Unit 4: Civil Rights

Overview
In this unit, students will analyze the establishment of, advocacy for, barriers to, and legislation about
civil rights (the basic right to be free from unequal treatment in issues concerning protected civil
liberties): WHO is guaranteed the freedom of speech, privacy, freedom from unreasonable searches,
fair court trial, marriage, and the vote. Students should examine legislation concerning race/ethnicity,
gender, disability, religion, and sexual orientation in order to determine how the court system has
defined freedom and equality in American society, and they should also analyze how scientific
developments influenced civil rights legislation, particularly studies in scientific racism. Students
should also analyze the impact of legislative documents and decisions concerning civil rights on social
definitions of freedom and equality, and they should examine social perceptions of freedom, equality,
identity, and the American Dream through such avenues as literature, propaganda, songs and music,
dance, political cartoons, posters, fliers, speeches and rhetoric, and other forms of advertisement
(radio, television, etc). Students should also analyze reformers and social movements such as
populists, progressives, suffrage, the civil rights movement, the tea party, womens rights,
Latino/Chicano movement, American Indian Movement, the 1960s counter-culture, new dealers,
grassroots movements, 20th century religious reform, other lobbyists, and PACs in order to determine
their impact and influences on civil rights legislation. Students should also develop an understanding
of the importance of personal advocacy such as voting, petitions, and the press. Students should
analyze a variety of texts from various well-known and relatively unknown group leaders in order to
analyze the goals and results of various advocacy groups and movements on legislation and social
perceptions concerning freedom and equality. Students should also analyze the use of markers and
monuments related to court decisions and determine their purposes and lasting impacts.

Generalizations
1. Applying historical inquiry methods to a variety of historical texts, both primary and secondary, can
shed light on the American struggle for freedom and equality.
2. American legislation at the federal, state, and local levels have over the years attempted to define
and clarify the civil rights that should be guaranteed by the founding documents to all American
citizens regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, and sexual orientation.
3. Various individuals, groups, movements, and legislature have significantly influenced the
establishment and organization, beliefs, strategies, and actions of civil rights groups that advocate
for greater freedom and equality.
4. Various civil rights leaders and groupsboth well-known and under-appreciatedhave influenced
each other as well as access to basic American civil liberties and civil rights.
5. Individuals and groups sometimes use strategy, power, and authority to oppose greater access to
the basic American civil rights.
6. The American Dream varies among groups and individuals and is tied to the legal and social
application of meanings of freedom and equality and access to basic civil liberties and civil rights.
7. National and local markers and monuments have been built to commemorate the people and
events that upheld freedom and equality.
8. Technological innovationsparticularly in communication, transportation, industry, and science
significantly impact the development and advancement of freedom and equality.
9. Popular culture around the world reflects and impacts struggles and protests for freedom and
equality.
10. Segregation, discrimination, and stereotypes impact the development of identity and the
relationships among peoples, and literature and the arts can be used to examine the development
of identities and relationships over time.

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

Essential Questions
1. How has American legislation at the federal, state, and local levels over the years attempted to
define and clarify the civil rights guaranteed by the founding documents to all American citizens
regardless of race/ethnicity?
2. How has American legislation at the federal, state, and local levels over the years attempted to
define and clarify the civil rights guaranteed by the founding documents to all American citizens
regardless of gender?
3. How has American legislation at the federal, state, and local levels over the years attempted to
define and clarify the civil rights guaranteed by the founding documents to all American citizens
regardless of disability?
4. How has American legislation at the federal, state, and local levels over the years attempted to
define and clarify the civil rights guaranteed by the founding documents to all American citizens
regardless of religion?
5. How has American legislation at the federal, state, and local levels over the years attempted to
define and clarify the civil rights guaranteed by the founding documents to all American citizens
regardless of sexual orientation?
6. Which individuals, groups, movements, and legislature have significantly influenced the
establishment and organization, beliefs, strategies, and actions of civil rights groups, and how?
7. Which civil rights leaders and groupsboth well-known and under-appreciatedhave influenced
each other as well as access to basic American civil liberties and civil rights, and how?
8. How have some individuals and groups used strategy, power, and authority to oppose greater
access to the basic American civil rights?
9. How does the American Dream vary among groups and individuals?
10. How is perception of the American Dream affected by the legal and social application of meanings
of freedom and equality as well as access to basic civil liberties and civil rights?
11. How has American society used national and local markers and monuments to commemorate the
people and events that upheld freedom and equality?
12. How have technological innovationsparticularly in communication, transportation, industry, and
scienceimpacted the development and advancement of freedom and equality?
13. How can segregation, discrimination, and stereotypes impact the development of identity and the
relationships among peoples?
14. How do popular culture, literature, music, and the arts reflect and impact struggles and protests for
freedom and equality?
15. How can popular culture, literature, music, and the arts reveal the impacts of segregation,
discrimination, and stereotypes on the development of identity and relationships?

