13 10 232 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/56800f486b676950d4119362ac10c57e.jpg 5143882d2c3e6e298d6c6296cc4d5446 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/fed63633a7cc86e006ca58b8b3cbfbb8.pdf 4deb01c4a4b559068e9bf4669250d6c0 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/ad671286cda5e933626c5fcc722e8c62.pdf 0f40cc6082ffaf4ce761ed1f1d2ce0c1 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 Expansion and Reform Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1800-1860 Description An account of the resource Between 1800 and 1860, the United States underwent a period of increased territorial growth, immigration, economic growth, and industrialization. At the same time as the nation was increasing in population and size, regional differences were becoming more and more pronounced, and politically confrontational. The idea of Manifest Destiny led to expansion first across the Appalachians, then across the Mississippi, and finally to the Pacific Ocean. Vast swaths of land were aquired via the Louisiana Purchase from France and through the United States’s victory in the Mexican-American War. This expansion, however, did have some negative results, most notably the removal of many Indian nations in the Southeast and old Northwest. Economic development, while increasing wealth and prosperity, also brought regional differences more sharply into focus. Northeastern industrial development, increased urbanization, and technological advancements separated it even further from the agrarian South. There was also a transportation revolution involving railroads, canals, and trans-regional roads, many times centered in the North. The issue of slavery caused increasing strife and political debate as new western territories sought to join the Union. Despite expansion, free African Americans and women were still largely disfranchised. Reforms movements related to temperence, women's rights, education, mental health, and imprisonment occurred in bursts, setting the stage for post-Civil War major reforms. 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-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context In 1803, Congress appropriated money for an exploration of the Louisiana Purchase, the vast expanse of land the United States had purchased from France for $15 million. Americans had not yet explored much of the 828,000 square miles, and President Thomas Jefferson tapped his personal secretary Meriweather Lewis (1774–1809) to lead an expedition team. Lewis was born in Virginia not far from Monticello and studied at Liberty Hall (now Washington & Lee University). Lewis reached out to William Clark (1770–1838), another Virginia native, to serve as co-captain of the expedition. Although both men had served in the U.S. military on the frontier, neither had experience with an undertaking of this magnitude. They selected several dozen men for the expedition, including Clark’s enslaved manservant York (d. after 1815). Many in this crew, known as the "Corps of Discovery," had lived on the frontier, and some were men with Indigenous and French backgrounds, who had experience with trading in the west. The group had two overarching goals. One was to survey the land and bring back information about the flora and fauna of the region, and more importantly, about the Indigenous peoples who lived there. The other was to discern a water route that was navigable from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. In the winter of 1803–1804, the group gathered at the juncture of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and officially embarked west of the Mississippi on May 14, 1804. As they traveled, the captains collected and described botanical, zoological, and mineral specimens, and made countless measurements and astronomical observations. They met with Indigenous peoples, but had difficulty communicating as they did not know the languages and knew nothing of the cultures, rivalries, and connections between the tribes they encountered. This situation changed in the winter of 1804 when they met and settled for a few months with the Mandan people in what is now North Dakota. Here, they met French trader Toussaint Charbonneau and Sacajawea (ca. 1788–1812), a teen-aged Shoshone woman whom he had taken as his wife after she had been captured by a rival tribe. Sacajawea (who traveled with her newborn son) knew several Indigenous languages. When the group encountered the Shoshone in the Rocky Mountains, she convinced them to help the explorers with horses and other supplies. The explorers also found support with the Nez Perce, whom they met near what is today the Clearwater River, in 1805. The assistance from Indigenous tribes enabled the expedition to survive treacherous terrain and freezing temperatures while crossing the Rocky Mountains. With Sacajawea, Charbonneau, and York among the thirty members who went beyond the Rockies, Lewis and Clark navigated the Columbia River to the Pacific. After building a fort and spending the winter of 1805–1806 in what is now Astoria, Oregon, the group made an arduous journey back to St. Louis, returning in September 1806. The expedition lasted two years and four months and covered 8,000 miles of terrain largely unexplored by Americans. Only one man died on the journey, likely of appendicitis. Many of the white members of the “Corps of Discovery” returned to the west to seek their fortunes with varying degrees of success. Meriweather Lewis was named the governor of the Louisiana Territory. After he died in 1809, William Clark succeeded him as governor and became an extremely powerful official in the west. His enslaved man York petitioned Clark for his freedom for more than a decade before succeeding. Sacajawea, whose presence was intrinsic to the ultimate success of the expedition, had another child and died as a young woman. The exploration was a success in many ways. Clark designed maps of the new territory that would prove useful to American settlers for decades to come. Lewis’s detailed descriptions of plant and animal life, as well as his narratives about the Indigenous peoples they encountered, added considerably to American scientific and ethnographic knowledge. But they were unsuccessful in finding a direct water passage to the west coast, and Indigenous people did not make lasting treaties with—or