Reconstruction | Civics and U.S. History for Middle School

In this middle school history lesson, explore the Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War. Using Thomas Nast’s 1874 political cartoon The Union as It Was and the Currier and Ives lithograph The First Colored Senators and Representatives, students analyze how art captured both the progress and the resistance that defined the nation’s attempt to rebuild.

Students use DBQ methods to guide their thinking: Group, VIEW, Evidence, Context, Thesis. By categorizing sources, applying the VIEW analysis, pulling direct evidence, adding historical context, and writing a clear thesis, students learn to make evidence-based arguments about how successful Reconstruction was in ensuring equality and rebuilding the nation.