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

Recommended Case Studies

Race/Ethnicity

Civil Rights Act of 1871 (Enforcement Act)- writ

of habeas corpus can be suspended to combat
the KKK

Civil Rights Act of 1964outlawed major forms

of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national
and religious minorities.

Civil Rights Act of 1968provides equal

housing opportunities regardless of race, creed,
or national origin (signed during the King
assassination riots)

Civil Rights Act of 1991provides for the right

to trial by jury on discrimination claims and
introduced the possibility of emotional
damages but limited the amount a jury could
award.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Civil Rights Act of 2001

Executive Order 88-2- prohibits discrimination

in national defense industry

Executive Order 10925-Affirmative Action

Executive Order 11478-encouraged equal

opportunity employment in the federal civilian
workforce 13087, 11478- prohibits
discrimination

Executive Order 12900- Educational Excellence

for Hispanics

Executive Order 13166- Improving access to

services for people who are Limited English
Proficient

Hernandez v. Texas 1954- Hispanics and all

racial groups have equal protection

Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

abolished the national origins quota system
and replaced it with focusing on immigrants
with skills and family relationships.

No-FEAR Act 2002- prevents supervisors from

engaging in unlawful discrimination and
retaliation

Anti-hate crime laws

Gender/Sexual Orientation

Equal Pay Act of 1963- abolishes wage disparity

based on sex

Employment Non-Discrimination Actproposed

legislation that would prohibit hiring on the
bases of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Has been proposed every year since 1994 but
not passed.

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of

2008- prohibits the use of genetic information
in health insurance and employment.

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993

employers must provide unpaid leave for
qualified medical or family reasons. Mainly
used for pregnant women but also covers
adoption, foster care placement of a child, and
military leave.

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009redefines

the statute of limitations for filing an equal pay
lawsuit.

Equal Rights Amendmentwas proposed to

guarantee equal rights (was not passed)

California Fair Employment and Housing Act

(FEHA)- a California statute used to fight sexual
harassment.

Pregnancy Discrimination Actemployers

cannot fire women based on pregnancy

Paid Family Leave 2002- California statute that

gives disability compensation to cover
individuals who take time off to bond with a
new child.

Disabilities

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 1990

prevents discrimination against people based
on a disability.

Rehabilitation Act of 1973provides grants to

States for rehabilitation services with an
emphasis on those with severe handicaps.

Age

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

prohibits the discrimination against anyone
at least 40 years of age.
Age Discrimination Act of 1975prohibits
discrimination based on age in programs that
receive federal assistance

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

Religion

Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993

aimed at preventing laws that substantially
burden a persons free exercise of religion

Free Exercise Clause

Establishment Clause

Includes state laws about individual states and

their laws about religious freedom.

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

http://civilrights.uslegal.com/religiousfreedom/state-laws-protecting-religiousfreedom/

Other Online Resources

Civil Rights Chronology from 1619:

http://www.civilrights.org/resources/civilrights101/chronology.html

Civil Rights 101 (descriptions, events, legislation, cultural/racial groups):

http://www.civilrights.org/resources/civilrights101/

Ongoing Struggle for Human Rights timeline: http://www.udhr.org/history/timeline.htm

The Story of Race Transcript (history of race perceptions and relations, includes scientific racism):
http://www.understandingrace.org/history/history_trans.html

Mr. Ortliebs History Page (US Government site has leveled readings, cartoons, news clips, videos,
etc): http://mrortlieb.weebly.com/us-government.html

