Discussion

Board: Reconstruction and the Face of Freedom in the South

Background Information: When the Civil War ended, much of the South was in ruins. The U.S.
was faced with the question how to deal with the defeated Southern states. The U.S. entered a
period of Reconstruction, which was aimed at bringing the nation back together and to help rebuild
the South without slavery. While the Thirteenth Amendment freed the slaves and the Fourteenth
Amendment gave them equal rights as U.S. citizens, the Southern states were still bitter over their
loss in the Civil War and the harsh conditions of Reconstruction. The White citizens of the South
had a hard time coping with the fact that their former slaves were now free.

Assignment Directions: After reviewing Chapter 6, read the question below and use your
knowledge of the Reconstruction period to write a 1-2 paragraph response. After you have written
your response, post it in the discussion board titled “Reconstruction and the Face of Freedom in
the South”. You are welcome to refer back to the chapter; however, all writing should be in your
own words.

Writing Prompt: "Describe what life was like for African Americans in the South from 1865 to
1900.”

o Your response should be between 1-2 paragraphs and should consider the following:

o Attitude of plantation owners towards former slaves
o How the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments were carried out
o Jim Crow Laws
o Plessy v. Ferguson

o Your post should be written in complete sentences and be at least 1-2 paragraphs
long. Remember that a paragraph is between 5 - 8 sentences.

Grading Rubric: This assignment is worth 50 pts.

Focus (30 pts) Support (15 pts) Mechanics (5 pts)
Clear Student cited any resources used Written in complete
sentences
Includes ample facts Student provided at least one
example, mention of one person, Students uses proper spelling,
Builds on facts with deeper term, or event grammar, and punctuation
insight and personal
perspective Post is 1-2 paragraphs long