acknowledge the land claims of—the U.S. government, as Jefferson had originally hoped. Americans could read about the expedition in newspapers. On July 19, 1805, the Norfolk Gazette reprinted this account that had been first published in the Kentucky Gazette containing information from letters written by members of the expedition. They described the route they took, Indigenous peoples whom they met, and the landscape and wildlife they saw. Citation: Norfolk Gazette and Public Ledger, July 19, 1805, Library of Virginia (<a href="https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=NGPL18050719.1.2">available online at Virginia Chronicle</a>). <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/lewis-and-clark-expedition-the/" target="_blank" title="this external link opens in a new tab" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more in the Lewis and Clark Expedition entry</a> online at Encyclopedia Virginia. Standards VS.6, USI.8, VUS.1, VUS.7 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Scan It: Scan the article. What words stand out to you, and why? If you were reading this article at the time, what reaction would you have? Post Activities Social Media Spin: Imagine you are in the Corps of Discovery and are tasked with making an Instagram account for weekly posts. What images are you posting? How are you captioning your images? What kind of comments do you think people would write to you, and why? Map It: Go to the <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/lewis-and-clark-expedition-the/" target="_blank" title="this external link opens in a new tab" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lewis and Clark entry</a> online at Encyclopedia Virginia. Use the timeline to help your students create a GIS map of the paths taken by the Corps of Discovery. What kinds of geography did they traverse? How challenging a route do you think this would have been using just canoes, small boats, and horses for travel? 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 Lewis and Clark Expedition, Newspaper Article, 1805 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1805 Immigration and Migration https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/fe07b6468667a381913be47d6f6e07a1.jpg 81b9c719cc10314b27e847b713249181 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/c2ec18e70bcb7576844854fd97146bb1.pdf 6adb2983245df0ec96b800b6af693b58 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 Revolution and the New Nation Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1754-1820s Description An account of the resource The American Revolution is considered one of the most crucial times of United States history to study, as it lays the groundwork for all political history following it. Not only did it end the colonial relationship with England, but it brought about political change that shaped our lives and served as an example for other nations. It also called into question social and political relationships, raising questions regarding freedom and inalienable rights. Some of America’s most important documents and greatest political minds come from this era. The war itself also was revolutionary, with successful guerilla-style fighting and the defeat by colonials of well-trained British military forces. Following the war, the creation of the U.S. Constitution and the process of ratification shifted not only the style of government, but also the way in which governments functioned with an increased public investment. This process also called into question the balance of power between federal and state governments, an issue that continued to be present in American politics long after the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were completed. Despite strong unity among many in during the American Revolution, political, economic, regional, social, ideological, and religious tensions did not fade, and in some cases---especially with respect to slavery---increased as the United States sought to define itself. 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-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was born at Shadwell, along the Rivanna River in what is now Albemarle County. When his father died, the fourteen-year-old Jefferson inherited more than 5,000 acres of land, about twenty enslaved laborers, and his father's books. He attended the College of William and Mary, where he studied law, but he practiced as a lawyer only for a few years. He would go on to become an architect, diplomat, master gardener, musician, and statesman. Jefferson was also an enslaver, and may have owned as many as 600 enslaved people throughout his lifetime. First elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1769, Thomas Jefferson's political career spanned forty years and included service in the House of Delegates (1776–1779), as a member of the Continental Congress (1775–1776), as governor of Virginia (1779–1781), minister to France (1784–1789), U.S. Secretary of State (1790–1793), Vice President (1797–1801), and President (1801–1809). As the third president of the United States, Jefferson doubled the size of the country with his purchase of the Louisiana territory from France (1803). He also arranged for the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1803–1806) to the Pacific Ocean. Jefferson's many accomplishments included his design of Monticello and the Virginia state capitol, writing the <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/oc/stc/entries/declaration-of-independence-july-4-1776">Declaration of Independence</a> and the <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/180">Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom</a>, as well as establishing the University of Virginia. He died on the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Declaration of Independence. He is buried at his home Monticello and his grave is marked with an epitaph that he requested listing what he considered his greatest accomplishments: Here was buried Thomas Jefferson author of the Declaration of American Independence of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and the Father of the University of Virginia Citation: Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, ca. 1827, by George Catlin after Thomas Sully. State Art Collection, Library of Virginia. <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/jefferson-thomas-1743-1826/" target="_blank" title="this external link opens in a new window" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more about Thomas Jefferson in his Dictionary of Virginia Biography entry online at Encyclopedia Virginia.