Landmark Cases of the Supreme Court (has background information, additional readings, full and
excerpted rulings and dissenting opinions, political cartoons, activities, links, teaching strategies):
http://www.streetlaw.org/en/landmark/home

A Chronology of US Historical Documents, charters, constitutions, inaugural addresses, newspapers,

legal/historical documents: http://www.law.ou.edu/hist/

Classroom Library Resources

Ripples of Hope: Great American Civil Rights Speeches by Editor Josh Gottheimer

Race & Liberty in America: The Essential Reader by Editor Jonathan Bean

Voices in Our Blood: Americas Best on the Civil Rights Movement by Jon Meacham

Autobiography of a People: Three Centuries of African American History Told by Those Who Lived It
by Editor Herb Boyd

Race, Rights, and the Asian American Experience by Angelo N. Ancheta

Red Power: The Native American Civil Rights Movement by Troy Johnson

Freedoms Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from 1830-1970 by Lynne
Olson

Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Womens Rights Movement by Sally McMillen

Testimonio: A Documentary History of the Mexican-American Struggle for Civil Rights by Francisco A
Rosales

The Science and Politics of Racial Research by William H. Tucker

Crossing Borders: Personal Essays by Sergio Troncoso

Eminent Outlaws: The Gay Writers Who Changed America by Christopher Bram

Civil Rights and Social Wrongs by John Higham

Politics and Pop Culture by John Street

Encyclopedia of Politics, the Media, and Popular Culture by Brian Cogen

The Social Movements Reader: Cases and Concepts by Editor Jeff Goodwin

Popular Culture and Additional Resources

Archiving Early America, portraits, pictures, newspapers, speeches, legal/historical documents:

http://www.earlyamerica.com/

Revolutionary era, Jan 1776, Thomas Paines Common Sense:

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/commonsense/

George Washingtons journal: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/journal/

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

Appeal to Congress for Impartial Suffrage (Frederick Douglass):

http://www.law.ou.edu/ushistory/suff.shtml

Primary posters, cartoons for Presidential elections 1860-1912: http://elections.harpweek.com/

Digital History archives, art, architecture, advertising, slavery, photographs, newspapers,

explanations, etc: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/

The Cagle Post, political cartoons with search: http://www.cagle.com/ (firefox only)

Herblocks History, Political Cartoons from the Crash to the Millennium (with historical contexts):
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/herblock/fire.html ;
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/herblock/fruits.html

Its No Laughing Matter lesson plan, cartoons and interviews from the 60s civil rights movement:
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/activities/politicalcartoon/learn_more.html

America in Caricature 1765-1865: http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/cartoon/cartoons.html

Paul Conrads Perspective on Civil Rights, lesson plan with cartoons, documents, and questions:
http://www.huntington.org/uploadedFiles/Files/PDFs/LHTHconrad.pdf

The Civil Rights Movement lesson plan, cartoons and activities: http://hti.osu.edu/opper/lessonplans/the-civil-rights-movement

The Opper Project, Using Editorial Cartoons to Teach History, list of lesson plans:
http://hti.osu.edu/opper/lesson-plans

Analyzing Political Cartoons PPT: teacherweb.com/MI/UticaHS/Economics/Pol-Cart-CIVILRIGHTS.pptx

Alphabetical list of editorial cartoons: http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/subjects.htm

Notable Speeches and Letters from African Americans:

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmspeeches.html

Speeches on Social Justice: http://www.sojust.net/speeches.html

Famous Speeches & Audio (History.com): http://www.history.com/speeches (firefox only)

American Rhetoric (audio): http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

The Civil Rights Movement and Television: http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?

entrycode=civilrights

Blacks and White TV, African Americans in Television since 1948:

http://www.jfredmacdonald.com/bawtv/index.htm

Civil Rights and the Press, Times v. Sullivan and the Civil Rights Movement:
http://civilrightsandthepress.syr.edu/reflection.html

Civil Rights and the Press, Oral Histories: http://civilrightsandthepress.syr.edu/oral_histories.html

Top 10 Civil Rights Protest Songs of All Time: http://newsone.com/1460645/top-10-civil-rightsprotest-songs-of-all-time/

