Reconstructions Failure

DBQ Practice
PROMPT:
Why did Congress Reconstruction efforts to ensure equal rights to the
freedmen fail?
Evidence/Documents:

Classify your documents as well as your outside knowledge to assist with

evidence development. Dont forget, your analysis will explain why/how your
document proves your argument.

Social
Doc 1 Biological
inferiority

Political

Economic

Jim Crow Laws

Introduction:

The opening sentence sets up the date, location, and subject/topic.

Then provide background. This is also a great opportunity to make a historical
connection and establish the direction of your argument. Your historical
connection does not have to be in your intro and can instead by in your body
paragraphs.
Conclude introduction with your thesis.

DBQ Format:

Reconstructions Failure
DBQ Practice
Question:
Why did Congress Reconstruction efforts to ensure equal rights to the freedmen
fail?
Documents:
Social
Doc 1 Biological
inferiority

Political

Economic

Jim Crow Laws

(dont forget to add outside knowledge to chart)
Introduction:
Date, location, subject

In the late 1800s, the United States underwent a critical period of

reconstruction following a geographical civil war.

Background

The American Civil War set out to resolve ongoing disputes over
tariffs, states rights, and most significantly, the legality of slavery.
As the North emerged victorious, the federal government had two
objectives: first, the federal government had to unify the sparring
regions, and second, the government needed to transition newly
freed slaves into American society. Despite the military loss, the
previous pro-slave, anti-North mindset still existed amongst
Southerners making reunification difficult. In response, Radical
Republicans, who controlled Congress and aimed to punish the
South, attempted to assert laws and regulations to aid blacks; these
laws, however, were defied because of the prevailing antebellum
ideals.

Thesis

Congressional Reconstruction efforts to ensure equal rights to the

freedmen failed as a result of _____ and _____.

Body:
Topic Sentence

Former slaves, or freedmen, failed to achieve equal

rights due to societal objections.

Evidence 1 from Doc 1

Some Northern Congressmen like Benjamin Boyer of Pennsylvania opposed racial
equality believing that it was not just the physical difference between blacks and
whites, but also the biological difference that kept blacks inferior (Doc 1). Even
though Congress instituted the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, which aimed
to provide blacks with the necessary legal protection to achieve equality, the
racially superior attitude that was used to degrade blacks was so engrained that
Southerners did not adhere to the amendments shown by the implementation of
discriminatory Jim Crow laws that mandated the segregation of public
facilities. Jim Crow segregation was upheld by Plessy v. Ferguson,
which found that separate but equal facilities were constitutional
ensuring Reconstructions failure. Further
Green = Doc Paraphrase (WHAT)
Blue = Analysis/Commentary (WHY/HOW)
Yellow = Connection to argument/question
BOLD = Outside Knowledge

Student Sample with Feedback:

Another Student Sample:

Whites established terror groups such as the Ku Klux Klan to promote Southern
ideals as opposed to giving in to the governments pleas for equality for all (Doc
2 and 4). The purpose of white supremacy groups was to intimidate blacks using
violence. These actions revoked the newly acquired rights of the freedmen.
Specifically, the Civil Rights Act of 1875 provided blacks with equal
public accommodations, but the former Southern mindset propelled
Southern legislators to pass Jim Crow laws, which legalized segregation
hindering the Civil Rights Act of 1875 and ensuring the failure of black
equality.
Green = Doc Paraphrase (WHAT)
Blue = Analysis/Commentary (WHY/HOW)
RED = HAPP
Yellow = Connection to argument/question
BOLD = Outside Knowledge