History 20/20-21 Lecture Video — Reconstruction to Gilded Age (Key Terms)

Course Notes: Reconstruction, US Global Power, and Course Policies

• Note: These notes summarize the provided transcript from a syllabus/lecture. Some portions include informal anecdotes and policy as spoken by the instructor; where numbers or specifics are stated, I’ve preserved them as given (with clarifying notes where the transcript is unclear).
• All major topics, definitions, concepts, and policy points are organized below in a study-friendly bullet format.

Instructor, TA, and Course Orientation

• Instructor: Dr. Luke Troxell (and Logan as graduate assistant).
  • PhD from the University of North Texas; specialty in modern US history with a focus on World War II, air power, and American bombing campaigns.
  • Research focus: application of aviation in military operations; WWII bombing campaigns.
  • Affiliation: MTsU; previously on emergency basis, now continuing.
  • Teaching philosophy: emphasizes supportive, accessible mentorship; strives to avoid a detached, “front desk” style; acknowledges different teaching styles; aims to help students improve over time.
• Graduate Assistant: Logan Sprouse (Logan).
  • Research area: US–Japanese cultural exchange; influence of Japanese video games on American pop culture from the 1990s to early 2010s.
  • Role: split grading with Dr. Troxell; serves as first point of contact for grading questions; will notify the instructor of issues.
• Course context: History 2020/2021 (20th century US history) with a focus on modern military history and the application of aviation.
• Icebreaker/intro: Class starts with personal introductions and student-facing icebreakers to build familiarity in a small class setting.

Course Structure and Aims (Big Topics)

• Four major themes guiding the course (as outlined by the instructor):
  • Theme 1: How the United States evolves into a global power; from a regional player to a preeminent world power by the end of the 20th century.
  • Theme 2: US economic evolution; from a relatively poor economy to the world’s leading economy by around 1910; exploration of who benefits from growth (wealth concentration, distribution of money).
  • Theme 3: Civil rights and race; what freedom and citizenship look like for freed people after slavery; right to vote; equality for women and other marginalized groups; focus on African Americans and other minorities; discussion of lynching and anti-lynching legislation; ongoing struggle for equal rights.
  • Theme 4: The role of government in daily life (the balance between a small government vs. active government during progressive reforms); the idea that Americans care about how much the government should intervene in daily life, including economic and social policy.
• Core metaphor used for civil rights progress: Civil rights movements are like waves on a beach—erosion happens gradually, but occasionally a big wave fundamentally reshapes the landscape (e.g., landmark legislations and shifts in policy).
• Foundational historical arc: Begin with Reconstruction (post-C Civil War) as a preface to later US history; Reconstruction’s failures set the stage for later policy and civil rights struggles.

Reconstruction: Presidential vs. Congressional, key players, and amendments

• Core question after the Civil War: How should the United States approach Reconstruction?
• Two major approaches to Reconstruction:
  • Presidential Reconstruction (led by the president).
  • Congressional Reconstruction (led by Congress).
• Three major plans within these approaches:
  • Lincoln’s Plan: The 10% Plan (presidential reconstruction).
  • Andrew Johnson’s Plan: Johnson’s Reconstruction plan (presidential, post-Lincoln).
  • Congressional Reconstruction Acts: The more radical, congressional-led approach.
• Important nuance: The two approaches differ on who drives policy (President vs. Congress) and on how to reintegrate the former Confederacy.
• Key amendments and institutions emerging from this era:
  • 13th Amendment (ends slavery).
  • 14th Amendment (birthright citizenship, civil rights, limits on office-holding for rebels).
  • 15th Amendment (voting rights for citizens regardless of race).
  • Freedmen’s Bureau (federal agency to aid newly freed slaves with education, reunification of families, job placement).
• Freedmen’s Bureau role: Education (e.g., Freedmen’s Bureau schools), reunification of families sold apart during slavery, job assistance.
• Southern countermeasures and civil oppression: Black Codes emerge; Ku Klux Klan (KKK) activites; Congress uses federal troops to enforce civil rights and counter violence.
• End of Reconstruction (1877) and the Jim Crow era: Reconstruction ends; federal troops withdraw; southern states reassert control; civil rights gains are rolled back in many areas.
• Reformers and opposition within Republicans:
  • Thaddeus Stevens and a faction of Radical Republicans argued for stronger protections and restructuring of the South; some Republicans argued for revenge or punitive measures.
  • Rift between revenge-oriented Republicans and those who wanted genuine structural change.
• The Davis Bill and related debates: A rival plan to Lincoln’s 10% plan; used as a countermeasure to block Lincoln-era policies; details discussed in class-text and handouts.
• The lecture uses a historical vignette approach (comparing Lincoln, Johnson, Congress) to illustrate competing visions for Reconstruction and their consequences.