Vintage Racist Ads, How Vintage Racist Advertisements Feed Black Stereotypes Today: http://blackhistory.blackvoices.com/2011/01/19/vintage-racist-ads-how-vintage-racist-advertisements-feedblack/

An American Time Capsule, Three Centuries of Broadsides and other Printed Ephemera (by genre,
advertisements, broadsides, pamphlets, etc): http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/rbpehtml/

Duke University Digital Collections Library (stereotypes in all digital collections, LOTS of sheet
music): http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/?keyword=stereotypes

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

10 Recent Racist Ads that Companies Wish You Would Forget: http://www.businessinsider.com/the10-most-racist-ads-of-the-modern-era-2012-6?op=1

These Modern Ads are Even More Sexist Than Their Mad Men Era Counterparts:
http://www.businessinsider.com/these-modern-ads-are-even-more-sexist-than-their-mad-men-eracounterparts-2012-4#ixzz1x27OFyHX

25 Most Racist Advertisements and Commercials: http://www.adsavvy.org/25-most-racistadvertisements-and-commercials/

Racial and Racist Stereotypes in Media (links to several races): http://racist-stereotypes.com/

The Authentic History Center: http://www.authentichistory.com/

Political Cartoons Database: http://www.politicalcartoons.com/Default.aspx

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

Unit Goals
What do students need to KNOW?

What do students need to be able to DO?

American legislation regarding civil rights and

race/ethnicity

Analyze American legislation regarding civil

rights and race/ethnicity

American legislation regarding civil rights and

gender

Analyze American legislation regarding civil

rights and gender

American legislation regarding civil rights and

people with disabilities

Analyze American legislation regarding civil

rights and people with disabilities

American legislation regarding civil rights and

religion

Analyze American legislation regarding civil

rights and religion

American legislation regarding civil rights and

sexual orientation

Analyze American legislation regarding civil

rights and sexual orientation

How individuals, groups, movements, and

legislature have influenced the establishment
and organization, beliefs, strategies, and actions
of civil rights groups

Explain how individuals, groups, movements,

and legislature have influenced the
establishment and organization, beliefs,
strategies, and actions of civil rights groups

How civil rights leaders and groups (well-known

and under-appreciated) have influenced each
other as well as access to liberties and rights

How some individuals and groups use strategy,

power, and authority to oppose broader civil
rights

Analyze how civil rights leaders and groups

(well-known and under-appreciated) have
influenced each other as well as access to
liberties and rights

Varying definitions of the American Dream

Explain how some individuals and groups use

strategy, power, and authority to oppose
broader civil rights

Effects of the legal and social application of

meanings of freedom and equality as well as
access to liberties and rights on the perception
of the American Dream

Explain varying definitions of the American

Dream

Analyze the effects of the legal and social

application of meanings of freedom and equality
as well as access to liberties and rights on the
perception of the American Dream

Analyze how and why national and local markers

and monuments commemorate the people and
events that upheld freedom and equality

Analyze the impact of technological innovations

(particularly in communication, transportation,
industry, and science) on the development and
advancement of freedom and equality

Analyze the impact of segregation,

discrimination, and stereotypes on the
development of identity and relationships among
peoples

Analyze how popular culture, literature, music,

and the arts reflect and impact struggles and
protests for freedom and equality

Analyze how popular culture, literature, music,

and the arts reveal the impacts of segregation,
discrimination, and stereotypes on the
development of identity and relationships

How and why national and local markers and

monuments commemorate the people and
events that upheld freedom and equality
The impact of technological innovations
(particularly in communication, transportation,
industry, and science) on the development and
advancement of freedom and equality
The impact of segregation, discrimination, and
stereotypes on the development of identity and
relationships among peoples

How popular culture, literature, music, and the

arts reflect and impact struggles and protests for
freedom and equality

How popular culture, literature, music, and the

arts reveal the impacts of segregation,
discrimination, and stereotypes on the
development of identity and relationships

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

I Can Statements

I Can analyze American legislation regarding civil rights and race/ethnicity.

I Can analyze American legislation regarding civil rights and gender.

I Can analyze American legislation regarding civil rights and people with disabilities.

I Can analyze American legislation regarding civil rights and religion.

