Reconstruction was a tumultuous period in American history, and the question of whether it produced lasting change in regard to civil rights is still debated by scholars. A DocsTeach Activity using primary sources allows your students to enter the debate and develop critical thinking skills by evaluating historical congressional records as historians. Available on DocsTeach.org, … Continue reading To What Extent was Reconstruction a Revolution?
Tag: LegArchives
The Equal Rights Amendment: The Most Popular Never-Ratified Amendment
Documents from the records of Congress help students understand why the Equal Rights Amendment wasn't ratified, even with its considerable support.
Kidnapping of Free People of Color
Abolitionist Elisha Tyson wrote to Congress with details on several kidnapping cases of free African Americans in the North who were sold into slavery under the guise of the 1793 Fugitive Slave Act. Tyson argued that federal legislation was necessary to address the problem.
Dumping the Flow Chart of the Legislative Process
Watching C-SPAN or using the old textbook flow chart can be a pretty boring way to teach the legislative process. As future voters, it is important for students to understand how lawmaking works and what role they will play in that process. But how can you do it without putting your students to sleep? Making … Continue reading Dumping the Flow Chart of the Legislative Process