The Freedmen, Black Codes, KKK, and Federal Intervention

• Freedmen’s Bureau: a federal effort to transition formerly enslaved people to freedom; aimed at education, mobility, reuniting families, and job placement; support for building hospitals and schools; some counties had Freedmen’s Bureau schools.
• Black Codes: restrictive state laws designed to limit the rights and mobility of freed people; an early attempt to reassert a social order similar to slavery in other forms.
• Federal troops: presence in the South to enforce civil rights, protect voting rights, and counter violence by white supremacist groups (e.g., KKK).
• The transformation from Reconstruction gains to Jim Crow: after Reconstruction ends, new laws and practices curb political participation and civil rights of African Americans; federal protections are weakened.

The Major Amendments and Institutions to Know

• 13th Amendment: Abolishment of slavery.
• 14th Amendment: Grants civil rights, birthright citizenship; restricts office-holding by rebels; includes a protections framework for equal protection under law.
• 15th Amendment: Prohibits denial of voting rights based on race; ensures voting rights for Black men (and prompts later civil rights debates about universal suffrage for all citizens).
• Freedmen’s Bureau: an instrument of federal government to aid former slaves in education, family reunification, employment, and basic social services.

The Monopoly Assignment as a Case Study in Gilded Age Economics

• New course activity: a board-game Monopoly assignment used to illuminate Gilded Age economics.
  • Part 1: Document your unique game experience (record moves, decisions, and outcomes).
  • Part 2: Read primary-source materials from the Gilded Age about capitalism and laissez-faire economics; compare these views with your Monopoly experience.
  • Part 3: Write about broader Gilded Age economics; integrate textbook chapters and course material.
• Rationale: use a familiar game as a springboard to discuss economic concentration, monopoly risks, and the social costs/benefits of a laissez-faire economy.
• Epistemic aim: connect student experiences to historical realities of the Gilded Age (late 19th century) where monopolies (trusts) could concentrate wealth and control markets, impacting consumer welfare and economic inequality.

Course Requirements and Assessment (as described in transcript)

• Exams: three exams total, designed to divide the semester into thirds. Each exam uses the same format:
  • 20 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) worth 40 points.
  • 1 long essay required; there are two prompt options; you choose one to answer.
  • The exam is handwritten in a blue book; you’ll need to purchase a blue book for exam writing.
  • Each exam is a 2-hour session (as stated for final; equivalent duration implied for others).
  • The exams are not comprehensive; each one covers its respective third of the semester.
• Final exam: treated as the third third, separate from the first two exams; not a comprehensive retake of material from earlier exams.
• Reading quizzes: in-class quizzes tied to readings (e.g., Reading Quiz on Chapter 15). Used in part for attendance credit; date noted in schedule.
• Attendance: 5% of the grade; policy outlined with a basic attendance scale (0–2 absences = full credit; additional absences reduce a student’s grade; excused absences require documentation and may be excused).
• Course components (non-exam): Reading quizzes and in-class activities contribute to the overall grade; exact weights not consistently specified in transcript but included.
• Extra support and policy: review sessions before exams; outline-building; practice and feedback processes to help improve essay writing; opportunities to resubmit or revise essays with an oral, informal meeting (see “Policy: Essay revision in office”).
• Essay revision policy (Student support policy): Students can redo exam essays by meeting with the instructor, bringing the original essays and comments, and discussing improvements verbally in an informal setting (coffee-talk style). The policy emphasizes learning from feedback and improving subsequent performance.
• Academic integrity and consequences:
  • Plagiarism, cheating, or the use of AI tools to write papers are strictly prohibited.
  • A zero is assigned for the assignment/exam in case of academic dishonesty; university investigations may ensue.
  • Appeals process exists if students wish to challenge the grade.
• Supporting policies:
  • Disability and Access Center: reasonable accommodations are available with documentation.
  • Title IX resources and reporting; student safety and well-being resources (hotline, campus police, counseling).
  • Mental health: resources and encouragement to seek help if overwhelmed; professor offers to help connect students to proper campus resources.
• Schedule and flexibility:
  • The schedule is subject to change; the instructor commits to not adding assignments beyond extra credit and may adjust dates if necessary; cancellations or delays acknowledged (e.g., weather events, power outages).
• Classroom norms and community:
  • Emphasis on respectful communication; if concerns arise, students should approach Logan first, then the instructor; foster a supportive learning environment; emphasize collaboration and mutual respect.
• Practical logistics:
  • Icebreakers and student introductions at the start; attendance taken by quizzes; office hours and study groups encouraged; utilization of campus resources (tutoring, study spaces, etc.).