I Can analyze American legislation regarding civil rights and sexual orientation.

I Can explain how individuals, groups, movements, and legislature have influenced the
establishment and organization, beliefs, strategies, and actions of civil rights groups.

I Can analyze how civil rights leaders and groups (well-known and under-appreciated) have
influenced each other as well as access to liberties and rights.

I Can explain how some individuals and groups use strategy, power, and authority to oppose
broader civil rights.

I Can explain varying definitions of the American Dream.

I Can analyze the effects of the legal and social application of meanings of freedom and equality
as well as access to liberties and rights on the perception of the American Dream.

I Can analyze how and why national and local markers and monuments commemorate the people
and events that upheld freedom and equality.

I Can analyze the impact of technological innovations (particularly in communication,

transportation, industry, and science) on the development and advancement of freedom and
equality.

I Can analyze the impact of segregation, discrimination, and stereotypes on the development of
identity and relationships among peoples.

I Can analyze how popular culture, literature, music, and the arts reflect and impact struggles and
protests for freedom and equality.

I Can analyze how popular culture, literature, music, and the arts reveal the impacts of
segregation, discrimination, and stereotypes on the development of identity and relationships.

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

Aligned Course Essential Standards

H.1 Apply
historical inquiry
and methods to
understand the
American
struggle for
freedom and
equality.

H.2 Analyze
political
attempts to
resolve the
conflict between
the United
States founding
democratic
ideals of
freedom and
equality.

H.3 Understand the

influences, development,
and protests of various
20th century civil rights
groups on behalf of
greater freedom and
equality.

H.4 Analyze
how
individuals
and groups
used
strategy,
power, and
authority to
oppose
greater
freedom and
equality
during the
20th century.

H.5 Analyze
how shared
sacrifice and
hardship by
Americans
influenced
perceptions
of freedom
and equality.

H.6 Analyze
technological
innovation in
terms of its
impact on
freedom and
equality.

C.1 Evaluate
the
challenges of
forming an
identity in a
diverse
society
founded on
freedom and
equality.

H.1.1 Evaluate
historical
interpretations
and narratives
on freedom and
equality in
terms of
perspective,
logic, use of
evidence, and
possible bias.

H.2.2 Analyze
20th century
legislation,
executive
orders, and
court
interpretations
by the U.S.
government in
terms of their
origins,
development,
and impact on
American
freedom and
equality.

H.3.1 Explain the

influence of late 19th and
early 20th century
reformers, such as
Populists, Progressives,
and New Dealers, on the
strategies, organization,
advocation, and protests
of modern civil rights
groups.

H.4.1
Analyze the
use of
intimidation,
coercion, and
violence by
individuals
and groups in
impeding the
development
of freedom
and equality.

H.5.4
Analyze the
American
Dream in
terms of
inclusion and
its effects on
perceptions
of freedom
and equality.

H.6.1 Analyze
how industrial
development
impacted both
the freedom
and equality of
workers and
consumers.

C.1.1
Evaluate the
effects of
segregation
and
discrimination
on the
identity and
relationships
of people.

H.2.3 Analyze
the relationship
between local
communities,
states, and the
federal
government in
resolving
conflicts over
freedom and
equality.

H.3.3 Explain how various

federal and state laws
influenced the strategies,
organization, advocacy,
and protests of various
civil rights/social
movements.

H.1.2 Analyze
multiple
perspectives of
freedom and
equality within
and between
various leaders
and groups of
the moment.
H.1.3 Analyze
primary sources
in terms of the
creators
perspective,
purpose, the
overall historical
context in which
each was
produced, and
their
significance to
the struggle for
freedom and
equality.
H.1.4 Use
historical inquiry
and methods to
generate
questions,
theories,
debates, and
narratives from
a variety of
sources.

H.2.4 Evaluate
the extent to
which the
federal
government as
opposed to
community
organization has
successfully
expanded
freedom and
equality for its
citizens.

H.3.2 Explain the

intellectual, philosophical,
and religious influences on
the establishment, beliefs,
and actions of civil rights
groups.

