Analyze Reconstruction (1865-1877) as a moment of interracial democratic possibility (Foner 1988 + Du Bois 1935) — Freedmen's Bureau + 2,000+ Black officeholders 1865-1877 including Hiram Revels + Blanche Bruce + 16 Black congressmen + 700+ state legislators per Foner 1996 — refusing Dunning School and Lost Cause
Exercise Difficulty 5 ~20 min hist.g8.f.ex_33

Essay

Prompt

Apply Q9 LOST-CAUSE-DETECTION to the secondary-source claim: 'Reconstruction governments were uniquely corrupt and incompetent.' Refute with 3 pieces of evidence.

How it's presented
mode text
Answer criteria
type rubric
criteria
  1. Names Q9 verdict (Dunning School / Lost Cause framing)
  2. Cites Northern-Republican corruption equivalents (Tweed Ring NYC + Crédit Mobilier scandal)
  3. Cites Foner 1996 documenting 2,000+ named Black officeholders
  4. Cites Reconstruction state achievements (first public school systems for poor whites + Black + civil rights laws)
  5. Names Foner 1988 + Du Bois 1935 + Gates 2019 scholarly anchors
  6. Applies MG-14b PROMISE explicitly
Hints
  1. Northern Republican machines were AT LEAST as corrupt as Reconstruction governments.
  2. Foner 1996 directory documents real biographical achievement.
Misconceptions to watch
  • Allowing 'balance' between Dunning framing + historical evidence
Used in lessons