About Unit 10

💭 Essential Question: To what extent did Reconstruction expand freedom and citizenship in the United States?

Unit 10: Reconstruction explores how the nation attempted to rebuild after the Civil War and how freedom and citizenship were redefined. The unit begins by examining competing goals of Reconstruction, including efforts to reunite the country and to expand rights through the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. Students investigate how Black Americans built new lives through community institutions, political leadership, and military service, while also facing backlash in the form of Black Codes, white supremacist violence, and restrictive labor systems. Using primary and secondary sources, students analyze both the achievements and the resistance that shaped this period. The unit culminates in an assessment that asks students to evaluate Reconstruction as a turning point in American history and to consider its lasting significance for U.S. democracy.