The American Vote
Gilded AgeAll 5 grade bands · K-2 through APFree download

1876

Lesson plan.
Rutherford B. Hayes vs Samuel J. TildenRutherford B. Hayes prevailed after contested returns and a political compromise that marked the end of Reconstruction.

In 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican) won the U.S. presidency. Rutherford B. Hayes took 185 of the 369 electoral votes to Samuel J. Tilden's 184. Though Rutherford B. Hayes won the Electoral College, Samuel J. Tilden drew more of the national popular vote — 50.92% to 47.92%. The race falls within the Gilded Age era; the lesson packets below dig into its central debates, with Reconstruction's end among the major themes.

What is in each packet
Cover
Cycle metadata + band eyebrow
Lesson plan
Instructor — timing, materials, standards
Reading
Sized to grade band (K-2: ~250 words → AP: ~650)
Background
Curated cycles — 5-7 vocab terms + primary-source excerpt
Student worksheet
K-2: 3 questions → AP: 8, mixed format
Answer key
Instructor — rationale on every item
Discussion prompts
3 prompts tied to era
DBQ (AP only)
Long-essay + 5-point rubric + second source
Download by grade band
  • K-2
    Story
    4 pp
    20 min
    Free
  • 3-5
    Reading
    5 pp
    35 min
    Free
  • 6-8
    Reading
    6 pp
    50 min
    Free
  • 9-12
    Source
    8 pp
    75 min
    Free
  • AP
    DBQ
    12 pp
    105 min
    Free