Standard 5: Examine the causes, course, and consequence of the Civil War and Reconstruction including its effects on American peoples.

General Information
Number: SS.8.A.5
Title: Examine the causes, course, and consequence of the Civil War and Reconstruction including its effects on American peoples.
Type: Standard
Subject: Social Studies
Grade: 8
Strand: American History

Related Benchmarks

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Related Access Points

This cluster includes the following access points.

Access Points

SS.8.A.5.AP.1
Identify the causes, events, and consequences of the Civil War.
SS.8.A.5.AP.2
Identify the role of slavery in the development of sectional conflict.
SS.8.A.5.AP.3
Identify major domestic and international economic, military, political, and socio-cultural events of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency.
SS.8.A.5.AP.4
Identify the division of the United States at the outbreak of the Civil War.
SS.8.A.5.AP.5
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Confederate and Union States.
SS.8.A.5.AP.6
Identify significant Civil War battles and events and their effects on civilian populations.
SS.8.A.5.AP.7
Identify key events and peoples in Florida history during the Civil War era.
SS.8.A.5.AP.8
Identify the policies, practices, and consequences of Reconstruction.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Lesson Plans

Civil Rights Act of 1866:

Civil Rights Act of 1866 and is a review of Reconstruction. Students will complete an illustrated timeline in this lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Civil War Amendments:

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution are the focus of this lesson.  Students will learn the content, intention, and impact of each amendment.

Type: Lesson Plan

Reconstruction Amendments & Their Impact on Civic Participation :

This is lesson # 3 of a mini lesson unit.  In this third lesson, students are asked to craft an argumentative essay on the Reconstruction Amendments as a culminating activity for the mini lesson unit.

Type: Lesson Plan

Civic Participation Expanded :

In this lesson plan, students will work in stations to understand how the three Reconstruction Amendments led to expanded opportunities for civic participation.

Type: Lesson Plan

Reconstruction Amendments:

In this lesson plan, students will be introduced to the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments and begin evaluating them.

Type: Lesson Plan

Ultimate Guide to the Reconstruction Amendments and Citizenship:

Students will take a journey through the Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th) to determine the importance of citizenship by experiencing an interactive PowerPoint and then take a deep dive into text while writing about Reconstruction and citizenship. Finally, students will create an original visual representation to develop a deeper understanding of both the Reconstruction Amendments and accompanying vocabulary.

Type: Lesson Plan

Voting Amendments:

In this lesson plan, students will determine which minority groups benefited from the post Civil War and Voting Amendments.

Type: Lesson Plan

Reconstruction Amendments after the Civil War: Lesson 3:

In this lesson, students dive further into the political and civic participation of the reconstruction era. The main focus of this mini-unit is to talk about Reconstruction and civic participation. This is Day 3 of 3 (or Lesson 3 of 3) in a mini-unit focusing on Reconstruction.

Type: Lesson Plan

Reconstruction After the Civil War: Lesson 2:

In this lesson, students dive into the political and civic participation of the reconstruction era. This explains the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments and the time period after the Civil War. The main focus of this mini-unit is to talk about Reconstruction and civic participation. This is Day 2 of 3 (or Lesson 2 of 3) in a mini-unit focusing on Reconstruction.

Type: Lesson Plan

End of the Civil War - Reconstruction Introduction: Lesson 1:

In this lesson, students will examine a condensed reading of the Civil War and build their background knowledge. The main focus of this mini-unit is to talk about Reconstruction and civic participation. This is Day 1 of 3 (or Lesson 1 of 3) in a mini-unit focusing on Reconstruction.

Type: Lesson Plan

Algorithms & Voting Rights: Lesson 1:

This is part 1 of a 3-part unit that reinforces computational thinking and flowchart design. This unit is also designed to support the understanding of civic participation through the expansion of voting rights throughout U.S. history.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Road Ahead: Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address:

This lesson will be taught at the end of the Civil War unit prior to Lincoln’s assassination. Through multiple readings of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, students will analyze his words as they relate to what has taken place over the last four years and what he sees as the nation’s future, that is, Reconstruction.

Type: Lesson Plan

Four Score and Seven Years Ago...:

In this lesson, students will use primary sources to learn about the constitutional principles included in Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Then, they will form their own proposal in response to Lincoln's goal of achieving equality.

Type: Lesson Plan

Citizenship for Whom?:

In this lesson, students will explore how the 14th Amendment establishes citizenship. Students will also learn how the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments reflect their Reconstruction-era context.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who's Got Rights?:

In this lesson plan, students will use primary sources to determine how the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments expanded the right to vote and participate in the political process for African Americans.

Type: Lesson Plan

No One is Above the Law!:

In this lesson plan, students will use primary sources to examine the impeachment of Andrew Johnson and conclude how presidential impeachment relates to the rule of law.