</a> Standards Social Studies: K.2, 1.5, 2.7, 2.10, VS.5, VS.6, VS.12, USI.6, VUS.5, VUS.6, GOVT.1 Art: 4.3, 5.3 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Look at It: Examine the portrait of Thomas Jefferson. Using the painting as your source, what can you conclude about Jefferson? Look at his dress, posture, and facial expression. Post Activities Social Media Spin: Create a social media post about Thomas Jefferson. Include three facts about Thomas Jefferson. Form an Opinion: What might be a reason Thomas Jefferson did not list being President of the United States as one of his greatest accomplishments? 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 Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, 1827 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1827 Government and Civics https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/d2329e0d712918527c23744f23096637.jpg e5434e9d58963084a4f394c7f56ee1ba https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/3d6bda7deb6c2f3cc077af4573e31627.pdf 1807d07997b3029dc5c5469d835b5888 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 Emergence of Modern America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1930 Description An account of the resource The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade. 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-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context The Federal Reserve System, sponsored by Virginia Senator Carter Glass, was signed into law on December 23, 1913, by President Woodrow Wilson. In 1914, the city of Richmond was selected to be the home to one of 12 central bank locations and was to serve the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The first Richmond central branch president, George Seay, led the movement to bring the bank to the city. He cited many reasons, such as the city’s geographic location being in the middle of the designated region and as a leading regional banking district in Virginia. Today, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond represents the Fifth Federal Reserve District which serves Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, D.C., and most areas of West Virginia. The Federal Reserve System serves as the fiscal agent of the U.S Treasury. The Federal Reserve System is composed of both public and private elements in order to uphold the integrity of the organization, keep the bank free from political agendas, and ensures the Federal Reserve System is held accountable for its actions. The Federal Reserve System has three key responsibilities: conducting monetary policy, supervising and regulating financial institutions, and providing services to financial institutions. The Federal Reserve System oversees monetary policies which seeks to create market price stability in the economy and maximize employment opportunities which help sustain a growing economy. The Federal Reserve System also regulates other financial institutions by writing regulations which act as rules and guidelines. The regulations of the Federal Reserve System clearly defines acceptable behavior within the banking industry, manages regulations through oversight, and enforces any violations to the regulations. The Federal Reserve System provides services for other financial institutions through a variety of services including: payment services, check processing services, and electronic payment services. Since the opening of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond in 1914, the bank’s headquarters has had three locations in downtown Richmond. The first bank was located near the federal courts and opened in 1914. In 1921, the bank was relocated to historic Capitol Square and operations continued there until 1978. The bank then moved to its current location on 701 East Byrd Street, overlooking the James River. Additional offices were opened to support the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank’s operations, in Baltimore, Maryland in 1918 and Charlotte, North Carolina in 1927. The mission of the Federal Reserve System is to “serve the public by fostering the stability, integrity and efficiency of our nation's monetary, financial and payments systems." This image of the bank on Capitol Square was displayed at the World's Fair. Citations: [The Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond, a beautiful example of modern bank architecture], Virginia New York World’s Fair Commission, 1939 World's Fair Photograph Collection, online in the Library of Virginia <a href="https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=01LVA_INST:01LVA&collectionId=81107009950005756&lang=en">Digital Collections Discovery</a>. Standards 3.9, CE.13, GOVT.14 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Look at it: The building in the photograph is the Federal Reserve Building for the Fifth District from 1921 to 1978. List 3 things you know about the Federal Reserve. Post Activities Analyze: The Federal Reserve set regulations for the banking and finance sectors. How might these regulations help the average consumer? Think About It: List four economic indicators that are dependent on regulations or decisions made by the Federal Reserve. 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 Richmond Federal Reserve Headquarters on Capitol Square, 1939. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1939 Economics Government and Civics https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/2453ee4eea72c223b240debd24c38ef6.jpg a586f4d5595ca9fb622dfaf0e6511a44 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/67ae32a8b598f2431c1f984e3c16a125.pdf e561452fa64d31af9f7626345688ffcf 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 Emergence of Modern America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1930 Description An account of the resource The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade. 