1 10 24 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/6e459f230dab8bf5ea0ad449722912fe.jpg cb9c55d77667bf528d75cc991bc1b762 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/2a16c583a5623d85f9de6b956d58ead5.jpg 488fb774be3bd768a6d4ef85bb498fc0 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/3917d3e8e187cd6554ab7c2c70a986dd.pdf 66b42fea4d03ef6776db6537f80b6bab https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/c797804bfaaa7febae560b4698f3ed5c.pdf 2bfa569f409d60933ccd2677f701dc90 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context In October 1859, white abolitionist John Brown led an armed raid on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), in an attempt to overthrow the system of slavery. Sixteen people died in the raid. Brown and six of his associates, both Black and white, were imprisoned, put on trial for treason, and sentenced to death by hanging in December 1859. Many white Southerners were convinced after Harper's Ferry that compromise on the issue of slavery was impossible because they viewed Northern extremists as intent on violently destroying their society. White Virginians feared further raids and uprisings by enslaved people. They organized local citizen committees dedicated to rooting out the abolitionists among them and eradicating anti-slavery sentiment from the community. Newspapers published reports of thwarted slave insurrections and warned against abolitionists who incited them by speaking with enslaved people. One report described three white ministers who had been tarred and feathered in Madison County, Kentucky for discussing abolition with Black men. White Southerners believed it was whites who incited enslaved people to rebel. According to Southern white supremacist propaganda, enslaved people were well-treated and happy with their condition as slaves; they claimed that Black people were better off enslaved in the South than free in the North. Some white people alleged that Black people did not want to be emancipated because it was too much responsibility for a so-called inferior race. Southern slaveholders argued that any Black person’s effort to self-liberate from slavery was the result of indoctrination by white Northerners who led them to be discontented with their situation. Although not everyone believed these lies — perhaps not even the people telling them — public suspicion was reserved for white people who spoke out against slavery, and less so for the enslaved people themselves. In southwestern Virginia's Scott County, one man faced leqal consequences for his abolitionist sentiments in the wake of the Harper's Ferry raid. Hiram Bartee, identified in the census as a blacksmith who had been born in North Carolina, was arrested on November 27, 1859. Two men had overheard him "talking abolitionism with slaves" according to this article printed in the Norfolk Day Book. Bartree reportedly told them "that negroes had as much right to their freedom as white people." When Bartee appeared before the Scott County court on December 13, the clerk recorded in the minutes that Bartee had "feloniously assisted Abraham a slave the property of Henry S. Kane to rebel and make insurrection." The justices decided to charge Bartee with a misdemeanor in the county court, rather than sending his case to the circuit court. Bartee and his father-in-law paid a $500 bond to guarantee his presence at the court session in March 1860, where a grand jury indicted him for "maintaining that owners have not right of property in their slaves." However, the indictment was quashed at the county court session on August 15, 1860, thereby voiding the charge against Bartee. In 1862, the Scott County death register listed Bartee as “killed by Yankees” in Kentucky, but there is no evidence that he served in either the United States or Confederate military. He may have been a civilian casualty rather than an armed combatant. What happened to Abraham is unclear, but he appears in the 1866 Scott County Cohabitation Register documenting marriages of formerly enslaved people as Abraham Carter, a blacksmith who had been enslaved by Henry S. Cain. Citations: "Brown's Travels in Virginia," Norfolk Day Book, Dec. 6, 1859 (p.2); Scott County Court Minute Book 12 (1855–1860), 640–641, 665 and Scott County Court Minute Book 13 (1860–1866), 30. View the <a href="https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/1cgm05i/alma990016815260205756" target="_blank" title="this link opens in a new tab" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scott County Cohabitation Register</a> online in the Library of Virginia's Digital Collections Discovery. Learn more about slavery, John Brown, and the sectional crisis in <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/online-classroom/union-or-secession/units/sectional-crisis" target="_blank" title="this link opens in a new tab" rel="noreferrer noopener">Union or Secession: Virginians Decide</a>. Standards VS.1, VS.7, USI.1, USI.9, VUS.1, VUS.8 Suggested Questions Preview Activities Analyze: Proponents of slavery argued that enslaved people were well-treated and content with their situation, and that attempts to seek their freedom were caused by the influence of white abolitionists. Why do you think this was such a popular idea among supporters of slavery? What does this belief justify or make possible? What might be the consequences if white Southerners believed the truth about the horrors of slavery and the enslaved peoples’ constant desire for freedom? Form an Opinion: Hiram Bartee and Abraham Carter were both blacksmiths. How do you think this shared occupation might have brought them together? How could having something in common with Abraham Carter influence Hiram Bartee’s beliefs about slavery? Post Activities Looking at Language: What words are used in the newspaper article to describe Hiram Bartee and his actions compared to how the author describes the other white men? What are the denotations and connotations of “incendiary” and “suspicious”? What are the denotations and connotations of “reliable” “gentlemen”? Another Perspective: The newspaper article and the court records do not include Abraham Carter’s perspective. What do you think Abraham may have felt when he heard Hiram Bartee say these words on November 26, 1859? What potential dangers might he have faced from white society and his enslaver, Henry S. Kane, as a result of Bartee’s arrest? What positive results could have come out of this situation? You may want to write a journal entry imagining Abraham’s perspective. Analyze: After reading the newspaper article, consider why the story of John Brown’s disguise in Danville is placed with the story about Hiram Bartee. What effect might this juxtaposition or placement make on the reader? What do you think is the purpose of publishing this anecdote about Hiram Bartee? How could this story affect public opinion, such as the reader's beliefs about abolitionists or slavery? Be the Journalist: Imagine you have a chance to interview Hiram Bartee from jail. What three questions would you ask him? Why is it important to hear his side of the story? Food for Thought: If Hiram Bartee had done this in 1849 instead of 1859, do you think there would have been a different response? How might John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry and his subsequent arrest influence the white response to Bartee's abolitionist sentiments? Current Connections: Although the case was eventually thrown out, Hiram Bartee experienced legal consequences because he was outspoken about his moral beliefs on the equal human rights of Black Americans. If you were in Bartee’s position in 1859, would you have spoken out against slavery? What unpopular beliefs do you have today? Do you share them, or do you keep them to yourself? What influences your decision? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Hiram Bartee, Indictment for Abolitionism, Scott County, 1859 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1859 African American History Reform Movements https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/3fb526f127ce8e7bf7496af9eb1736ba.jpg ff2341b49cdb922cc1b8f7454d4429a8 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/d6e84d651926bb5ec00235421a9b7ea6.pdf 47f7c2728dd678a7c4f9d34aa3547c29 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/fde778e593d117899b81d2149d720e26.pdf 78cdd4ef429aa57f6e856fe97aa668be https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/8b598c23dfcf11e61b523db5e7d06ecc.pdf 4f83cb79ce4cd39e514492c7d4a28278 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/8c110b7a10c4b3b2ed1950d1953f7aa1.pdf 5d3cf77839b014c841045e3a08d49cc1 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/4d7bda09435d88bcf3570af37c2cfa3f.pdf 3b0f6f62b929d9b448cc940be4a6c2e3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Black Americans understood the meaning of <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/african-americans-and-politics-in-virginia-1865-1902/">citizenship</a> and the possibilities afforded by the prospect of emancipation long before the end of the Civil War. Among their demands for equality was the right to participate in the political process as voters. Black men in Virginia used their political voice once they secured the vote, but white legislators slowly worked to disfranchise Black voters, first through illegal means, and then by including disfranchisement in the 1902 Constitution. Their efforts to stifle Black men’s participation also affected white citizens, and Virginia had one of the lowest voter participation rates in the United States until the mid-1960s. In places where the United States Army controlled territory during the Civil War, Black men organized to demand suffrage. In Norfolk, for example, Black men established the Colored Monitor Union Club early in 1865 to safeguard their interests and demand participation in politics including the right to vote. Other pro-suffrage groups emerged around the commonwealth, much to the concern of many white people. In May 1865 more than 1,000 Black men in Norfolk voted for representatives to the General Assembly. They had no legal authorization to do so, and in most precincts white election officials refused to count their votes. After this incident, the Colored Monitor Union Club published its demand for equal suffrage as a right of citizenship. As a result of white southern legislatures refusing to recognize the equal rights of Black people—in employment, voting, education, or any other aspect of society—Congress passed laws in 1867 known as the Reconstruction Acts. These acts put the governments of southern states under military control until they agreed to ratify the <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/online-classroom/stc/units/the-fourteenth-amendment">Fourteenth</a> and <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/online-classroom/stc/units/the-fifteenth-amendment">Fifteenth </a>Amendments, which guaranteed Black men citizenship and the right to vote, and required that former Confederate states adopt new state constitutions that promoted equality. For the first time in Virginia—under the protection of the U.S. military and the Freedmen’s Bureau—<a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/events/exhibitions/online/oe/exhibits/show/remaking-virginia/voting/african-americans-vote">Black men came out to vote</a> in October 1867 for delegates to the <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/events/exhibitions/online/oe/exhibits/show/remaking-virginia/voting/constitutional-convention">convention</a> that would write a new constitution. More than 105,000 Black men registered to vote. In the election for representatives to the convention, Black men outnumbered white male voters. The constitution crafted by the delegates, twenty-four of whom were Black, included significant reforms such as universal male suffrage and the creation of a statewide public school system. In 1869, when the new constitution was ratified, thirty Black men won election to the General Assembly. However, white legislators always remained the majority and the Conservative Party rolled back reforms, even as between eighteen and twenty Black men won seats in the Assembly during each of the next three sessions in the 1870s. Conservatives stayed in power for much of the last quarter of the nineteenth century and pushed through an amendment to Virginia's constitution designed to disfranchise Black men—a poll tax. The Conservatives were out of power for a brief period between 1879 and 1883, when the short-lived bi-racial <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/readjuster-party-the/">Readjuster Party</a> won the governorship and control of the General Assembly. They were called Readjusters because of their desire to restructure (or "readjust") the way the government paid off its debt incurred for internal improvements such as turnpikes and canals that were built before the Civil War. Paying the debt caused the state to dramatically decrease funding for public schools and other services, which upset many Black and white Virginians. The Readjusters succeeded in changing the debt payment schedule and restored funding to education and other improvements. They also repealed the poll tax and created the first public college (now Virginia State University) for Black men and women. The brief Readjuster period marked the end of Black political power in Virginia until after the 1960s. When the Conservatives, now affiliated with the national Democratic Party, took control of the General Assembly again they passed the Anderson-McCormick Act in 1884. This allowed the legislators to appoint all election officials and special election judges. The result was large-scale election fraud, as U.S. Senator and former Readjuster leader <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/mahone-william-1826-1895/">William Mahone</a> discussed in his 1885 letter. The conservatives stuffed ballot boxes, threw out Republican ballots, and forced Black voters to wait in long lines to prevent them from casting ballots. By the start of the twentieth century, white legislators sought to further restrict voting through revisions to the state constitution at a convention that met in 1901–1902. Delegate <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/glass-carter-1858-1946/">Carter Glass</a>, the architect of the voting section, explained that the new poll tax and understanding clause (essentially a biased literacy test) would legally disfranchise Black people. But <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/mitchell-john-jr-1863-1929/">John Mitchell Jr.