What really ended Reconstruction?
That was the guiding question behind a recent 11th Grade U.S. History lesson that transformed our classroom into a courtroom and our students into historians, lawyers, and jurors.
Ms. Lake participated in a professional development session at the National Council for Social Studies Convention led by the Zinn Education Project focused on teaching Reconstruction through inquiry and critical analysis. Inspired by this session, I designed a mock trial activity that challenged students to investigate the question: “Who killed Reconstruction?”
Reconstruction was a period of real progress when the United States made meaningful strides toward building a multiracial democracy following the Civil War. Yet the era ended abruptly after only about a decade. Rather than memorizing a single explanation, students examined the multiple forces that contributed to its collapse.
Working in groups of four, students were assigned a “culprit” to prosecute—racism, capitalism, Democrats, or Republicans. Groups analyzed historical evidence and built arguments explaining how their defendant played a role in ending Reconstruction. One or two students served as lawyers, presenting their case to the class, while others took on the role of jurors.
After hearing each argument, the jury deliberated at the back of the classroom, debating the evidence and working to reach a unanimous verdict. Students had to persuade one another, listen carefully, and remain open to changing their minds before announcing and explaining their final decision to the class.
As the photo shows, the room was filled with thoughtful discussion and high levels of engagement. It was a dynamic and exciting way to end the Fall semester, and we look forward to incorporating more mock trials and simulations into future history lessons.