Who participated in the debate over the meaning of freedom? What role did African Americans play? What role did lawmakers play (both federally and in the states)?

While the 13th Amendment ended slavery in the United States, it did not define what freedom for formerly enslaved Americans would actually mean. The debate over the meaning of freedom for freedpeople is one of the primary conflicts in the history of the Reconstruction era. Centered on Defining Freedom, Part Two of Facing History's video series about Reconstruction, and enhanced with readings and activities, this lesson will help to illuminate the choices and aspirations of freedpeople, and the methods in which the government defined and sought to protect freedpeople's newly acquired rights. Students will consider the concept of freedom, what it means to be free, and what role freedom plays in their own lives. They will also begin to reflect on the question of whether or not someone who is excluded from full and equal membership in society is truly free.

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