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-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context The woman suffrage movement coincided with major national reform movements seeking to improve public education, create public health programs, regulate business and industrial practices, and establish standards to ensure safety in food and public water supplies. Public debate on these issues, demand for improved infrastructure, and public services transformed politics in Virginia. People, particularly women, became more involved in political issues and this inspired them to found women’s groups where likeminded women could gather to discuss the issues of the day. Women who were active in securing the right to vote wanted to be sure their votes counted. To that end Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), proposed a “league” of women voters to use their influence to lobby for legislation important to them. In 1920, a group of NAWSA women formally organized the League of Women Voters as a nonpartisan voter education and lobbying group. After the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia dissolved and its members founded the state chapter of the League of Women Voters in November 1920. Like League members throughout the country, Virginia women enouraged voter registration, educated women and men about issues and political candidates, and promoted the passage of laws to benefit society, including child labor laws, mandatory public education, and state employment services. The League of Women Voters opposed the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1920s, because members feared that it would remove protective legislation for women. And the League of Women voters failed to challenge racial segregation in the South. Southern chapters like the ones in Virginia had white-only requirements, and only a few Black women were members in League chapters outside the South. The majority of League members were white, college-educated women. The Virginia League did not accept integrated chapters until the 1960s, although some local leagues became outspoken advocates in the 1950s for keeping the public schools open when Virginia’s policy of Massive Resistance to desegregation threatened public education and some schools were closed. It was not until 1966 that the national League of Women Voters took a position supporting civil rights. This broadside illustrates how the LWV approached their public and non-partisan philosophy to recruit new members. The League of Women Voters of Virginia continues today as a nonpartisan political group, working to encourage all voters to engage in full participation in government. Citation: State Conference to Complete Organization of Virginia League of Women Voters, Richmond, Va.: The League, 1920. Broadside 1920 .S73 BOX, Manuscripts & Special Collections, Library of Virginia. <a href="https://uncommonwealth.virginiamemory.com/blog/2020/12/16/banded-together-for-civic-betterment-the-virginia-league-of-women-voters-2/">Learn more about the Virginia League of Women Voters in The UncommonWealth blog</a>. For additional information, see Kay J. Maxwell, <a href="https://www.lwv.org/league-women-voters-through-decades-founding-and-early-history">"The League of Women Voters Through the Decades!"</a> 16 Feb. 2012, League of Women Voters of the US. Standards 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, USII.3, USII.5, CE.6, CE.9, VUS.12, GOVT.10 Suggested Questions Preview Activities Take a Look: Read the broadside. What phrases stand out to you? Why? Make a Connection: The League of Women Voters grew out of the suffrage movement that began decades before 1920. How might have the movement changed over time? If you know the names of women involved in the suffrage movement, list them and what you know about those women. Post Activities Analyze: Think about how long it took for women to achieve the right to vote. Why do you think it took as long as it did? What obstacles had to be overcome to achieve the right to vote? Dig Deeper: Read about the members of the Equal Suffrage League and their efforts to gain the vote in <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/157">Women Do Want the Vote, Broadside, 1916</a>. What do you think the Virginia League of Women Voters meant when they were calling “all women” to join? Why? Current Connections: Why do groups like the League of Women Voters of Virginia still exist in a country where women can vote? Another Perspective: Some women organized groups to oppose voting rights for women. Why might some women not want the right to vote? 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 State Conference to Complete Organization of Virginia League of Women Voters, Broadside, 1920 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1920 Government and Civics Reform Movements Women's History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/bf0dbbc124421be86c153999ac629457.jpg bfadd024219dd524518ab9c15ca676c4 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/1aaedb65038132c43cb11be788335670.pdf d7c8740da0d417d6fe64a9cbe447187c https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/976680c100145cbebebd630d47cc056d.pdf ddd9dd82ad81d5dbe23d3b6412dd3b2b 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 Revolution and the New Nation Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1754-1820s Description An account of the resource The American Revolution is considered one of the most crucial times of United States history to study, as it lays the groundwork for all political history following it. Not only did it end the colonial relationship with England, but it brought about political change that shaped our lives and served as an example for other nations. It also called into question social and political relationships, raising questions regarding freedom and inalienable rights. Some of America’s most important documents and greatest political minds come from this era. The war itself also was revolutionary, with successful guerilla-style fighting and the defeat by colonials of well-trained British military forces. Following the war, the creation of the U.S. Constitution and the process of ratification shifted not only the style of government, but also the way in which governments functioned with an increased public investment. This process also called into question the balance of power between federal and state governments, an issue that continued to be present in American politics long after the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were completed. Despite strong unity among many in during the American Revolution, political, economic, regional, social, ideological, and religious tensions did not fade, and in some cases---especially with respect to slavery---increased as the United States sought to define itself. 