</a>, the outspoken Black editor of the Richmond Planet, correctly explained that the restrictions would also hurt white men. As a result of the restrictions in the 1902 Constitution, Virginia lost fifty percent of its electorate overall, and ninety percent of Black men could not vote because of the hefty poll tax requirement. For a time after the Civil War Black men exercised their<a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/events/exhibitions/online/oe/exhibits/show/remaking-virginia/voting/citizenship"> right to vote</a> on the same terms as white men, but white politicians were determined to roll back these gains. The resulting disfranchisement affected Black and white citizens alike until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed many discriminatory voting practices and the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Harper v. Virginia outlawed poll taxes in all elections in 1966. These primary source documents found in Document Bank of Virginia can be used together to understand the Reconstruction era and Black citizenship. They are attached to this lesson plan as pdfs in the Files. Find more information about each document at the individual Document Bank entry link: Equal Suffrage Address, 1865 (excerpt): <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources">https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/306</a> The First Vote, 1867: <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/102">https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/102</a> Legislature of Virginia, Photograph, 1871: <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/178">https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/178</a> William Mahone Writes about Election Fraud, 1885: <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/312">https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/312</a> Voting Rights and the Virginia Constitution of 1902: <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/338">https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/338</a> Standards VS.8, CE.6, CE.8, VUS.9, USII.2, USII.5, GOVT.6 Goals and Guiding Principles: Through this lesson students will be able to explain the effects of Reconstruction and the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment on citizenship. They will be able to identify the effects of Virginia’s 1870 Constitution and Readjuster Party and be able to describe how Black men gained and then lost political power during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. They will understand how civic participation addressed community needs and served the public good, even as some citizens tried to stifle equal participation. They will explore how Black leaders emerged, and how they fought against the rise of disfranchisement. Students will understand the importance of political parties in creating change. Suggested Questions Story Map (15 minutes depending on level of complexity) VS, CE, USII, VUS, GOVT Using the documents, create a story map of Black men’s suffrage between 1865 and 1902. Based on the documents, come up with a few key characters. Who are the protagonists in the story, and who are the antagonists? What do the characters want, and how do they achieve it? What challenges did the protagonists face? What is the arc of this story, and how does it end? The Wheel of Reasoning (20-30 minutes) USII, CE, VUS, GOVT Construct a wheel with these eight “slices” and answer the questions below: <ol> <li>Identify the key issue at hand for Black men based on the documents you have read.</li> <li>Identify the purpose of the Equal Suffrage Address and the “First Vote” lithograph. What were the points the authors/illustrators were trying to make?</li> <li>What was the evidence that supported the idea that Black men were ready, able, and willing to participate in the political process?</li> <li>What assumptions did many white politicians make about Black voters, based on their actions? Were these assumptions supported by evidence? Why or why not?</li> <li>What were the two points of view here in this collection of documents? What were the author’s/illustrator’s frames of reference—what experiences would they have had that informed their points of view?</li> <li>What were the concepts presented by the authors who had opposing points of view? What were the key theories/ideas each side presented? Were those concepts logical? Why or why not? </li> <li>What were the consequences of each side’s position/argument? What were the implications of each side’s position?</li> <li>What are the inferences you have made about the issue of citizenship and Black voting based on the material you read, and why?</li> </ol> Exploring the Images (15 minutes) VS, USII Look at “The First Vote” lithograph and the 1871 Legislature of Virginia composite photograph. How would you describe what the men are wearing in these images? What might you think about their status based on what they are wearing? How does the lithograph differ from the images of the men in the composite, and why might that be? What do you think the illustrator of the lithograph was trying to say with his art? What do you think the legislators were trying to say with their dress and their demeanor? Exit Ticket: (10-20 minutes, based on the age of the student) VS, CE, USII, VUS, GOVT <ul> <li>Name three things you learned from these documents.</li> <li>Name one thing that surprised you.</li> <li>Rate your confidence level for explaining what happened with Black men and the vote in Virginia from 1865-1902 (level 1=least confident, level 5=most confident). What would you like to know more about?</li> <li>How is what you learned from these sources relevant today?</li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lesson Plan – Citizenship During and After the Reconstruction Era Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1870 African American History Government and Civics https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/17924ac060f2a8f9b35076b8026a9aef.jpg 84479439f781191fd15c95a9c6b1c861 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/05c1ac50a9b409738859cd118eaa4623.jpg 1c3a30069adf47ebaa1d380e0c6e499d https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/0964b09219ce98a64c2ad2efd2ab7732.pdf 6ec84c866226d4c3768e1f438cd8b245 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/68d77726594d6951fa366dbab36086f6.pdf a7517452a3e7b2a5450822af4f0a3c0f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Virginia was a critical battleground during the Civil War. Not only was Richmond the seat of the Confederate government, but the Commonwealth was also the site of some of the war’s major battles. Tens of thousands of Virginians fought in the Civil War. About 155,000 joined the Confederate military and an estimated 32,000 served the United States. Countless soldiers on both sides wrote letters to family and friends about their experiences. The author of this incomplete letter dated August 20, 1862, is unknown, but the name John DeBell was added in the top left corner and he may have been the writer. He recounts recent events he had experienced, describing Confederate successes and mocking Union General George McClellan. He refers to McClellan as “the Young Napoleon,” a nickname bestowed on him by newspapers early in the war. McClellan failed to capture Richmond in 1862. Instead, he retreated in response to Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s attacks during the Seven Days Battles (June 25–July 1, 1862). McClellan described his retreat as merely “changing your base of operations” in an announcement to the Union Army of the Potomac, which was mocked by both Union and Confederate soldiers, including the author of this letter. The letter's author wrote about the recent Battle of Cedar Mountain, which he referred to as “Cedar Run.” In the battle on August 9, 1862, Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson defeated Union General Nathaniel Banks’s force that was a part of the larger Union Army of Virginia under General John Pope. The author described the numbers of men engaged and the arms and