The Course Syllabus: Core Historical Content Preview (Reconstruction Focus)

• Reconstruction as a foundational chapter for understanding later US history (the “preface” to long-term developments).
• Central questions in Reconstruction: how to place freed people in the social, political, and economic fabric of the United States; how to reintegrate Southern states; who should drive Reconstruction (
  Presidential vs. Congressional leadership).
• Key figures and ideas:
  • Lincoln: advocated a relatively lenient path to readmission (the 10% plan).
  • Andrew Johnson: successor who pursued his own path; faced opposition from Republicans; his stance contributed to a clash over Reconstruction policy.
  • Thaddeus Stevens and Radical Republicans: advocates for stronger protections and reforms for African Americans in the South; tension within the party about how radical reforms should be.
  • Davis Bill (reconstruction policy) described in class as a counter-plan to Lincoln’s approach.
• The three-part framework that emerges from the two-track approach of Reconstruction:
  • Presidential Reconstruction (by Lincoln and then Johnson) vs. Congressional Reconstruction.
  • The 3 Reconstruction plans that shaped policy: Lincoln’s 10% Plan, Johnson’s plan, and Congressional Reconstruction Acts.
• End of Reconstruction and consequences:
  • 1877 marks the withdrawal of federal troops and the demise of robust federal enforcement of rights in the South.
  • The rise of Jim Crow and the rollback of many civil rights gains.
• We’ll track three major political/legal outcomes:
  • Civil rights advances (13th, 14th, 15th Amendments; Freedmen’s Bureau) vs. the resistance to those rights in the post-Reconstruction era.
  • The role of federal power to enforce rights in the South vs. states’ resistance and the emergence of Black Codes.
  • The long arc from early federal intervention to late-19th/early-20th-century struggles for civil rights.

Notable Examples and Memory Aids from the Lecture

• Civil rights waves metaphor: Visualize progress as waves; sometimes advances look incremental, but a major wave (e.g., constitutional amendments, federal protections) can reshape the landscape dramatically.
• The 10% Plan (Lincoln): a relatively lenient path to readmission for Confederate states; required only 10% of the 1860 voting population to pledge allegiance and form a government.
• Johnson’s opposition to certain radical reforms: friction with Congress about how to restructure the South and how to treat the former Confederates.
• The role of the Freedmen’s Bureau as a multifaceted program (education, family reunification, job creation, and social support).
• The shift from Reconstruction gains to Jim Crow: federal support declines, Southern states reassert discriminatory practices, and civil rights progress stalls for decades.
• The Monopoly assignment as a pedagogical tool: linking a popular game to Gilded Age economics to illustrate how a laissez-faire system can concentrate wealth and influence; use of primary sources to contrast lived experience with historical narratives.