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-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context In May 1773 the British Parliament passed the Tea Act, granting the British East India Company a monopoly on importing tea. Intended in part to discourage colonists from buying smuggled tea on which they paid no taxes, the act implicitly acknowledged Parliament's right to tax the colonies. Although the Tea Act actually reduced the tax American colonists had to pay on tea, many were angered that Britain was imposing taxes without colonial representation. In December 1773, a group of men disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded ships in Boston Harbor and destroyed 342 chests of Company tea. While not as well-known as the Boston Tea Party, another tea party protest took place in Yorktown, Virginia. On November 7, 1774, local residents boarded the British ship Virginia and dumped two half-chests of tea into the York River. The tea had been imported despite the boycott on English goods that the first Virginia Revolutionary Convention had authorized in August 1774. The boycott was an effort to pressure the British Parliament to repeal tax laws and regulations that some Virginia leaders believed were unconstitutional. The goal of this smaller tea party event in the York River was to send a message of support to Revolutionary cause and to demonstrate that the importation of tea during the boycott would not be tolerated. The merchant who had imported the tea wrote an apology in the newspaper and asked the public for forgiveness. The ship captain was also punished for his participation in bringing the tea into port in violation of the boycott. He was ordered to return to England with an empty ship. Citation: Yorktown Tea Party, November 7, 1774. Notices pertaining to the Yorktown Tea Party, November 24, 1774, Purdie and Dixon, Virginia Gazette, page 2, Special Collections, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. Standards VS.5, VUS.5, USI.6, CE.6 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Scan It: Scan the transcribed version of the article and identify 3 or 4 phrases to describe the event that took place on November 7, 1774. Post Activities Analyze: The American colonists used events like the Yorktown Tea Party to rally people to support the revolution. Was it effective? Why or why not? Food for Thought: Why would American colonists want to participate in this type of protest? What were the potential risks for supporting these types of events? Another Perspective: Imagine you are a merchant during the Revolution; what are some incentives to obey the non-importation agreement? What are some incentives to disobey the agreement? 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 Yorktown Tea Party, November 7, 1774 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1774 Economics Government and Civics https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/6cbe14c7a48e8d3d40df7ca357c9c2d8.jpg a19d18a0a31c134eeb21708f882a1681 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/50d99f2f29cab4afda266533a100a7f0.jpg 305c5b21a0e4e37907d223422cfc79fe https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/444729b1d9de9999722d5cb6a5a26a42.pdf 538a2910b56f4f9afe742a44b989edac 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 Emergence of Modern America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1930 Description An account of the resource The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade. 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-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context This pamphlet was one of many produced by the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia (ESL) to advocate voting rights for women during the 1910s. About twenty women met in Richmond in 1909 to establish the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia. Many of the officers, including League president Lila Meade Valentine, were involved in the social reforms of the time, collectively known as the Progressive movement. They understood that having the vote would give them more political influence and a better chance to achieve their other goals. Many of them believed that the right to vote was an essential aspect of citizenship to which women were entitled. Within ten years, more than 130 local leagues had been organized from the Eastern Shore to southwestern Virginia, with more than 20,000 members statewide. The league's membership did not include Black women. Barred from entry, Black women worked for voting rights through their own women's clubs and other organizations. In fact, the Equal Suffrage League often countered the anti-suffragist argument that allowing women to vote would increase the Black vote. Many members tried to reassure white voters that there were enough other restrictions in place to ensure that the majority of Black voters would remain disfranchised. They often published letters and pamphlets seeking to reassure white voters that their interests would be safe. Equal Suffrage League members collected signatures on petitions to submit to the General Assembly, they staffed booths at the state and county fairs, and they made suffrage speeches at county courthouses, schools, churches, movie theaters, and on street corners to educate the public and develop support for woman suffrage. The Equal Suffrage League also printed postcards and published leaflets, broadsides, and pamphlets for statewide distribution. The ESL focused on educating and persuading men and women of Virginia, and while they had "street meetings," or public demonstrations, they avoided picketing at the White House and preferred to persuade through public speaking, lobbying, and writing pamphlets like these. Citation: Equal Suffrage League of Virginia, "Voting Qualifications in Virginia," Equal Suffrage League of Virginia Records, 1908-1938, box 7, Accession 22002, Library of Virginia. Related Document Bank entries: <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/106">Twelve Reasons Why Mothers Should Have the Vote</a> <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/112">Virginia Association Opposed to Woman's Suffrage, Broadside, c. 1910s</a> <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/154">Anti-Suffrage Arguments, Broadside, Circa 1912</a> Learn more: <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/wedemand/#timeline">View a timeline of the campaign for women's voting rights in Virginia at We Demand: Women's Suffrage in Virginia.