Lincoln's Assassination & Presidential Reconstruction

Active learning works for this topic because Reconstruction’s competing visions are best understood through debate and analysis, not passive reading. Students grapple with counterfactuals, primary texts, and policy comparisons to see how Lincoln’s assassination reshaped the nation’s future in real time.

• 11th Grade
• US History
• 4 activities
• 25 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the immediate and long-term impacts of Abraham Lincoln's assassination on the course of Reconstruction.
2. Compare and contrast the Reconstruction plans of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, identifying key differences in their approaches.
3. Explain the primary goals and motivations behind Andrew Johnson's lenient Reconstruction policies.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of Presidential Reconstruction under Andrew Johnson in addressing the challenges facing the nation post-Civil War.

Gallery Walk

⏱ 40 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk: Two Visions for Reconstruction

Post excerpts from Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, his Ten Percent Plan, Johnson's veto messages, and Black Codes around the room. Students move in pairs, annotating each source with what it reveals about the speaker's vision for Reconstruction. The class then maps the competing visions on a shared graphic organizer.

Prepare & details

Analyze the immediate and long-term consequences of Abraham Lincoln's assassination.

Facilitation Tip: During the Gallery Walk, circulate and listen for students to connect Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan to Johnson’s Black Codes while standing at the right poster.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Fishbowl Discussion

⏱ 45 min·Whole Class

Fishbowl Discussion: Did Johnson Betray Lincoln's Legacy?

Six to eight students sit in an inner circle to debate whether Johnson's approach honored Lincoln's legacy or contradicted it. Outer circle students observe and take notes on arguments, then rotate in. Post-discussion, students write a brief position statement citing at least two primary sources.

Prepare & details

Explain Andrew Johnson's lenient approach to Reconstruction and its goals.

Facilitation Tip: For the Fishbowl Discussion, assign the inner circle roles such as Freedmen or Radical Republicans to ensure balanced perspectives.

Setup: Inner circle of 4-6 chairs, outer circle surrounding them

Materials: Discussion prompt or essential question, Observation notes template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Counterfactual Reconstruction

Present students with the prompt: If Lincoln had lived, how might Reconstruction have unfolded differently? Pairs discuss for five minutes, then share with a neighboring pair before whole-class synthesis. Students practice counterfactual reasoning and distinguish evidence from speculation.

Prepare & details

Compare Johnson's vision for Reconstruction with Lincoln's earlier plans.

Facilitation Tip: Have students complete the Think-Pair-Share in writing first so quieter voices have space to process before sharing aloud.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Case Study Analysis

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Timeline Analysis: Presidential vs. Congressional Reconstruction

Small groups build a comparative timeline from 1865 to 1868, marking key Johnson actions (Black Codes, pardons, vetoes) against Congressional responses (Civil Rights Act, Reconstruction Amendments). Groups then identify the turning points when Congressional authority gained the upper hand.

Prepare & details

Analyze the immediate and long-term consequences of Abraham Lincoln's assassination.

Setup: Groups at tables with case materials

Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by using structured discussions to surface tensions between reunification and justice. Avoid overloading students with dates; instead, anchor each lesson in a key policy or event. Research shows that when students role-play historical actors, they better grasp the stakes of Reconstruction’s contested outcomes.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently contrasting Lincoln’s and Johnson’s plans, citing specific policies and their consequences. They should articulate why the assassination mattered and how early choices set the stage for Radical Reconstruction or white resistance.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Gallery Walk: Two Visions for Reconstruction, some students may assume Lincoln’s plan guaranteed civil rights for freedpeople.

What to Teach Instead

During the Gallery Walk, redirect students by asking them to locate specific clauses about voting rights or land redistribution in Lincoln’s plan and compare them to the Freedmen’s Bureau posters.

Common Misconception

During the Fishbowl Discussion: Did Johnson Betray Lincoln's Legacy?, learners may argue Johnson’s policies were just a slower version of Lincoln’s approach.

What to Teach Instead

During the Fishbowl Discussion, have students compare Lincoln’s Second Inaugural text with Johnson’s veto messages on display, prompting them to note differences in language about Black citizenship and white supremacy.

Common Misconception

During the Timeline Analysis: Presidential vs. Congressional Reconstruction, students might think Lincoln’s death alone forced Congress to take over Reconstruction.

What to Teach Instead

During the Timeline Analysis, ask students to annotate the Wade-Davis Bill’s 50% loyalty oath requirement and explain how it reveals congressional resistance to Lincoln’s plan before April 1865.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Fishbowl Discussion: Did Johnson Betray Lincoln's Legacy?, pose the following question to the class: 'Imagine you are a member of Congress in 1865. Based on Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan and Johnson’s early actions, would you support Presidential Reconstruction or advocate for a different approach? Justify your decision with specific evidence from the plans.' Use student responses to assess their ability to compare policies and cite evidence.

Quick Check

During the Gallery Walk: Two Visions for Reconstruction, distribute a Venn diagram template. Ask students to fill it out comparing Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan and Johnson’s Reconstruction plan. Collect diagrams to check for accurate placement of policies like the Ten Percent Plan, Black Codes, and the Freedmen’s Bureau.

Exit Ticket

After the Timeline Analysis: Presidential vs. Congressional Reconstruction, have students write one sentence explaining why Lincoln’s assassination was a significant turning point for Reconstruction. Then, ask them to list one specific policy enacted or supported by Andrew Johnson that differed from Lincoln’s likely approach.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask early finishers to draft a newspaper editorial from 1866 arguing for or against Johnson’s veto of the Civil Rights Act.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence stems for the Fishbowl Discussion, such as 'As a former enslaved person, I support/oppose Johnson’s plan because...'.
• Deeper exploration: Invite students to research how Black Codes in a specific state compared to Johnson’s stated goals in his veto messages.

Key Vocabulary

Reconstruction	The period after the Civil War (1865-1877) during which the United States attempted to rebuild the South and reintegrate the former Confederate states into the Union.
Ten Percent Plan	Abraham Lincoln's proposed plan for Reconstruction, which required 10% of a state's voters to swear an oath of loyalty to the Union before it could be readmitted.
Black Codes	Laws passed by Southern states after the Civil War that severely restricted the freedom and rights of newly freed African Americans.
Presidential Reconstruction	The phase of Reconstruction led by President Andrew Johnson, characterized by his lenient policies toward the South and a focus on executive authority.
Radical Republicans	A faction of the Republican Party during Reconstruction who advocated for harsher penalties for the South and greater civil rights for African Americans.