Quick Reference: Key Terms to Remember (Glossary)

• Reconstruction: The period following the Civil War when the U.S. attempted to reintegrate the former Confederacy and redefine citizenship and rights.
• Presidential Reconstruction: Plans run by the President (Lincoln, then Johnson) to reintegrate Southern states.
• Congressional Reconstruction: Plan developed and enforced by Congress, aiming for more robust civil rights protections and structural change in the South.
• 10% Plan: Lincoln’s approach requiring 10% of voters to pledge allegiance to the United States to re-establish a state government.
• Freedmen’s Bureau: Federal agency established to aid newly freed slaves with education, labor contracts, and family reunification.
• 13th Amendment: Abolishes slavery.
• 14th Amendment: Grants citizenship and equal protection under the law; restricts former rebels from holding office under certain conditions.
• 15th Amendment: Grants voting rights regardless of race (for male citizens at the time).
• Black Codes: State laws restricting the rights and mobility of freed people.
• Ku Klux Klan (KKK): White supremacist organization that used violence and intimidation to suppress Black civil rights.
• Jim Crow: System of racial segregation and discrimination in the South after Reconstruction.
• Thaddeus Stevens: Radical Republican leader advocating for aggressive reforms to reshape Southern society.
• Davis Bill: A rival reconstruction plan discussed in class; presented as a counterpoint to Lincoln’s plan.
• Monopoly (Gilded Age context): Concentration of capital and control in a few firms; used in class as a lens to discuss economic policy and social effects.
• Blue book: A small, bound booklet used for handwritten exams.
• Panopto: Recorded lecture platform referenced for class recordings.

LaTeX notes (selected formulas and numeric references)

• Exam structure and points:
  • Each exam: 20 ext{ MCQ questions}
    ightarrow 40 ext{ points}, ext{ plus } 1 ext{ long essay }
    ightarrow 60 ext{ points} ext{ (total } 100 ext{ points)}.
  • There are three exams in total: $ext{Exam 1}, ext{Exam 2}, ext{Final (Exam 3)}$ each worth 100 points, and not comprehensive.
• Gilded Age economics analysis framework (assignment):
  • Part 1: Student’s unique game experience (Monopoly moves recorded).
  • Part 2: Compare to primary sources from the Gilded Age; discuss capitalism and policy implications.
  • Part 3: Synthesize with course textbook and broader historical context.
• Civil rights progression metaphor: waves on a beach; erosion and occasional transformative waves, i.e., major civil rights milestones.
• Rotational policy references (Reconstruction):
  • 13th Amendment, 14th Amendment, 15th Amendment ⇒
    ext{Abolish slavery} o ext{citizenship & rights} o ext{voting rights}
• Attendance policy (summary):
  • 0–2 absences: full attendance credit; more absences reduce the grade on a sliding scale; excused absences require documentation.

Practical Takeaways for Exam Preparation

• Understand the two tracks of Reconstruction (Presidential vs Congressional) and the three plans (Lincoln’s 10%, Johnson’s approach, Congressional Acts). Be able to compare and contrast their goals, methods, and outcomes.
• Memorize the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, and the Freedmen’s Bureau role; know how these aimed to reshape citizenship and rights and why outcomes varied by region and over time.
• Be able to discuss the rise and fall of Reconstruction, the emergence of Black Codes and Jim Crow, and the role of federal troops in enforcing civil rights during Reconstruction.
• Recognize the tension within the Republican party (Radical Republicans vs. more conservative factions) and the political dynamics surrounding Reconstruction policy.
• Use the Monopoly assignment as a lens to discuss Gilded Age economics: what a monopoly implies for consumer welfare, distribution of wealth, and the social costs of unregulated markets.
• Be prepared to discuss the course’s four overarching themes and how Reconstruction connects to US emergence as a global power, the US economic transformation, civil rights, and government involvement in daily life.
• Review the instructor’s policy on attendance, quizzes, essays, and makeup opportunities; understand that the course emphasizes learning from feedback and improving through office-hour discussions and revision opportunities.
• Be mindful of campus support resources (Disability and Access Center, Title IX, mental health resources, tutoring, etc.) and know how to access them if needed.

End of notes