</a> <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.asp?b=Valentine_Lila_Meade">Learn more about Lila Meade Valentine in her Dictionary of Virginia Biography entry</a>. Suggested Questions Lesson Plan For detailed lesson plan options, visit our <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/337">Lesson Plan on the Woman Suffrage Movement in Virginia</a>. Preview Activity Analyze: Look at the justifications for woman suffrage. What do you think of the argument, and why? Post Activities Take a Stand: Imagine you are an early supporter of voting rights for women. What arguments would you make to convince someone to support the movement? Do you think that you would try to use the argument presented in this pamphlet? What other arguments might have been more useful? Be the Journalist: Imagine you are writing a story about the author of this pamphlet. What would you like to ask her, and why? How do you think she would respond to your questions? Standards USII.3, USII.5, CE.6, CE.9, VUS.12, GOVT.10 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 Voting Qualifications in Virginia, Equal Suffrage League Pamphlet, 1910s Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1910s Government and Civics Reform Movements Women's History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/3aaa5055b4ebcc6fa6a2a3a67d3419dd.jpg 3a0194c4690c2e714502b0da28d29c23 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/e3cfeff051b5b6225021b510677c6b7c.pdf 7a136605a971b1a49802219adad16123 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 Emergence of Modern America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1930 Description An account of the resource The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade. 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-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Circulated in Staunton, Virginia, the broadside dates to sometime between 1900 and 1919. In it, the women of Staunton asked the men in their community to vote in favor of prohibition or the legal elimination of alcohol consumption and sale. The women, who could not vote at that time, pleaded with the male voters appealing to the traditional masculine “duty” to care for the women and their families. In stating their case, the women used their positions as wives, mothers, and protectors of the domestic sphere to give them authority. As the broadside stated, their “boys” were those supporting the liquor business and partaking in alcohol consumption. The women expressed that their sons were “too precious to be sacrificed upon the altar of the saloon.” The broadside demonstrates the common concern at the time about alcoholism and the potential effects that excessive drinking had on society. The women of Staunton argued that men who spent their time and money drinking in the saloons neglected their families, thereby shirking their familial responsibilities as men.For much of the late nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century, women reformers dominated the prohibition movement. Because Americans viewed women as responsible for educating their children in morality and maintaining the homefront, their leadership in temperance causes was not questioned. The Staunton women may have been inspired by the work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), which was founded in 1874 in Ohio. Many of its members were also involved in other reform movements, such as women's voting rights, which may have been the case in Staunton as well. The broadside may indicate that Staunton women may have had suffrage in mind when expressed emphatically “PROTECT OUR OWN HOMES AND OUR OWN BOYS.” Without the vote, women were dependent on male voters to protect home and society. Citation: Appeal of the women of Staunton, Staunton, Va. s.n., between 1900 and 1919. Broadside 1900 .A7 BOX, Lab #08_0785_10, Manuscripts & Special Collections, Library of Virginia Suggested Questions Preview Activity Take a Look: Look at the broadside. Notice words and phrases that are in bold typeface or otherwise emphasized. If you had to guess, what is the context for this broadside? What do you think is the appeal of the women of Staunton? Post Activities Artistic Exploration: How would you redesign this broadside for a more artistic and bold appeal? Design a poster or sign to replace the broadside. As an extra challenge, research popular artistic styles of the time period and incorporate their distinguishing characteristics into your work. Analyze: Why do you think this group of women from Staunton supported prohibition? What does their appeal tell you about their concerns? Another Perspective: Do you think all women in that area would have felt the same way about prohibition? Why or why not? Women in the period could support prohibition and suffrage. Why might this be the case? Standards Social Studies: USII.3, USII.5, CE.6, CE.9, VUS.12, GOVT.10 Art: 4.1, 5.1, 4.3, 5.3 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 Appeal of the Women of Staunton, Broadside, c. 1910 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1910 Government and Civics Reform Movements Religion Women's History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/6fdb338ab670a711b3ca8d92b141a09a.jpg dc1f55a95f6db0045ef702311948041a https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/7647a471916a69e6224f55c9272abb1a.pdf 798f84b526270d7370462c47e6661c35 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 Emergence of Modern America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1930 Description An account of the resource The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade. 