Class Updates: 1/28/13 and 1/29/13

Yesterday in class (1/28/13) we went to the computer lab and worked on two worksheets. We were placed in groups and everyone got a state to do research on. My group had Louisiana and we found out state population around 1860-1870, percentage of African Americans, cash value of farms, and growth in capital investment in manufacturing. We had to put ourselves in the eyes of the southerners after the Civil War, and decide what we would do legally and what we would do illegally. We also answered a few questions on a political cartoon that depicted KKK members. The second worksheet we did was on The Black Codes. After the Civil War slaves were free, this meant the south was going to punish them as much as they could. This is when The Black Codes were created; these laws meant blacks had different schools, bathrooms and restaurants. The Black Codes also created many laws that prevented African Americans from owning property and starting businesses.

Today in class (1/29/13) we talked about the 14^th Amendment. The 14^th amendment suspended The Black Codes, allowed citizenship and equal rights. If someone was born or “naturalized” in the United States of America they would be considered U.S citizens. It was possible for both your parents to have been illegal immigrants and you being born in the U.S, would become a citizen with equal rights. African Americans were encouraged to go to school, get a job, and get married. In groups at the end of class we created a magazine cover that displayed news on the 14^th Amendment.