equipment captured, as well as the capture of Union General Henry Prince. He also jokes about General Pope. This was the first battle in the second Manassas campaign, and it enabled General Lee to shift focus from the tidewater to northern Virginia, bringing the war closer to Washington, D.C., and northern states. The writer of the letter also asked his wife about what was happening at home, including the activities of the people he enslaved. His letter reflects the already-problematic shortages faced by southerners on the homefront as he acknowledged that he needed winter clothing, but prices were so high he could not afford them, and that he did not have extra money to send home. He warns her to stockpile supplies in anticipation of the winter months. Despite this, he was optimistic about the Confederacy being able to win the war quickly. The last pages of this letter are missing, but despite this it illustrates what may have been a typical Confederate soldier’s mindset in the first phase of the Civil War. Citation: Letter, 20 August 1862, Accession 45497, Library of Virginia. Standards USI.9, VUS.9 Suggested Questions Create a timeline: Using this website below and the document, illustrate on a timeline where this Confederate soldier had been and what battles he may have been in by the time he wrote this letter. Base it on his descriptions of the key players and sites he mentions. <a href="https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/day-civil-war">https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/day-civil-war</a> Map it: On a Virginia map, plot the locations of the following: Seven Days Battles, Battle of Williamsburg, Battle of Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas. How far did writer of this letter travel in this period? What do you think life would be like in central Virginia at this time, and why? Write Back: Imagine you were the letter writer’s wife. Write a letter back responding to him about what you have read. Would you be as optimistic about the Confederate army’s chances at this point? Why or why not? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from a Confederate Soldier, 1862 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1862 Military History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/fd411fd20320c44811337a5a35a8524c.jpg 91722bbeef0f1cd5a6ae80827e4667f2 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/dc24c0615807d7799fa811df925f93fe.pdf c16cbd86b2d876cb28e03321c9b3a45d https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/e14f90edb25e403a2112f8bcda9b67b2.pdf 1c8b6909c14f372aa707f31309396adb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context From the beginning of the Civil War, the Confederate government attempted to requisition needed goods and services from private citizens. In March 1863, the Confederate Congress passed an Impressment Act that allowed them to requisition crops, livestock, and other property—including enslaved people—needed for the war effort. Enslaved men generally worked as laborers on fortifications, often around Richmond, but they also worked as teamsters, gravediggers, carpenters, blacksmiths, tanners, and mechanics, generally for a period of two to three months. The Confederate army also regularly impressed free Black men to serve in the same capacities as enslaved workers. The impressed men faced sickness, disability, and death as they labored for a government that sought to retain slavery as the law of the land. Some enslaved men were able to use their impressment as an opportunity to escape to Union lines. Even before the Confederate legislation, Virginia's General Assembly passed "An Act to Further Provide for the Public Defence" in October 1862. It authorized the impressment of "male slaves between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years" at the request of the Confederate president to work on fortifications and other defenses for up to sixty days. According to the act, the Confederate government was to pay the owners of the men $16 per month with additional compensation if the enslaved man was injured, killed, seized by the U.S. army, or escaped during their service. Government requisitions of crops, supplies, and labor was unpopular. Agricultural producers believed that prices for their goods were set too low, if they were paid at all. Many enslavers needed laborers to harvest crops, and others challenged the right of the government to seize their property. To some, it appeared hypocritical that a government founded on slaveholder rights would requisition these men from their enslavers. This order for enslaved laborers by Virginia's governor was printed in the Abingdon Virginian in February 1863. It lists every slaveholder in the county, as well as how many enslaved people they were to provide to the Confederacy. The law required that no more than 5% of a city or county's population of enslaved people could be impressed and that the total number be apportioned among the locality's owners of slaves. Slaveholders who did not deliver their required number of enslaved people to the designated meeting location risked having the sheriff "seize all slaves not so delivered” for up to ninety days. Citation: Abingdon Virginian, <a href="https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=AV18630220.1.3">February 20, 1863, pg 3</a>, Library of Virginia. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/2027/njp.32101073363325?urlappend=%3Bseq=12%3Bownerid=27021597768417635-16">Read the 1862 act</a> in the Acts Passed at the General Assembly of the State of Virginia Passed at Called Session 1862 (1863). <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/oc/union-or-secession/entries/pay-roll-of-slaves-employed-by-the-commonwealth">See an 1861 pay roll for impressed slaves in Virginia</a> at Union or Secession: Virginians Decide. For additional information, <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/confederate-impressment-during-the-civil-war/">see the Confederate Impressment during the Civil War entry</a> at Encyclopedia Virginia. Standards VS.7, USI.9, VUS.8, VUS.9 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Analyze: Look at the list of enslavers. Based on this list, who are the largest slaveholders in Washington County? How do you know? Does anything surprise you about this list of enslavers? Why or why not? Post Activities STEM Stat/Analyze: According to the 1860 census, Washington County had a total population of 16,891, including white people, free people of color, and enslaved people. The Confederate government announced that it would requisition no more than 5% of a county’s total enslaved population. What do the numbers on this list tell you about the enslaved population of Washington County in 1863? What does the list tell you about the local economy? Make a graph or pie chart depicting your findings. Another Perspective: In addition to the enslaved men and their enslavers directly affected by this act, other Washington County residents probably reacted to this requision. For example, how do you think the families of the enslaved men felt when they heard their loved one would be sent away with less than a week’s notice? What new responsibilities might they have in the men’s absence? Choose one group and write a journal entry from their perspective. Explain their opinion on the impressment of enslaved laborers and why they feel this way. Dig Deeper: <a href="https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=AV18630220.1.3">Go to this page of the Abingdon Virginian on Virginia Chronicle</a>. Read some of the other notices around the requisition order. What can you infer about the war effort in this community at this time? Why? Give two examples. How would you do more research to determine whether your conclusion is correct? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Requisition Order to Washington County Slaveholders, Abingdon Virginian, Feb. 20, 1863 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1863 African American History Military History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/fdfc57b0975c4f6cf81f173bea674f29.jpg 0422525064755afbc27d3d91b449d64f https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/827172144cf7d254bbc4aad0c5fb8047.jpg 678e1fb62304680ae050671f995ca115 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/6b2b0ceae3c77b4665236213b3effb1a.pdf 5c555bafb7404325e8e1b2b367aa7ed9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context During the secession crisis of 1860–1861, attitudes about leaving the United States varied widely throughout Virginia. While the majority of white men supported the secession referendum that was approved in a vote on May 23, 1861, many white Virginians remained ambivalent about or even hostile to the Confederacy. The northwestern part of Virginia split off to form the new state of West Virginia in 1863 over the issue of secession. Culturally and geographically, the far western part of Virginia differed dramatically from other regions of the state. In the western region, smaller farms with few enslaved laborers predominated. In the southwestern region, completion of the railroad during the 1850s transformed commercial and political connections for residents and increased the importance of slavery there. East of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the climate and topography of the piedmont and tidewater regions supported larger farms that relied heavily on enslaved laborers. The central and eastern parts of Virginia had greater population and wealth than the west, and residents from those regions dominated the political landscape of the Commonwealth. More remote and removed from the capital city of Richmond by hundreds of miles, the residents in the mountainous regions of the far west were outnumbered and outranked when it came to having a political voice. While most western residents were not abolitionists, many did not support the Confederacy. Unionist activities were more pronounced in all the mountainous regions of the South, including in Tennessee and North Carolina, although it was only the residents of the far northwest quadrant of Virginia who went so far as to secede from their own state after Virginia seceded from the union. The first map, Frank A. Gray’s “Gray’s New Topographical Map of Virginia and West Virginia,” was created in 1877. It depicts Virginia's and West Virginia’s topography (the natural physical features, such as mountains and rivers). The map also labels the counties as well as some cities and towns. Notice that the majority of Lee County is cut off from the main map, but it appears in a small box at the top left of the map. The other map, E. Hergesheimer’s “Map of Virginia Showing the Distribution of its Slave Population from the Census of 1860,” was created in 1861. It shows the distribution of enslaved people in Virginia based on slave schedules and census records from 1860. At that time, almost half a million enslaved people lived in Virginia. More enslaved people and more owners of slaves lived in Virginia than in any other state in 1860. The darker shaded counties indicate where the greatest number of enslaved people lived. Citations: Frank A. Gray, Gray's new topographical map of Virginia and West Virginia, ca. 1877 and E. Hergesheimer, Map of Virginia Showing the Distribution of its Slave Population from the Census of 1860, Washington, D.C., 1861, both Library of Virginia. High resolution images of <a href="https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990016150560205756">Gray's new topographical map</a> (1877) and the <a href="https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990015151140205756">Map of Virginia</a> (1861) are available in the Library of Virginia's online catalog. For more information and to view documents related to the secession crisis, <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/oc/union-or-secession">see the Library's online resource Union or Secession: Virginians Decide</a>. Standards VUS.7, USI.9, VUS.7, WG.14 Suggested Questions Preview Activites Take a Look: On first glance, what stands out to you about each map? How is each map labeled? How does color and/or shading help you interpret each map? What is in the small boxes around the main map? Why do you think those locations appear there? Analyze: How can topographical maps be useful? What might be the purpose of creating a map showing the distribution of enslaved people in Virginia? Who is the imagined audience for these maps? Think about the years each were created. Note that on the bottom of the "Slave Population" map, there is a notation: “Sold for the benefit of the sick and wounded of the U.S. Army.” Why do you think this map was used as a fundraiser to support the Union’s soldiers? Post-Activities Analyze: How do the geographical features of the land influence where state borders are drawn? Point out at least two examples where the border is shaped by the physical features of the land. Analyze: What do these maps help us understand about how geography influenced white people’s attitudes toward slavery in Virginia? Why is it better to use both maps rather than just one when exploring this topic? Artistic Exploration/Current Connections: These maps help us see how the natural environment affects the local economy, which in turn influences people’s attitudes and behaviors. Think about the features of your local environment, those natural and those artificially created by humans. What features of your landscape influence how you live your life? Create a map showing the major physical features (buildings, lakes, caves, plains, hills, beaches, etc.) that shape your lifestyle and/or beliefs. Use labels, shading, and/or color to help your audience interpret the map. Map It: Map scale is the relationship between distance on the map and distance on the ground and is usually given as a ratio or a fraction. Find the scale on this map and use it to calculate the distance from the county where you live to the state capital in Richmond. The topographic map is a small-scale map showing a large area with less amount of detail than a large-scale map would. Would this map scale be appropriate for drawing a map of your classroom or your town? Why or why not? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mapping Attitudes About Secession, 1861 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1861 African American History Economics https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/6314ae3496ae362a9dc6c50ed93d2072.jpg 088634aff1eb550f7a6e01d141f5cf63 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/bd86c820b183b6a4a6d9a04134766efe.pdf 47f7c2728dd678a7c4f9d34aa3547c29 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Even before the end of the Civil War, newly freed Black people called on the government to grant them equal suffrage (the right to vote). A committee of Black residents in Norfolk made this demand in June 1865, shortly after the war ended. Norfolk’s situation differed from most other areas of Virginia. Since 1862 the United States Army had controlled the city. and many men and women had flocked to Norfolk during the war to seek freedom behind Union lines. It is not surprising that early calls for equal suffrage came from the region. Some of the leaders of this movement had moved or escaped to the North, including Norfolk native Joseph T. Wilson, who had lived in Massachusetts, worked on a whaling ship and Chilean railroad crew, and served in two divisions of the United State Colored Troops, including the famed Massachusetts 54th. The men who organized the Colored Monitor Union Club wanted to advance and protect their interests and those of their families. They published Equal Suffrage: Address from the Colored Citizens of Norfolk, Va., to the People of the United States in 1865 as a pamphlet to publicly express their desire for full citizenship. Think of this document as an “open letter” to anyone who might read it, rather than a direct demand of a specific person or group. Through their language, the men refute many stereotypes that white men and women held towards Black people. In the address, they point out ways in which freedpeople sought a better life through education and fair wages for their labor. They were careful to reassure whites that their intentions were peaceful. The men also asserted that newly-freed Black people deserved the right to vote as law-abiding citizens who had fought for their country. Ultimately, the United States government had to take action to enable Black men to vote. In Virginia, they voted for the first time in 1867 as the result of Congressional legislation that required former Confederate states to hold conventions to write new state constitutions and also required that Black men be able to vote and be candidates for those conventions. In 1870 the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States guaranteed Black men the right to vote as citizens. No women could vote in Virginia until 1920, when the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified. Citation: Excerpt from Equal Suffrage: Address from the Colored Citizens of Norfolk, Va., to the People of the United States (1865), reprinted 1969 by Rhistoric Publications, Philadelphia, JK1929.V6 E6 1969, Library of Virginia. Related Document Bank entries: <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/102">The First Vote, Engraving published in Harper's Weekly, 1867</a> <div class="field two columns alpha"><a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/302">Racial Violence Reported in Norfolk Newspapers, 1866</a></div> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/wilson-joseph-t-1837-1890/">Learn more about Joseph T. Wilson in his Dictionary of Virginia Biography entry online at Encyclopedia Virginia.</a> Standards VS.8, USI.9, VUS.9, USII.2, GOVT.6 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Look at it: Look at the document. What phrases or words stand out to you? Why? Post-Activities Analyze: Based on the language the authors use in their Address, what stereotypes did they face? Why do you think Black men had to justify their right to vote? Why wouldn’t they just be able to claim these rights based on the Declaration of Independence? (Note that the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments were not yet part of the U.S. Constitution.) Artistic Expression: Design a campaign poster promoting the equal rights of African Americans using the information found in the address. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Equal Suffrage Address, Norfolk, 1865 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1865 African American History Government and Civics https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/a91c1fb7ba1eff0cb4e6e0f7a9c41670.jpg 35315b6df04220e4af1d912475192bee https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/a281e79b33614d166257be0522de9351.jpg 6771c77e6d8d824e67dd18e4eb8a37b2 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/58fbd8d1f7928421da04049a914b00d6.pdf 06618cbedf383f305d58f931433eda27 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Emancipation at the end of the Civil War did not bestow citizenship or legal protections on formerly enslaved men and women. Concerned that the newly freed African Americans would not be treated equally in courts of law, Congress passed a Civil Rights Act in April 1866 to define citizenship and guarantee equal rights under the law for freedpeople. President Andrew Johnson, a native of Tennessee, disapproved of the law, believing that the federal government was overstepping its jurisdiction. However, members of the “radical” wing of the Republican Party convinced enough moderate members of Congress to override the veto. When news of the Act's passage reached Norfolk, members of the Black community organized a celebration that began with a peaceful march through the city on April 16. They were accompanied by members of the US Colored Troops (USCT), who were carrying their weapons as part of their government-issued uniforms. Anxious white residents watched as the men paraded through the streets. An unknown person fired a gun, which resulted in a chase through the streets and a white Confederate veteran was shot and killed. This sparked a white-led riot that ended in at least two Black citizens dead and six severely wounded. Whites also destroyed Black property in the melee, which continued overnight before US Army troops quelled the violence. This episode is an example of the kinds of racialized violence Black people faced throughout the South when exercising their rights as citizens of the United States. Norfolk’s Black citizens could not count on the local police to protect them and had to turn to federal protection to secure their rights during Reconstruction. While white-owned newspapers across Virginia such as the Norfolk Daybook blamed the Black participants for the violence, the Black-edited True Southerner told a different story. The newspaper's editor, Joseph T. Wilson, was a free-born Norfolk native who had served in the USCT during the Civil War, including with the famed Massachusetts 54th. In this newspaper, Wilson argued for federal protection of Black citizens, who were daily harassed and preyed upon by whites. This article was from the last edition of the paper; after it was published, white men attacked the printing office and destroyed the press. These two documents describe the same incident: the march to celebrate the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the ensuing violence. Citations: "Insubordination and Crime" (excerpt), Norfolk Day Book, April 17, 1866, and "Opposition To a Lawful Celebration," True Southerner, 19 April 19, 1866, Library of Virginia. <a href="https://www.virginiamemory.com/online-exhibitions/exhibits/show/remaking-virginia/violence">Learn more about violence in post-Civil War Virginia in the Library's online exhibition Remaking Virginia.</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/wilson-joseph-t-1837-1890/">Learn more about Joseph T. Wilson in his Dictionary of Virginia Biography entry online at Encyclopedia Virginia.</a> Standards VS.8, USII.2, USII.5, VUS.9, VUS.10 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Compare: Compare the description of the event as described by the white and the Black newspapers. What did white southerners fear, and why? How accurate do you think the Day Book's description of the event was, and why? Post Activities: In Their Shoes: Imagine you are a Black citizen of Norfolk reading the article in the True Southerner. What tone does the article have? Why do you think it takes this tone? What do you think could have happened if the federal troops weren’t there to protect Black citizens? Social Media Spin: Imagine you are a social media editor. Write about this incident for Threads. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Racial Violence Reported in Norfolk Newspapers, 1866 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1866 African American History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/f3d0bd4225764743352a5a021c8de708.jpg c045dceeff04cd49eeaad52a25bd6bd0 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/94c43a90daa9548a8c3e126329b79f28.jpg 534f624a8aca648d536b0de1246e03db https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/880629bb6a9e09e4b9146c1fc2a508cb.pdf 0797a66bb7d9136e61ebfc20859db3fc https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/3f8fcc0251cee630fbd1f32283b4b0fd.pdf 3027849d36af0b72837ead94cdab80c8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context In March 1865, before the Civil War had ended, Congress created the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands (generally known as the Freedmen’s Bureau) to supervise matters related to freed people as well as to distribute land "abandoned" by Confederates to formerly enslaved men and women. The land distribution did not happen, but the Freedmen's Bureau assisted freed people with housing, food, clothing, health care, education, and employment. The Bureau worked to implement a system of free labor in the former Confederate states with the goal of helping freed people become self-sufficient enough to support themselves. Bureau functions included supervising labor and apprenticeship contracts between freed people and white employers as well as managing disputes about contracts. Freedmen’s Bureau agents operated throughout Virginia between 1865 and 1869. Lieutenant Frederick M. Kimball was an agent for Brunswick County. In that capacity he supervised and signed these apprenticeship agreements (or indentures) of two children to a white farmer in 1866. According to the contracts, Mason Ann Brooks had granted permission for her children, Charles and Lucella Brooks, to be apprenticed for a period of years to Edward Clayton. Sometimes Freedmen's Bureau agents apprenticed children without their parents' knowledge or consent to keep children and their families from being entirely dependent on the Bureau. Even when a parent attempted to reclaim custody of their child, Bureau agents were reluctant to break signed contracts and family members remained separated, which was similar to the situation many faced when they were enslaved. Citation: Charles Brooks, Freedmen's Contract, and Lucella Brooks, Freedmen's Contract, 1866, Brunswick County Freedmen's Contracts and Apprentice Indentures, Library of Virginia. <a href="https://www.virginiamemory.com/online-exhibitions/exhibits/show/remaking-virginia/labor" target="_blank" title="link opens in a new tab" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more about freed people and Virginia's post-Civil War economy in the Library's online exhibition Remaking Virginia: Transformation Through Emancipation.</a> Standards VS.8, USII.2, VUS.9 Suggested Questions Preview Activities Think About It: Students brainstorm a list of what they know about Reconstruction before reading the contract. Scan It: Scan the contracts for any words that stand out. Why do they stand out? What do they tell you about the document? Post Activities Analyze: Compare the two contracts. How are they similar? In what ways are they different? Form a hypothesis about why these contracts differ. Form an Opinion: Read the requirements that are expected for both parties of the contract. Form an opinion about the terms of the indenture. Use two examples from the contracts to explain your opinion. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Apprenticeship Contracts, Brunswick County, 1866 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1866 African American History Economics https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/88ef48dbc86a8873b48ada5d1990bc65.pdf 079bf9ab87a37127da92cf5f7b1fe5af https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/70bc19f8d32032884d4cca2e79d7c42d.pdf 89a0252cbd9b2a4fd5ab08b0f580799e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context After the Civil War, Virginia and other Confederate states were required by Congress to write new state constitutions in order for their representatives to be seated in Congress. Virginia's convention met from December 3, 1867 to April 17, 1868, and included 24 Black men among the 105 elected delegates. They were the first Black men elected to public office in Virginia. The African American delegates participated in the discussions and debates and voted to approve the new state constitution. They played an important role in changing the policies and practices of state governance. This document includes entries for three of the Black delegates—Thomas Bayne, John Brown, and David Canada—in the convention's attendance book. The book documents the days that each member attended the convention and how much pay they received for their service. The "Underwood Constitution," as it was sometimes known because the convention's president was federal judge John C. Underwood, institutionalized the right of Black men to vote. Delegates debated whether to amend the preamble to the constitution by replacing the word “men” with the words “mankind, irrespective of race or color.” Along with many white delegates, some Black delegates opposed the suggestion because they preferred to keep any references to color or race out of the constitution. A new section was added, however, stating that "all citizens of the State are herby declared to possess equal civil and political rights and public privileges." The new constitution created a more democratic form of county government. It also included for the first time a provision to allow the state constitution to be amended. One of its most important reforms was requiring the creation of a statewide system of free public schools, a major priority for those Virginians who had been enslaved and denied an education. The voters in Virginia ratified their new constitution in 1869 by a vote of 210,585 in favor and only 9,136 opposed. After the General Assembly also ratified the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments later in 1869, Congress passed a bill (signed by President Ulysses S. Grant on January 26, 1870), allowing Virginia’s Senators and elected representatives to take their seats in Congress. The act ended Congressional Reconstruction in Virginia. Citation: Virginia Constitutional Convention (1867-1868), Attendance book, 1867-1868. Accession 40656. State Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219. Related Document Bank entry: <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/102">The First Vote, Engraving Published in Harper's Weekly, 1867</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/bayne-thomas-ca-1824-1888/" target="_blank" title="this external link opens in a new window" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more about Thomas Bayne in his Dictionary of Virginia Biography entry at Encyclopedia Virginia.</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/brown-john-ca-1830-after-1900/" target="_blank" title="this external link opens in a new window" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more about John Brown in his Dictionary of Virginia Biography entry at Encyclopedia Virginia.</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/canada-david-fl-1867-1869/" target="_blank" title="this external link opens in a new window" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more about David Canada in his Dictionary of Virginia Biography entry at Encyclopedia Virginia.