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-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Early in the twentieth century, some Virginia women embraced the fight for equal voting rights and organized the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia in 1909. Many women, however, opposed such efforts and a group in Richmond established the Virginia Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage in 1912. Members saw voting women as a threat to marriage and families because respectable women were meant to stay at home raising children and taking care of the household instead of participating in the dirty business of politics. They argued that women could be more effective in social reform efforts by remaining outside and above political action. Anti-suffragists also claimed that the majority of women did not want the responsibility of voting, which they deemed a privilege rather than a right. Like suffragists, the anti-suffragists published pamphlets, leaflets, and broadsides to publicize their arguments. In this broadside, the Association notably links women's voting rights to radicalism and socialism. It was likely produced sometime after the United States entered World War I in 1917, which was also the year when Russians overthrew their monarchy and adopted a socialist government. Fears of such radicalism spreading to the United States prompted some anti-suffragists to associate the growing feminist movement and women's voting rights with threats to democracy and American capitalism. Citation: Virginia Association Opposed to Woman's Suffrage, Anti-suffrage Arguments: Danger! Woman’s Suffrage, the Vanguard of Socialism, Broadside 191- .A684 FF, Manuscripts & Special Collections, Library of Virginia. Related Document Bank Entries: <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/112">Virginia Association Opposed to Woman's Suffrage, Broadside, 1910s</a> <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/157">Voting Qualifications in Virginia, Pamphlet, 1910s</a> <a href="https://uncommonwealth.virginiamemory.com/blog/2020/06/17/woman-suffrage-the-vanguard-of-socialism/">Learn more about the anti-suffrage movement in Virginia in The UncommonWealth blog.</a> Suggested Questions Lesson Plan For detailed lesson plan options, visit our <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/337">Lesson Plan on the Woman Suffrage Movement in Virginia</a>. Preview Activity Scan It: Scan the broadside. List the words which are repeated more than twice or which are purposely in large typeface. Why would the creator of this document choose to use words repeatedly? What impact might the repetition and size of the type have on a reader? Post Activities Social Media Spin: Using hashtags and memes, convert the messages of this broadside into short, social media-style messages that may have been used had the technology existed at the time. Analyze: Why would women be opposed to the idea women having the right to vote? What does their opposition tell you about the prevailing culture and values in the early 1900’s? Another Perspective: There are countries around the world today in which women do not have the same rights as men. How and why does culture impact the decisions made to give or not give women rights in the 21st century? Standards Social Studies: USII.3, USII.5, CE.6, CE.9, VUS.12, GOVT.10 Art: 4.3, 5.3 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 Anti-Suffrage Arguments, Danger!, Broadside, circa 1918 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1918 Government and Civics Women's History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/8f83c7bb7eb283e81026a4ce1bdf92ac.jpg f884cc5802d053c18ebba18ef888ab41 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/61bac6cbe35b17a3040c275bcb63ebfa.pdf b47e3c7aed7cbeef1d1b5320d1734651 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/. Description An account of the resource Beyond the toll it took on the nation, the Great Depression helped to shape modern-day America, especially in expanding the role of government in citizens' everyday lives. The circumstances of the Depression spurred President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal initiatives that included the Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, Farm Security Administration, and the Social Security Administration to assist the unemployed, farmers, and the elderly. World War II helped not only to bring the nation out of the Depression, but also put the United States on the world stage as a superpower. Unlike previous administrations, both Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman placed the United States on a path to leadership in worldwide conflicts and reform movements. The war changed the role of women as they entered the workforce while American men went to war. Events such as the bombing at Pearl Harbor, liberation of concentration camps, the use of atomic bombs, and the rise of the Soviet Union as a superpower shaped future American foreign policy. 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-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a> Title A name given to the resource The Great Depression and World War II Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1929 - 1945 Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the presidential election, making him the first Democratic president in twelve years. As President, Roosevelt took quick action through his New Deal initiative to provide relief for struggling Americans through a variety of social programs. His administration also tried to establish measures which would help support economic recovery. These measures were not enough to counter the effects of the Depression. Roosevelt promoted his "Second New Deal" in 1935. This included the passage of the Social Security Act and the creation of the Works Progress Administration which employed three to eight million people in a variety of public service positions before the program ended in 1941. The Democratic Congress also passed the Wealth Tax, raising tax rates for the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations. This Second New Deal also saw the passage of the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act) that supported the rights of workers to join unions and bargain collectively. While popular with many Americans, New Deal policies found enemies in the Republican Party, far-left political figures, and most notably, Father Coughlin, a radio personality, and Louisiana Senator Huey Long. They and their followers represented a growing group of people who were critical