A class debate will be staged to determine which President was most influential in the Civil Rights Movement. Primary documents will be examined and which students will utilize to defend the actions of their chosen/assigned President.
The purpose of this lesson is to take a comparative examination of the Civil Rights Movement. The actions of three Presidents at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement will be examined to determine the effectiveness of each.
- Examine primary source documents.
- Prepare and execute a classroom debate.
- Write a concluding essay.
- 1B Explain the relevance and connection of constitutional principles in key Supreme Court decisions
- 2A Explain the importance of the principles of majority rule and minority rights and constitution and civil rights
- 3aK Explain the importance of the principles of majority rule and minority rights and constitution and civil rights
- 6K Compare and contrast the major ideas and beliefs of different cultures
- 6L Analyze how the roles of class, ethnic, racial, gender and age groups have changed in society, including causes and effects
- 6O Determine the causes, consequences and possible resolutions of cultural conflicts
- 7A Distinguish between and analyze primary and secondary sources
- 7G Support a point of view
- Freedom to Serve by Jon Taylor
- Executive Order 9981 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/300009
- Robert Patterson to the President’s Committee on Civil Rights https://catalog.archives.gov/id/321496600
- Utilization of Negro Manpower in the Postwar Army Policy https://catalog.archives.gov/id/284918885
- Statement by the President (concerning the recognition and violence in Israel) https://catalog.archives.gov/id/284840907
- Recognition of Israel https://catalog.archives.gov/id/200612
- Brown v. Board decision http://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/347/483
- Letter to Swede Hazlett http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/civil_rights_brown_v_boe/1957_07_22_DDE_to_Hazlett.pdf
- Civil Rights Act of 1957 http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/civil_rights_act/Civil_Rights_Bill.pdf
- Pamphlet on The Commission on Civil Rights http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/civil_rights_act/Pamphlet_Commission_on_Civil_Rights.pdf
- Eisenhower Telegram to Governor Faubus http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/civil_rights_little_rock/Press_release_DDE_telegram_to_Faubus.pdf
- Executive Order 10730 http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/civil_rights_little_rock/Press_Release_EO_10730.pdf
- Civil Rights Act of 1964 http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=97
- Johnson’s Remarks on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/speech-3525
- Voting Rights Act of 1965 http://ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=100
- Johnson Speech on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/speech-3386
- Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act) http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/progdesc/title8
- Johnson’s Remarks on the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act) http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/speech-4036
- Students will be asked to compare and debate the civil rights actions of Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and Lyndon Johnson. Students will be divided into 3 groups. Each group will be provided the primary documents listed above for the President’s group they represent. Students will be provided time to review the documents and discuss talking points to support their President within their group. The following class period, the students will debate which President was most instrumental in the development of the Civil Rights Movement. I foresee the debate to be relatively unstructured instead of a formal debate. Students will use the talking points developed from the previous class period to support their President. Key issues will include Executive Order 9981, Recognition of Israel, Civil Rights Act of 1957, Executive Order 10730, Topeka v. Board, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and Civil Rights Act of 1968. Following the debate, students will write a concluding essay to summarize the arguments presented and confirm the support of the President they supported or switch loyalties to a different President.
The debate will be assessed on participation. The essay will be graded based on the following scoring guide.
Essay Scoring Guide
The following scoring guide is used to evaluate essays. All essays must have the following components:
Points Received
Thesis: 5 Points Possible
Essay proves a point rather than simply restating information. _____
Evidential points lead to a logical and sensible conclusion.
Information is presented objectively, free of personal bias.
Information & Accuracy: 10 Points Possible
Thesis is supported by factual information as opposed to _____
opinion or supposition. Responses were given for every aspect
of every question asked in the directions. There is no
redundancy other than for the purpose of an introduction or
summary. A variety of sources are assessed and analyzed.
Distinctions are clear between assertions of the sources and
those of the student.
Analysis: 5 Points Possible
Evidence of comprehension of the implication of the subject _____
matter upon history. Provides a link to other political or
other social issues throughout history. Evidence of critical
thinking and a greater depth of knowledge.
Clarity: 5 Points Possible
Answers are provided in complete and grammatically correct _____
sentences. There are no spelling errors. The reader is not
distracted by mistakes. The conclusion appropriately
summarizes ideas presented.
Total: _____