Type: Lesson Plan

Reconstruction and Florida:

In this lesson, students will read excerpts from the Florida 1838 and Florida 1868 Constitutions to analyze similarities and differences. Students will then create a timeline of events during Reconstruction in Florida and discuss the impact Reconstruction had on the state and government.

Type: Lesson Plan

Reconstruction Amendments - Stations :

In this lesson, students will review the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments and analyze how they expanded opportunities for civic and political participation for African Americans.   

Type: Lesson Plan

Do you know the difference? U.S Constitution vs. FL Constitutions of 1838 and 1868:

In this lesson, students will be able to evaluate and explain how the Fl Constitution of 1838 was amended in 1868 to conform to the US Constitution in terms of citizenship, equal protection, and male suffrage.

Students will also evaluate the impact of the Reconstruction Era amendments.

Type: Lesson Plan

Comparing Florida’s Constitutions:

In this lesson plan, students will read and compare the Florida Constitutions of 1838 and 1868.

Type: Lesson Plan

The 14th Amendment:

In this lesson plan, students will read and analyze the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, along with background information on Frederick Douglass.

Type: Lesson Plan

Citizenship and the Constitution:

In this lesson, students will engage in a whole class discussion about citizenship from colonial times through Reconstruction.  Students will then collaborate to analyze excerpts from two primary documents.  Ultimately, students will create a "mindmap" to represent what they learned about U.S. citizenship.

Type: Lesson Plan

Analyzing the Reconstruction Amendments:

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the Reconstruction era voting rights amendments that expanded civic participation. Students will read and analyze the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments culminating in a closing discussion.

Type: Lesson Plan

Reconstruction Amendments:

In this lesson plan, students will evaluate how amendments to the U.S. Constitution expanded opportunities for civic participation through Reconstruction.

Type: Lesson Plan

Primary Sources of the Civil War:

In this lesson, students will read and analyze 3 source documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Gettysburg Address. Students will first read the documents independently and annotate them. Students will then work cooperatively to compare and contrast the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address and look for the influence of the Declaration of Independence on both.

Type: Lesson Plan

Comparing Constitutions:

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the 1838 and 1868 versions of Florida’s state constitution. Students will work in groups to learn about the contents of the documents and the historical context in which they were written and adopted. The teacher will lead a discussion and comparison of the two constitutions as students complete written notes.

Type: Lesson Plan

Thank You, Mr. Lincoln!:

This web resource from the Civil War Trust will engage students through an analysis of primary source documents as they work to discuss the meaning and significance of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Type: Lesson Plan

1860-1861: The Country Goes To War:

This web resource, from the Civil War Trust, helps students examine the state of the nation and the sequence of events leading to the Civil War. A thorough PowerPoint and graphic organizer are included to ensure students are fully engaged while learning. Supporting activities include questions putting students in the shoes of the citizens of the time, giving them a unique perspective and an exit ticket to help reinforce what they just learned.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Effects of the Civil War:

This lesson is intended to help students identify and discuss the effects of the American Civil War, with an emphasis on helping students summarize the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, examine John Wilkes Booth's assassination of President Lincoln, and understand the terms reconstruction and reunification.

Type: Lesson Plan

Frederick Douglass’s Speech “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro” Social Studies LP:

The purpose of this lesson is to give students studying the causes of the Civil War an opportunity to consider the difficult subject of abolition from multiple viewpoints. They will do this by analyzing a primary source document. This document will be analyzed using two strategies, the "SOAPStone" and a "Chalk Talk". The former is designed to generate a basic understanding of the text and the latter to consider the document in greater depth. This lesson should be implemented at a point where the students have already learned the history of slavery both in the North and the South.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

The Reconstruction Amendments:

Learn more about Reconstruction and the amendments to the U.S. Constitution passed during the Reconstruction era with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Florida's Constitutions:

Learn about the 1838 Florida Constitution and the 1868 Florida Constitution with this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Presentation/Slideshow

The 1868 Florida Constitution:

This PowerPoint slideshow is designed to support teachers in delivering direct instruction on the origins and content of Florida's 1868 state constitution. The accompanying guided notes can be completed by students during instruction.

Type: Presentation/Slideshow

Teaching Idea

Reconstruction Amendments:

In this source analysis activity, students will examine the Reconstruction Amendments: 13,14,15.    After careful examination of the 3 amendments they will look at political cartoons from the time period to see reactions to Reconstruction. 

Type: Teaching Idea

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Original Student Tutorials

The Reconstruction Amendments:

Learn more about Reconstruction and the amendments to the U.S. Constitution passed during the Reconstruction era with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Comparing Florida's Constitutions:

Learn about the 1838 Florida Constitution and the 1868 Florida Constitution with this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this topic.