Have students independently read the summary of the Port Royal Experiment from BlackPast.org (external resource). As they read, students should take notes on new information. Lead a brief opening discussion using the following questions to check for understanding and activate prior knowledge:
- What interested or surprised you about the reading?
- Describe the Port Royal Experiment in your own words.
- How does the Port Royal Experiment either reinforce or challenge what you already know about the Civil War period?
- From this introduction, do you think the Port Royal Experiment was a success? Why or why not?
- How should we define “success” when it comes to opportunities for Black economic advancement?
Divide students into two groups. One group is assigned to argue that the Port Royal Experiment was successful and the other is assigned to argue that the Port Royal Experiment was unsuccessful. Give all students access to the following primary and secondary sources for their research:
- “Entering the World of a Civil War Missionary”
- Sherman’s Field Order No. 15
- “Proposition to the President…”
- Interview with Wallace Quarter View
- Smith Plantation Photograph
- The Reconstruction Legacy of Renty Franklin Greaves
- President Johnson’s Amnesty Proclamation
Students work in their team to prepare an opening statement and central argument. They should support their claims with evidence from the sources and additional research as needed. Run the debate with the following schedule:
- Opening statements from both sides (2 minutes each)
- Main arguments from both sides (5 minutes each)
- Time to regroup and compose a rebuttal (5 minutes)
- Rebuttals from both sides (2 minutes each)
- Closing statements from both sides (2 minutes each)
Students reflect on the debate by writing a paragraph in response to one of the following questions:
- To what extent were Black-led efforts to achieve free labor in Union-occupied Southern territories successful?
- To what extent does the U.S. government owe reparations to Black Americans for the racial wealth gap stemming from enslavement and economic reconstruction during the Civil War?