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The African-American Experience

The Civil War was one of the most influential events in the history of African-Americans. The teaching of the Civil War and the Reconstruction Era are standard curricular areas addressed in middle school and high school Social Studies instruction.

Historians have been remiss in relating the long-term impact of the Civil War and the Reconstruction Era to the social and economic status of African-American’s in today’s society.

In this unit, students will be researching the history of the African-American’s experience in the United States through the use of the Internet, statistical data collection (economic, political & social ), interviewing community and/or family elders and archiving a photo gallery.  Students will work collaboratively  to present their information in one of the following forms:

• research paper (including pictorial documentations)

• an oral presentation,

• a thematic collage

• videotaped recording

How has the turbulent history of African-Americans in the United States impacted their social, economic and political status today?

What was the status of African-American men and women following the Civil War?

• How did/does skin color impact social status and employment opportunities?

• Describe some cultural practices that have been held over since the abolition of slavery?

• What were some forms of African-American cultural diffusion?

• How is today's poverty in the African-American community related to the history of slavery?

Unit Prerequisites

• Students should have a basic understanding of the causes of the Civil War and the chronology of political events linked to the war

•  Students must  have a basic knowledge of the slave trade of African-Americans in the United States

• Students must have basic library research skills and cursory knowledge of using the Internet for topic searches

Performance Actions

Access:

• Research the economic and social history of African-Americans during and after the Civil War and compare results with African-American’s contemporary status

• Gather information from elders and other adults about the change in their social, economic and political status

• Collect financial data and statistics to chart the growth of the African-American social classes, especially changes in income, employment and social status

• Research and collect data about the educational, social and cultural achievements of African-Americans.

Interpret:

• Analyze the historical events during the period of Reconstruction and compare & contrast them with current social and financial trends

• Organize and chart the growth and development of the African-American poor, lower and middle class in the United States

• Research and compare contemporary societal factors that African-American historians link directly to the enslavement of Africans in the United States

• Use a variety of sources (Internet, trade books, etc...) to explain historian’s analysis of economic and cultural poverty in the African-American community

Produce:

• Generate a collection of statistical data on the economic history of African-Americans post Civil-War

• Plan to record and chart your data in a time-line format

• Write a brief description of the history of each research tool

Communicate:

• Describe how you collected your data for your project

• Explain the significance of each historical fact researched

• Discuss how each event impacted the African-American cultural ly, socially and economically

Evaluate:

• Assess your information and compile a chronological list

• Plan and organize your resources for project presentation

• Check all your details for accuracy and relevance to your project

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