High School
Abraham Lincoln is not studied specifically in our high school standards as the standards start at Reconstruction. However, the lessons created by this network focus on how basic principles of government can be changed in a time of national crisis and how Lincoln’s ideas for Reconstruction were or were not carried out by his successors. These lessons are stand alone lessons that can be integrated into your existing curricula. The lessons may extend over duration of days based upon a traditional 60 minute block. The intention of these lessons is to be integrated into units that you may already be doing in your classroom and adapted to meet the needs of your individual classroom.
The lessons focus on the essential questions below:
- How are basic principles of government changed in and affected by a time of national crisis (Civil War)?
- How did Lincoln’s views on Reconstruction affect policies of his successors and the American government?
The first lesson focuses on the hidden flexibility of the Constitution as unforeseen events make it necessary to react to national crises. In this lesson, students will read and discuss how the U.S. government has handled suspending habeas corpus in the past and in current cases. Students will predict the short and long term goals of protecting the rights of the accused with respect to protecting the nation as a whole. Students will, also, list and explain the positive and negative reactions to when the government bends or redefines the Constitution with the help of the Supreme Court to defend its citizens in the name of national security.
The second lesson focuses on Lincoln’s views on Reconstruction. The lesson analyzes the effect of Lincoln’s views on Reconstruction had on policies carried out by his successors. In this lesson, students will read and discuss Lincoln’s plans for reconstruction and then analyze documents from the Johnson, Grant and Hayes administrations to see if the Lincoln goals were carried out. They will predict the short and long term goals of Lincoln’s, Radical Republicans’, Southern whites’ and freedmen. These will be confirmed through reading, watching video and research. Students will, also, list and explain the positive and negative reactions to equality under Reconstruction.
It is important for students to make connections over time. We recommend that you incorporate these lessons into your larger units of study to allow students to make connections to broader concepts within the high school curriculum.