Lesson
Civil War and Reconstruction
Guiding question
To what degree did each of the following inform the ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson : custom, precedent, and federalism?
Founding Principles
Guiding Questions
- To what degree did each of the following inform the ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson: custom, precedent, and federalism?
- How did President Andrew Johnson interpret the Constitution with respect to restoring the Union after the Civil War?
Objectives
- Students will explore the Supreme Court case of Plessy v. Ferguson and evaluate its impact and legacy.
- Students will analyze President Johnson’s plans for restoration of the Union following the Civil War and assess their effectiveness.
Materials
Educator Resources
- Handouts C-I Answer Keys
- Handout J: Andrew Johnson and the Civil War Amendments Answer Key
- Handout K: Johnson’s First Annual Message to Congress Answer Key
- Handout L: Analyzing Johnson’s First Annual Message to Congress Answer Key
Student Handouts
- Civil War and Reconstruction Essay
- Handout A: The United States Constitution
- Handout B: Plessy v. Ferguson Case Background
- Handout C: The Declaration, the Constitution, and Personhood
- Handout D: Thomas Jefferson Note and Letter
- Handout E: Amendments and Federalism
- Handout F: The Legacy of Plessy
- Handout G: Plessy v. Ferguson Majority Opinion
- Handout H: Plessy v. Ferguson Dissenting Opinion
- Handout I: Document Analysis Form
- Handout J: Andrew Johnson and the Civil War Amendments
- Handout K: Andrew Johnson’s First Annual Message to Congress
- Handout L: Analyzing Johnson’s First Annual Message to Congress
Lesson Components
Lesson plan
Key Terms
- tyranny
- republic
- Thirteenth Amendment
- Declaration of Independence
- equality
Standards
Related materials
How did the odious doctrine of “separate but equal” become legally permissible in the U.S.? This Homework Help narrative explores the story of the Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case. Further, analyze how the idea of “separate but equal” violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment through incorporation that was later struck down in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Case championing the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Due to the process of incorporation, the Supreme Court was able to eventually rule that the states had to adhere to the protections listed in the Bill of Rights.
Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.