent opposition to freedmen’s political rights. Political Rights and Reconstruction

4. Reconstruction Era: Political, Social, and Economic Change Prior to the Civil War, most African Americans in the South were slaves who worked as field laborers or household servants. As the South struggled to overcome the devastation wrought by the war, farms were not only devastated but there was also no longer a supply of ‘free labor’. The tensions between African Americans and white southerners for fair employment opportunities resulted in ‘sharecropping’ employment in the South, and prompted a massive migration of African-American workers to the northern industrial cities in search for manufacturing jobs. From Slave Labor to Free Labor

5. Education in the Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Era: Enduring Struggles for Educational Rights One of the first steps towards creating a new, more just society for African-Americans was to create the Freedmen’s Bureau. It would be the Bureau’s job to help with transitioning African-Americans from being slaves to being free citizens of the United States. One of their primary tasks was to set up schools to help educate African-Americans (who often were prohibited by law from being educated while they were slaves) but educating former slaves was not supported by all in the South. Education and The Freedmen's BureauEducation and The Freedmen's Bureau

6. An Introduction to the Civil Rights Era: Continuing Struggles for Equality The time period known as the Civil Rights Movement began shortly after World War Two as issues surrounding segregation began to rise to the forefront of public attention. This movement would continue officially into the 1960’s, when the passage of the Voting Rights Act (1965) marked a major long-term success of the movement. However, it should be noted here, that many of these same struggles for equality between the races continue to challenge America as it enters the 21 st century. Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) Resistance & Civil Disobedience Voting Rights Act (1965) Your study of the Civil Rights era will focus on 4 guiding themes: Legal (Constitutional) Rights Right to Vote (Political Rights) Struggle for Economic Opportunity Equal Rights for Education

7. Self-Assessment

8. Self-Assessment Answer Key