Reconstruction Governments: Who Could Vote and Hold Power? | Dynamic History | Grades 6–8

After the Civil War, Americans disagreed over who would rebuild Southern governments and who would exercise political power. Students investigate competing presidential and congressional plans, Mississippi's Black Codes, the military districts of 1867, a state constitutional convention, and the elections of Robert Smalls and Hiram Revels. The lesson separates rights written into law from the institutions needed to exercise them.

In this two-day, six-stop Dynamic History investigation, students practice mapping events, reading historical evidence, and explaining cause and effect. They select either Standard or Accessible text within the interactive resource; both paths address the same historical questions.

What students investigate

• The President and Congress Compete to Rebuild: Why did the president and Congress disagree about rebuilding Southern governments?
• Mississippi Laws Restrict Freedom: How did Mississippi restrict freedom after slavery ended?
• The Five Military Districts of 1867: How did the 1867 Reconstruction Acts change who governed the South?
• South Carolina’s 1868 Constitution: What did South Carolina’s new constitution try to change?
• Robert Smalls in State and National Office: How did new political rights change who governed?
• Hiram Revels: From Natchez to the U.S. Senate: What opened political office to Hiram Revels, and what limits remained?

Two-day classroom sequence

Day 1 — Stops 1–3: The President and Congress Compete to Rebuild; Mississippi Laws Restrict Freedom; The Five Military Districts of 1867. Students develop the context and examine the choices or conflicts that frame the investigation.

Day 2 — Stops 4–6: South Carolina’s 1868 Constitution; Robert Smalls in State and National Office; Hiram Revels: From Natchez to the U.S. Senate. Students use additional evidence to explain the consequences and make an evidence-based conclusion.

What is included

• Six-stop interactive inquiry with historical maps and evidence
• Standard and Accessible reading options inside the module
• Two-day Teacher Guide and Answer Key (DOCX)
• Editable student worksheet (Google Slides)
• Printable student worksheet (Google Slides)
• Self-graded Google Forms multiple-choice quiz
• Multiple-choice print quiz (Google Docs)
• Assessment bank: 5 vocabulary terms, 4 two-part short answers, 2 two-part challenges, 15 multiple-choice questions
• START HERE instructions linking to the module’s shared Google Classroom folder

Flexible classroom use

• Teach in two class periods, with additional time for deeper discussion when available
• Project maps and evidence for whole-class instruction or use student devices
• Choose Standard or Accessible reading levels based on students’ needs
• Use editable slides for digital answers or printable slides for paper responses
• Assign written questions and the quiz as formative or summative assessments

Skills and historical literacy

Students practice chronology, geographic reasoning, sourcing, cause and effect, comparison, and the use of historical evidence to support explanations. The activity is designed for grades 6–8 U.S. History and social studies classrooms.

Getting started

Open the included START HERE PDF to access the shared folder, make classroom copies, and open the interactive Dynamic History module. The Teacher Guide supports instruction while the students use the interactive readers and the assessment resources.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a separate printed reader? No. Standard and Accessible reading versions are available inside the interactive investigation; printable assessment worksheets are provided separately.

Do I need a Readers Theater script? No. This is a complete standalone Dynamic History lesson.

Can I teach it without students using individual devices? You may project and discuss the maps as a class, then use the printable worksheet and quiz for paper responses.

Complete the series or try the free first lesson

This two-day investigation can be taught independently or as part of the Civil War & Reconstruction complete eight-module bundle, which follows the historical sequence from slavery and secession to the contested outcomes of Reconstruction.

Before purchasing, you can try the complete free first lesson: Why Did the Civil War Begin? Slavery, Expansion & Secession, with the same six-stop structure, Standard and Accessible readings, Teacher Guide, and classroom assessment resources. Or browse all eight lessons.