SAMPLE STUDENT RESPONSE
(a) One major difference between Dunning’s and Stampp’s interpretations is that Dunning views Reconstruction as a failure that oppressed southern whites and empowered unqualified Black and northern leaders, while Stampp sees Reconstruction as a positive effort to expand democracy and secure rights for formerly enslaved people, despite its shortcomings.
(b) One development that supports Dunning’s interpretation is the establishment of Republican state governments in the South that included northern “carpetbaggers” and African American officeholders. Many white southerners viewed these governments as corrupt and illegitimate, reinforcing Dunning’s claim that Reconstruction imposed outside control over the South.
(c) One development that supports Stampp’s interpretation is the passage of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, which granted citizenship and voting rights to African American men. These laws marked a significant expansion of civil and political rights, supporting Stampp’s argument that Reconstruction advanced democracy even if those rights were later undermined.
SCORING BREAKDOWN (3 POINTS)
(a) Earns the point by clearly identifying a contrast:
(b) Evidence Supporting Dunning (1 point)
Must include a specific historical example AND connect it to Dunning’s argument
(c) Evidence Supporting Stampp (1 point)
EXTENSION QUESTIONS
SUMMMARY
Dunning-A view of Reconstruction as a national disgrace
Stampp-A favorable view of Reconstruction
(a) One major difference between Dunning’s and Stampp’s interpretations is that Dunning views Reconstruction as a failure that oppressed southern whites and empowered unqualified Black and northern leaders, while Stampp sees Reconstruction as a positive effort to expand democracy and secure rights for formerly enslaved people, despite its shortcomings.
(b) One development that supports Dunning’s interpretation is the establishment of Republican state governments in the South that included northern “carpetbaggers” and African American officeholders. Many white southerners viewed these governments as corrupt and illegitimate, reinforcing Dunning’s claim that Reconstruction imposed outside control over the South.
(c) One development that supports Stampp’s interpretation is the passage of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, which granted citizenship and voting rights to African American men. These laws marked a significant expansion of civil and political rights, supporting Stampp’s argument that Reconstruction advanced democracy even if those rights were later undermined.
SCORING BREAKDOWN (3 POINTS)
(a) Earns the point by clearly identifying a contrast:
- Dunning = negative view (oppression, failure, misrule)
- Stampp = more positive/modern view (expansion of rights, democratic progress)
(b) Evidence Supporting Dunning (1 point)
Must include a specific historical example AND connect it to Dunning’s argument
- Acceptable examples:
- Republican governments in the South
- Role of “carpetbaggers” and “scalawags”
- Perceived corruption or taxation policies
- Must explain how this supports the idea of southern white subjugation
(c) Evidence Supporting Stampp (1 point)
- Must include a specific historical example AND connect it to Stampp’s argument
- Acceptable examples:
- Fourteenth Amendment
- Fifteenth Amendment
- Expansion of Black political participation
- Must explain how this supports greater democracy or rights
EXTENSION QUESTIONS
- What does each of these historians see as the fundamental goals of Reconstruction? How well does each think it achieved those goals?
- According to each of these viewpoints, what were the roles of Northern whites, Southern whites, and blacks in Reconstruction?
- How would each of these historians interpret the overturning of Reconstruction and its continuing meaning for American society?
SUMMMARY
Dunning-A view of Reconstruction as a national disgrace
Stampp-A favorable view of Reconstruction
MCQ ANSWERS
1-B. Explanation: Dunning wrote in 1907, when Jim Crow laws and Lost Cause ideology shaped historical memory. His interpretation reflects white supremacist views common at the time.
2-C. Explanation: Writing in 1965, Stampp was influenced by the Civil Rights Movement, which led historians to reassess Reconstruction as an important step toward racial equality.
3-C. Explanation: The Fifteenth Amendment granted voting rights to Black men, supporting Stampp’s claim that Reconstruction expanded democracy, even if those rights were later undermined.