U.S. History Honors - Reconstruction Essay Outline

Suppose that you are the editor of a high school US History textbook and you need a title for the chapter on Reconstruction. You want a title that expresses the best analysis of the Reconstruction era. Was Dunning right about the heroes and villains of the era? Was Du Bois? How can you put it in a way that high school students will understand? A few titles that have worked in recent textbooks are:

A. Little Effort, Little Change D. Half a Revolution: The Seeds of Change

B. A Darn Good Try E. Trying Too Much Too Soon

C. Heroic Efforts of Freedmen F. How the South Won the Second Civil War

Feel free to use one of these titles if you think it best captures the significance of Reconstruction policies, experiences and outcomes. Write an OUTLINE for a 5 paragraph essay in which you explain your chapter title and how your title captures the significance of the Reconstruction era.

Write out the introduction in full sentences and formal style. Write full analytical topic sentences for each body paragraph. Use numbers and letters to organize supporting evidence and analysis within each body paragraph. Use SPECIFIC examples and details to support your analysis [think - names, dates and events]. Five paragraphs only - part of your challenge is to select the BEST evidence.

Example outline of part of a body paragraph (actual para would likely be longer to include more detail as well as your analysis -- i.e., ensure have fully explained argument in topic sentence):

C. Lincoln’s reluctance to support Black suffrage was appropriate in his political context.
1. 1872 election Democrats gained majority in House on “white man’s country” platform
2. letter to Chase 1865 – “a fight for Black suffrage now will extend the war by years”
3. 15th Amendment took 4 year fight in Congress and alienated many voters in North and South

Remember elements of formal organization as well as the department’s formal style guide:

- title: - intrigues reader, previews thesis

- introduction: - intrigues the reader, begins with a hook

- provides background information for context

- previews your evidence

- answers the question in a one sentence thesis statement (last sentence)

- body: - topic sentence that links to essay’s thesis; serves as “mini-thesis” to para.

- describes evidence - who, what, when, where

- explains what the evidence demonstrates

- conclusion: - provides one para summary of thesis and main points, closing thoughts

Don’t forget these elements of formal style in your introduction:

- no personal voice - I, you, one, we

- no contractions or slang

- pronoun control - nouns are your friends

- no rhetorical questions

- use power vocabulary: no basically really big things seem to have occurred