H.3.4 Analyze how

various individuals and/or
disadvantaged groups
strategized, organized,
advocated, and protested
regarding freedom and
equality.
H.3.5 Evaluate the extent
to which the womens
rights and African
American civil rights
movement influenced
each other as well as the
strategies and protests of
other civil rights groups.
H.3.6 Analyze civil rights
movements in terms of
the development, beliefs,
and contributions of
various leaders.
H.3.7 Analyze civil rights
movements in terms of
the grassroots
contributions and beliefs
of under-appreciated
community activists.
H.3.8 Evaluate the
effectiveness of formal

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

H.4.2
Analyze the
use of power
and authority
by
community,
business, and
government
leaders to
deny freedom
and equality.

H.5.5
Evaluate the
effective use
of markers
and
monuments
to
commemorat
e people and
events that
upheld
freedom and
equality.

H.6.2 Analyze
how the use of
communicatio
n and
transportation
technologies
impacted the
advancement
of freedom
and equality.
H.6.3
Evaluate how
the
implementatio
n of theories
and programs
in the name of
science
affected the
development
of freedom
and equality.
H.6.4
Evaluate how
American
popular culture
both reflected
and impacted
the struggles
and protests
for freedom
and equality.

C.1.2
Evaluate the
impact of
stereotypes
on the
identity and
relationships
of people.
C.1.4 Use
examples of
literature and
the arts to
examine the
paradox of
identifying
ones self
through
cultural
differences
and a shared
belief in
ideals such as
freedom and
equality.

and informal civil rights

groups and their
leadership in achieving
greater freedoms and
equality.

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

Common Core Standards for Literacy in History and Social Studies

READING

WRITING

CMS CCSS Power Standards:

CMS CCSS Power Standards:

R.11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support

analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting
insights gained from specific details to an understanding
of the text as a whole.

W.11-12.1 Write arguments focused on disciplinespecific content.

R.11-12.10 Read and comprehend history/social

studies texts in the grade 11-CCR text complexity band
independently and proficiently.

W.11-12.2 Write informative/explanatory texts,

including the narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

Additional Reading Standards:

Additional Writing Standards:

R.11-12.2. Determine the central ideas or information

of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate
summary that makes clear the relationships among the
key details and ideas.

W.11-12.3 not applicable as a separate requirement

R.11-12.3. Evaluate various explanations for actions or

events and determine which explanation best accords
with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text
leaves matters uncertain.
R.11-12.4. Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing
how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key
term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines
faction in Federalist No. 10).
R.11-12.5. Analyze in detail how a complex primary
source is structured, including how key sentences,
paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to
the whole.
R.11-12.6 Evaluate authors differing points of view on
the same historical event or issue by assessing the
authors claims, reasoning, and evidence.
R.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of
information presented in diverse formats and media
(e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in
order to address a question or solve a problem.
R.11-12.8 Evaluate an authors premises, claims, and
evidence by corroborating or challenging them with
other information.
R.11-12.9 Integrate information from diverse sources,
both primary and secondary, into a coherent
understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies
among sources.

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which

the development, organization, and style are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience.
W.11-12.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed
by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach, focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and audience.
W.11-12.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to
produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing
products in response to ongoing feedback, including new
arguments or information.
W.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained
research projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated question) or solve a problem; narrow or
broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize
multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
W.11-12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple
authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations
of each source in terms of the specific task, purpose, and
audience; integrate information into the text selectively
to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and
overreliance on any one source and following a standard
format for citation.
W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
W.11-12.10 Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames
(a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of disciplinespecific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Assessment Options
W1- Literacy Common Core Power Standard: Writing Arguments

After reading a variety of texts, write ____ that argues your position on ____. Support your position with
evidence from your research. Be sure to acknowledge competing views, and give examples from past
or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position.
o

Example: After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that argues your position on the civil
rights leader or group that has had the most significant influence on the broadening of civil rights
access to American citizens. Support your position with evidence from your research. Be sure to
acknowledge competing views, and give examples from past or current events or issues to
illustrate and clarify your position.

Example: After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that argues your position on the
individual or group that has most significantly opposed broader access to civil rights for certain
American citizens. Support your position with evidence from your research. Be sure to
acknowledge competing views, and give examples from past or current events or issues to
illustrate and clarify your position.

