Laws
For Good
For Evil
Historical Sources
100
This document, created in 1787 is the basis of the United States government and justice system. It sets up a plan for the legislative, judicial, and executive branches.
What is THE CONSTITUTION
100
In 1865, Congress established this new department to help freed slaves with day-to-day needs.
What is THE FREEDMEN'S BUREAU
100
This terrorist group kept Blacks from many of their rights in the south. It still exists today.
What is THE KU KLUX KLAN
100
Encyclopedia articles, websites, and news stories are all examples of this type of source.
What is a SECONDARY SOURCE
200
This change to the Constitution declared the institution and practice of slavery illegal and forbidden in the United States. It freed all slaves, men and women.
What is THE 13th AMENDMENT
200
This president wanted to provide for all the freed slaves. He led the country through the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation
Who is ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
200
This is the belief that White people are better than people of other races, and they should have more power and control.
What is WHITE SUPREMACY
200
Direct quotes, sworn statements (court testimonies), photographs from the event, and official documents from that time period are often examples of this type of source.
What is a PRIMARY SOURCE
300
This document, passed in 1791, makes up the first ten amendments to the Constitution. It declares the rights of the people. For example, it gives us freedom of speech, and right to a fair trial, and it forbids cruel and unusual punishment.
What is THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
300
Though it eventually lost the amount of funding it needed to function and was closed down by Congress, this institution left behind a wonderful legacy of education. Many of its schools and colleges are still around today.
What is THE FREEDMEN'S BUREAU
300
These laws, put in place in many states in the South, put oppressive and unjust (unfair) restrictions on Black's personal, working, and communal lives.
What are BLACK CODES
300
All of the primary sources we read in this unit relate to this period of time in U.S. History when the country had to rebuild after the Civil War.
What is the RECONSTRUCTION ERA
400
Though this change to the Constitution did not change anything for women, it DID provide equal protection under the law for every man born in the United States, which changed things a lot for freed Black slaves.
What is the 14th AMENDMENT
400
During the Reconstruction Era, Blacks gained some freedoms, including these TWO.
What is FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY and THE RIGHT TO VOTE (also EQUAL PROTECTION/TREATMENT)
400
This institution provided jobs for freed slaves, but it ended up looking a lot like slavery. Black workers would rent a certain plot of land to work, but would end up owing so much in crops and rent that they remained in debt.
What is SHARECROPPING
400
Describe the context of this passage, and then summarize what this text is basically saying: "It shall not be lawful for any freedman to intermarry with any white person; nor for any person to intermarry with any freedman, free negro or mulatto; and any person who shall so intermarry shall be found guilty of felony, and be confined in the State penitentiary for life."
(Open Response)
500
This law was Congress's response to white supremacist groups who tried to prevent Southern Black men from voting at the polls.
What is the 15TH AMENDMENT, which gave voting rights to all men.
500
Some examples of this idea include: being released from slavery, being able to determine your own future, having enough money to live, not facing persecution or oppression, being able to make choices about where to go, whom to love, etc.
What is FREEDOM.
500
Though the privileges and rights listed in this document technically belong to every American citizen, organizations like the ACLU and other legal groups help must citizens know and stand up for their rights, even today.
What is THE BILL OF RIGHTS
500
In your own words, explain the problem Benjamin Harlen is facing: “…this very land dat is rich with the sweat of our face and the blood off we back … We could a been buy all we want, but they make de lots too big, and cut we out.”
(Open Response)
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