</a> Standards VS.8, USII.2, VUS.9, GOVT.6 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Scan it: Scan the documents. What do you notice about them? What do you think they were used for? Post Activity Be a Journalist: Thomas Bayne, John Brown, and David Canada were three of the Black delegates who were elected to and participated in the 1867-1868 Constitutional Convention. You are a journalist preparing to interview one of these men, what are the three most important questions you would ask? Why are they important? Food for Thought: This was the first time Black delegates helped write Virginia's state constitution. What impact might that have had on changes from previous constitutions? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Attendance Records of the state Constitutional Convention, 1867–1868 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1867 African American History Government and Civics Reform Movements https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/5f6a2609b675a085464f739ade03ebf4.jpg 5c1b24047ed524c7085f3a04bfd48bd2 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/f9312e09d2f2f5c0b8e4f2e0e1a17ef8.pdf 1884619f96acc2585e13b31ff4074b97 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Reconstruction Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1850-1877 Description An account of the resource The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president. During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context The end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery in 1865 led to important changes in American politics, especially in the former slave states. The most dramatic were changes to state constitutions and the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution that granted the vote to Black men. The new Virginia constitution ratified in 1869 was drafted by a biracial group of delegates and codified the right of all men to vote (universal manhood suffrage) and to hold public office. As a result, the General Assembly became more diverse. In 1869, thirty Black men were elected to the General Assembly for the first time. One of the first acts at the Assembly's session in October 1869 was to ratify the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to prohibit state governments from denying any man the right to vote because of his "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." The General Assembly held four sessions between October 1869 and March 1871. One of the legislators' most significant actions was to approve a law creating Virginia's first statewide system of public schools. Despite the protests of Black legislators, the schools were required by law to be racially segregated. Black legislators always remained the minority in the Assembly and they had to work with white allies in order to pass legislation of importance to them, including abolishing the whipping post as a criminal punishment, establishing a college for Black men and women, and increasing funds for public schools as well as to rebuild Virginia's infrastucture in the post-Civil War era. This composite photograph includes images of most of the members of the House of Delegates during the session of 1871–1872, including thirteen of the eighteen Black delegates. Although Black and white men worked together note the placement of the Black legislators in the composite. Despite African Americans' gains, many white Americans continued to treat African Americans as lesser citizens, both literally and figuratively. Despite the obstacles, Black political leaders continued to fight for their communities. Some of these men had been born into slavery, but most of them obtained an education. Some were of interracial ancestery. They worked in a variety of professions, including as lawyers, storekeepers, skilled laborers, postmasters, farmers, ministers, and teachers. and worked as lawyers, storekeepers. These pioneering African American political leaders in Virginia, like those throughout the South, used the guarantee of suffrage in the Fifteenth Amendment to their full advantage and fought for Black education and access to political and economic opportunities. Citation: Composite photograph of members of the Virginia Legislature, 1871–1872, Visual Studies Collection, Library of Virginia (<a href="https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma9917773046305756">also available online in the Virginia Legislature Photograph Collection</a>). Learn more about the Black legislators in this photograph in their Dictionary of Virginia Biography entries online at Encyclopedia Virginia: <a href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Carter_Peter_Jacob_1845-1886">Peter Jacob Carter</a> <a href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Cox_Henry_1832-after_1910">Henry Cox</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/ross-hamilton-ca-january-1843-may-2-1901/">Ross Hamilton</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/william-harvey-patterson-february-3-1810-may-24-1895/">William Harvey Patterson</a> <a href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Jones_Peter_K_ca_1834-1895">Peter K. Jones</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/rufus-sibb-jones-ca-1834-july-17-1897/">Rufus S. Jones</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/gilliam-william-d-1893/">William Gilliam</a> <a href="https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Turpin_Henry_1836-1908">Henry Turpin</a> <a href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Paige_R_G_L_1846-1904">Richard G. L. Paige</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/john-walter-boyd-matthews-1840-july-11-1879/">John W. B. Matthews</a> <a href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Dungey_Jesse_ca_1820-1884">Jesse Dungey</a> <a href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Evans_Joseph_P_1835-1889">Joseph P. Evans</a> <a href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Nickens_Armistead_S_1836-1906">Armistead S. Nickens</a> Related Document Bank entries: <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/306">Equal Suffrage Address, Norfolk, 1865</a> <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/102">The First Vote, Engraving Published in Harper's Weekly, 1867</a> <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/152">Copy of Fifteenth Amendment Sent to North Carolina Legislature, 1869</a> Standards 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.9,VS.8, USII.2, CE.6, CE.8, VUS.9, GOVT.6 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Take a Look: Look at the photograph. How are the men dressed? What do their demeanors and clothes tell you about their positions? Post Activities Be the Journalist: You are a journalist preparing to write a story about the start of the General Assembly session in 1871. Who would you interview, and why? What three questions would you ask, and why? In Their Shoes: Imagine that you were one of the first Black legislators. What would your priorities be? How might you feel walking into the capitol building, and why? With whom would you seek out alliances, and why? Another Perspective: If you were the person organizing the placement of these individual photographs on a single page, how would you arrange them? Why? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Legislature of Virginia, Photograph, 1871 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1871 African American History Government and Civics