| Assignment: Read the two letters from the period of Reconstruction – one from 1865 and one from 1870 – and address ALL of the following questions. The letters are posted on Canvas. Your assignment should be in essay format, with separate paragraphs, full and complete sentences, and free from grammar and spelling errors. It should be approximately 2 pages in length, double-spaced. Proofread and edit your paper before submitting. What does freedom mean to Jourdan Anderson in 1865? In other words, what things can he (and his family) experience and do now that he is free that he could not do before? Use some specific examples from the letter. What was his life like on the plantation as a slave? What is the overall meaning of his letter? Do you think he was serious? Why do you think he wrote this letter? What do his tone and word choices tell us? According to Albion Tourgee, what is the Ku Klux Klan doing and why? Who are their targets? Be specific and use several clear examples from the letter. Who does Tourgee blame for the KKK’s actions? What is his suggested solution? What does Tourgee fear will happen next? Judging from this letter, do you think the KKK is a large or small organization at this time (in 1870)? Why do you think so? FINALLY, thinking of both of these primary sources, how do we see “freedom” changing in the five years between 1865 and 1870? A note on terminology: Please watch your word usage with this assignment and future ones. The word “Negro” was in use during this time, but it fell out of use in the 1970s and is no longer considered an appropriate term to use or say. You should use the terms African American, Black, or Person of Color instead. |
