Introduction
Entering high school is a rite of passage all young adults anticipate. The socialization with peers, and the imminent light at the end of the tunnel, are seen as an opportunity to leave your parents' home and be on your own. I have been preparing students for life after high school for the past three years. This experience has been enlightening in part, because the juniors and seniors whom I teach are in many instances ending their formal educational careers. The decisions made concerning their futures become very real to some at the end of their senior year. In some cases, my students already have the responsibility of taking care of siblings, parents and occasionally, their own children. For these students, the responsibility of adulthood has already begun and attending classes is no longer a priority. For others, the responsibility of adulthood is limited by the choices they have made while in high school. Some of my students directly enter the work force, others will enlist in the military and a select few will enter institutions of higher learning.
Many students do not realize (even if it is explained to them) that once they leave the graduation ceremony, the real-life lessons begins. They are now full-fledged citizens of the United States, with the right to vote, the duty to pay taxes, and the responsibility to serve as jurors. As we complete another year and send these young adults into the adult world of responsibility, we have to ask, "In November, will they vote?" "Do they understand what their tax dollars are for?" "Do they truly understand why it is important to serve on jury?" Have they forgotten the struggles of the not so long ago past, of the men and women who in some cases lost their lives, so that they can enjoy the rights of citizenship they take for granted? History classes taught during high school cover these topics, but do they know it?
My unit will serve as a reminder to my students, of the rights and responsibilities they take for granted as citizens of the United States. We will examine the meaning of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments as they relate to African Americans. We will question if the passage of these amendments define our citizenship by looking at the treatment of African Americans after these amendments were passed. While examining the impact of these three amendments on the lives of African Americans, we will also examine the contributions of men and women in an attempt for African Americans to gain the recognition as citizens of the United States. Women such as Maria W. Stewart and Sojourner Truth traveled parts of the United States, offering words meant to inspire and encourage African Americans. We will also study the roles African American political organizations and their part in the struggle for African Americans in the effort to be treated as US citizens.
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