Example: After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that argues your position on the
innovation or popular culture medium that has had the most significant impact on the
development and advancement of civil rights for American citizens. Support your position with
evidence from your research. Be sure to acknowledge competing views, and give examples from
past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position.

[QUESTION] After reading a variety of texts, write ____ that addresses the question, and support your
position with evidence from the texts. Be sure to acknowledge competing views. Give examples from
past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position.
o

Example: Which civil rights leader or group has had the most significant influence on the
broadening of civil rights access to American citizens? After reading a variety of texts, write an
essay that addresses the question, and support your position with evidence from the texts. Be
sure to acknowledge competing views. Give examples from past or current events or issues to
illustrate and clarify your position.

Example: Which individual or group has most significantly opposed broader access to civil rights
for certain American citizens? After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that addresses the
question, and support your position with evidence from the texts. Be sure to acknowledge
competing views. Give examples from past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify
your position.

Example: Which innovation or popular culture medium has had the most significant impact on
the development and advancement of civil rights for American citizens? After reading a variety of
texts, write an essay that addresses the question, and support your position with evidence from
the texts. Be sure to acknowledge competing views. Give examples from past or current events
or issues to illustrate and clarify your position.

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

W2- Literacy Common Core Power Standard: Writing Informative Texts

After reading a variety of texts, write a ____ that defines ____ and explains ____. Support your discussion
with evidence from your research. What conclusions or implications can you draw?
o

Example: After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that defines civil rights and explains the
development and advancement of American civil rights in the 20th and 21st centuries. Support
your discussion with evidence from your research. What conclusions or implications can you
draw?

Example: After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that defines American identity and the
American Dream and explains how civil rights issues regarding freedom and equality have
impacted American identity and the American Dream. Support your discussion with evidence
from your research as well as evidence from popular culture, literature, music, and/or the arts.
What conclusions or implications can you draw?

Example: After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that defines civil rights and explains
how civil rights leaders and groups have advanced access to civil rights while other individuals
and groups have used strategy, power, and authority to oppose that access. Support your
discussion with evidence from your research. What conclusions or implications can you draw?

[QUESTION] After reading a variety of texts, write ____ that defines ____ and explains ____. Support your
discussion with evidence from the texts. What conclusions or implications can you draw?
o

Example: What are civil rights, and how have they developed and advanced in 20 th and 21st
century America? After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that defines civil rights and
explains the development and advancement of American civil rights in the 20th and 21st
centuries. Support your discussion with evidence from the texts. What conclusions or
implications can you draw?

Example: What are the American identity and the American Dream, and how have civil rights
issues regarding freedom and equality impacted American identity and the American Dream?
After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that defines American identity and the American
Dream and explains how civil rights issues regarding freedom and equality have impacted
American identity and the American Dream. Support your discussion with evidence from your
research as well as evidence from popular culture, literature, music, and/or the arts. What
conclusions or implications can you draw?

Example: What are civil rights, and how have civil rights leaders and groups advanced access to
civil rights while other individuals and groups have used strategy, power, and authority to
oppose that access? After reading a variety of texts, write an essay that defines civil rights and
explains how civil rights leaders and groups have advanced access to civil rights while other
individuals and groups have used strategy, power, and authority to oppose that access. Support
your discussion with evidence from the texts. What conclusions or implications can you draw?

R1/R10- Literacy Common Core Power Standards: Reading Closely Over Time with a Variety of Grade-Level
Texts

Historical texts (primary and secondary): speeches, diaries, memoirs, biographies, autobiographies,
primary and secondary accounts of events
Religious and/or philosophical texts
Legal documents: legislation, rulings, laws, appeals, etc
Literature: poetry, dramas, stories, novels, political cartoons
Artistic representations: pictures, paintings, drawings, photographs, lithographs, sculptures, political
cartoons, markers, monuments
Musical revolutions: jazz, hip hop, rock n roll, rap, etc.
Propaganda: print advertisements, posters, fliers, brochures, audio/visual commercials, etc.
Political platforms: presidential debates, election posters

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4

Popular Culture (ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images, and other phenomena within the
mainstream of a culture; often spread through mass media): music, art, radio, television programs and
commercials, internet resources

21st Century Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, Unit 4