Activity Overview
Developing historians should also have the ability to evaluate laws. During Reconstruction, several laws and amendments were enacted to help guarantee rights to the newly emancipated. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was one of the first to attempt to guarantee these rights in a tumultuous post-war society.
Using a storyboard, students can evaluate the document for perspective, audience, and significance. Consider having students take the perspective of one of the various Civil War figures. Using the suggested guidelines of main idea, setting, evidence, perspective, and significance, students will develop a deep understanding of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and how it impacted society.
Extended Activity
Students can create the same analysis for another law or amendment during the Civil War and Reconstruction. By comparing the aims of two or more documents, students will be able to gain a better understanding of the different ways each document attempted to remedy the issues at hand.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that evaluates the Civil Rights Act of 1866, examining the main idea, setting, evidence, perspective, and significance of the document.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Label each title box with Main Idea, Setting, Evidence, Perspective, and Significance.
- Write a summary for each in the description box.
- In each cell, create an illustration using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 5 Points | Emerging 3 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | The descriptions are clear and at least two sentences. | The descriptions can be understood but it are somewhat unclear. | The descriptions are unclear and are not at least two sentences. |
| Illustrations | The illustrations represent the descriptions using appropriate scenes, characters and items. | The illustrations relate to the descriptions, but are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the descriptions. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
How To Conduct a Discussion on a Law or an Amendment
Select a Specific Law
Choose a specific statute or amendment that relates to the course objectives and content. Give a summary of its historical background, function, and social effects. Explain the meaning of complex and important terms in the document to students beforehand.
Prepare in Advance
Distribute materials comprising the text of the statute or amendment, pertinent court decisions, summaries, and analysis prior to the debate. To make sure they have a solid knowledge of the subject, encourage students to examine these resources in advance.
Guide the Discussion
Conduct an organized conversation by asking leading questions. Encourage students to express their initial ideas, points of contention, and responses. Start by asking general questions to introduce the subject, then gradually move on to more detailed queries that ask students to think about various provisions of the legislation or amendment.
Conduct Analysis
Engage students in an analysis of the overall consequences of the amendment. Encourage students to think about how it impacts various societal groups and other implications of this act. Ask the students to talk about whether the legislation has unintended implications and how it addresses the problem it was created to address.
Summarize and Reflect
Recap the key ideas and conclusions that came out of the debate. Highlight any points of agreement or disagreement, and emphasize the range of the opinions offered. Give each student a reflection project in which they must describe what they learned from the talk, whether their viewpoint changed, and any unanswered issues for better understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Analysis of the Civil Rights Act of 1866
Describe The Civil Rights Act of 1866.
Despite their ethnicity or history of slavery, all people born in the United States were given citizenship and civil rights by the Civil Rights Act of 1866, a significant piece of legislation. This piece of legislation changed the lives of so many people and fought the idea of racism and slavery.
Why was the 1866 Civil Rights Act important?
The Act was the first federal statute to proclaim that everyone born in the United States was a citizen, regardless of color. After the Civil War, it tried to combat racist "Black Codes" in Southern states.
What rights were safeguarded by the Civil Rights Act of 1866?
With the same rights to enter into and execute contracts, bring legal action, present evidence, and other legal processes, the Act sought to guarantee that all people had equal protection under the law.
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