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Reparations for Slavery?
OVERVIEW
In this lesson, students explore the pros and cons of paying reparations
for slavery. First, students read and discuss an article on reparations.
Then in small groups, students role play a presidential commission making
recommendations on reparations.
OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
- State arguments supporting and opposing reparations for slavery.
- Evaluate options on reparations.
STANDARDS
ADDRESSED
U.S. History Standards for High School:
Understands economic, social, and cultural developments in the contemporary
United States. Specifically:
. . . Understands major contemporary social issues and the groups
involved.
Civics Standards for High School:
Understands the role of diversity in American life and the importance
of shared values, political beliefs, and civic beliefs in an increasingly
diverse American society. Specifically:
. . . Knows examples of conflicts stemming from diversity, and understands
how some conflicts have been managed and why some of them have not
yet been successfully resolved.
Understands the formation and implementation of public policy. Specifically:
. . . Knows a public policy issue at the . . . national level well
enough to identify the major groups interested in that issue and explain
their respective positions.
PREPARATION
You will need a copy of Handout--Reparations
Panel for each student.
PROCEDURE
A. Focus Discussion: Hold a brief discussion
with students by asking the following questions:
• What are reparations? (Compensation, usually monetary, for wrongs
or injuries.)
• When do you think reparations are appropriate?
B. Reading and Discussion: Ask students to read
Reparations for Slavery?.
Conduct a class discussion using the Points of Inquiry
questions at the end of the reading.
- After the passage of the 13th Amendment following the Civil War,
should the former slaves have been granted reparations?
- How are reparations for black slavery similar and different from
the following:
a. reparations paid by the U.S. government to the Sioux Indians for
lands illegally confiscated in 1877?
b. reparations paid by the West German government to Jewish survivors
of Nazi concentration camps?
c. reparations paid by the U.S. government to Japanese Americans
interned unconstitutionally in prison camps during World War II?
- Do you agree or disagree that many problems faced today by the African-American
community are the "legacy of slavery"? Why or why not?
C. Small-Group Activity: Reparations Panel
Step 1. Divide students into groups of three or four. Ask them to imagine
that they are members of a presidential panel appointed to make recommendations
on reparations for slavery.
Step 2. Distribute the Handout--Reparations
Panel to students and review it with them. Make clear that
they are to have reasons for each decision they make. Tell them to review
the article they just read to help them with the activity.
Step 3. Give them time to complete the task. When they are ready, ask
which groups, if any, favored option #1. Have them explain why they favored
it and give other groups a chance to comment on why they rejected it.
Repeat this for all four options. Then ask for student-created options
and discuss them. Finally, as a class, vote on the various options.
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