of the social programs and restrictions on business. The Republicans nominated moderate Kansas Governor Alfred Landon, who did not object to most of the social programs of the New Deal,but felt businesses and industry interests should be considered by the federal government. During the election campaign, Landon claimed FDR was corrupt and had overstepped his authority as president. Broadsides were made and displayed in many states, including Virginia, to spread FDR's campaign message to potential voters. This particular broadside reminded voters of the past failures of the Republican party. In the end, the Democrats were not only able to campaign on the successes and popularity of New Deal policies, but also on reminding the public of the mistakes made by previous Republican administrations. In a landslide loss, Alfred M. Landon received only 8 electoral votes, carrying only Maine and Vermont. Definition: Broadsides were posters, announcing events or proclamations, or simply advertisements. Citation: Don't go back and backward with Republicans, Broadside, Manuscripts & Special Collections, Library of Virginia. Suggested Questions Preview Activity Look at It: Look at the broadside image, list three images or words that stand out. Why do you think the broadside was designed this way? Post Activities Analyze: Explain the "wolf in sheep's clothing" imagery. Why do you think this may have resonated with Americans during the 1930s? Social Media Spin: Create a hashtag to match this broadside and a tweet for each of the policies that the Democrats focus on in their theme of "going back." Political Plans: You are a member of the Landon campaign, what type of response would you give to address the issues identified in the broadside? Why? Standards Social Studies: USII.5, VUS.13 Art: 4.3, 5.3 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 Don't Go Back and Backward with Republicans, Broadside, 1936 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1936 Economics Government and Civics https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/845e83a720f90bea0ff3106d7dc8ccce.jpg 6faf7d353b49dea32a001e58f74642db https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/3a750c941451d7370c3196150680a83f.jpg 086698fedee615038cb3191c4cf30084 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/ca319e248278c13ea4dd89e10a8d4651.jpg 75037a33e7ba2ebdd59dce52383e6e22 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/c525a349c0bd5601a279837ba835703e.pdf 4eade5479cd947a32fe7a8d666949904 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/44289e71ba43afb06e3cad44581f0776.pdf 06cca337fefedda9aef60010e4969d5e 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 ended and slavery was abolished in 1865, Radical Republicans in Congress became frustrated with the opposition that many white southerners exhibited to extending full rights of citizenship to African Americans. Congress proposed the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and passed other laws to guarantee the rights of Black Americans in the former Confederate states and nationwide. Congress submitted the Fifteenth Amendment to the states for ratification on February 26, 1869. It expanded voting rights to include all Black males, allowing citizens to vote regardless of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Women were not included. On March 4, 1869, Governor William Woods Holden of North Carolina sent this circular letter to state legislators recommending that they ratify the Fifteenth Amendment because he believed that effective government required that "every male citizen should have the right to vote." Virginia governor Henry Horatio Wells also received a copy of the letter. North Carolina ratified the amendment on March 5. Virginia's General Assembly ratified the amendment on October 8, 1869. Of the 181 members of the legislature, thirty were Black men who were the first African American assembly members in the state's history. They were able to vote and win election to office by virtue of Virginia's new state constitution, which had been approved in July 1869. Once the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified by three-fourths of the states (28 of the 37 states at that time), it became part of the U. S. Constitution on March 30, 1870. Black men voted and held office during the 1870s and 1880s, but by the 20th Century many white legislators in southern states had passed laws that excluded Black voters. These barriers were written in such a way that they did not outright forbid African Americans from voting but instead made it harder to vote through a variety of means such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and "grandfather clauses" (which excluded from voting anyone whose ancestors had not been able to vote in the 1860s). Such actions severely limited the ability of Black men to vote and hold elected office until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed such practices. Citation: Fifteenth Amendment Circular, May 4, 1869, Henry H. Wells Executive Papers, Accession 43756, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. Related Document Bank entry: <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/178">Legislature of Virginia, Photograph, 1871</a> Suggested Questions Preview Activity Scan It: Scan the document and list any words or phrases which give an indication of the subject of the document. What is the subject of the document? Post Activities Another Perspective: After the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, women were still not allowed to vote. How might they have felt? Was there anything women could do to have their voices heard? Analyze: The Fifteenth Amendment made it is possible for African American men to vote, but it did not prevent states from taking other measures to make voting difficult for Black men. Why do you think Congress chose to act in this way? Consider the period of history and issues related to Reconstruction. Social Media Spin: Create a post for social media about the importance of the Fifteenth Amendment and how it impacted voting rights. Standards VS.8, USII.2, VUS.9, GOVT.6 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 Copy of the Fifteenth Amendment Sent to North Carolina Legislature, 1869 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 African American History Government and Civics