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Outlining the Textbook
Juan Manuel Galvan
Fall 2013
I.
PREVIEWING
Reading the textbook can be an overwhelming experience, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Always preview a
chapter before reading it in its entirety. Previewing means following these steps:
1. Begin by reading the outline in the first page of every chapter
2. Read the first page of the chapter.
3. Now jump all the way to the end of the book and read the Study tools, which are the chapter summary and
the chronology.
4. Then go back to the beginning of the book and study any text highlighted in blue. This means reading any
text in CAPITAL letters, in blue letters, and in bold letters. While you do this, also study all maps, images,
figures, charts, and all captions. This includes the sections like: IT MATTERS TODAY. Also read any
vocabulary and any content highlighted in blue.
5. Make sure you actually read all the vocabulary definitions, found at the bottom of every page.
6. Read the first paragraph of every section. Example: The first section of Chapter 15 is “PRESIDENTIAL
RECONSTRUCTION” starting on page 417, so read the one paragraph that follows that section. Then go to
section 2, “FREEDOM AND THE LEGACY OF SLAVERY” on page 422, and read the one paragraph
immediately following the title of that section. That would be the paragraph that begins at the end of page
422 and ends with the first few lines of page 423.
7. Then go to the end of the chapter and write down the focus questions.
8. Use the focus questions to go back to the beginning of the chapter and reading the entire content this time.
II.
READING
1. Using the focus questions at the end of the chapter, go back to the beginning and read the entire chapter this
time.
2. Look for answers to those questions.
3. Write an outline of the chapter.
4. See the sample outline provided in the following pages. First do Step 1, then Step 2, etc.
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STEP ONE
Begin by typing the outline at the beginning of the chapter. In this sample, this means the text in
black. Use any combination of colors you want.
OUTLINE FOR CHAPTER 15
Carol Berkin, et.al. Making America, Sixth Edition. Cengage Advantage Books, 2013.
I. PRESIDENTIAL RECONSTRUCTION
II. FREEDOM AND THE LEGACY OF SLAVERY
III. CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION
IV. BLACK RECONSTRUCTION
V. THE END OF RECONSTRUCTION
VI. STUDY TOOLS
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STEP TWO
Type the subheadings and insert sections not included in the outline provided by the publisher in the first
page of the chapter. In this sample, this means the text in blue. Use your favorite combination of colors.
OUTLINE FOR CHAPTER 15
Carol Berkin, et.al. Making America, Sixth Edition. Cengage Advantage Books, 2013.
I.
PRESIDENTIAL RECONSTRUCTION
1. Republican War Aims
2. Lincoln’s Approach to Reconstruction: “With Malice Toward None”
3. Abolishing Slavery Forever: The Thirteenth Amendment
4. Andrew Johnson and Reconstruction
5. The Southern Response: Minimal Compliance
II.
FREEDOM AND THE LEGACY OF SLAVERY
1. Defining the Meaning of Freedom
2. Creating Communities
3. Land and Labor
4. The White South: Confronting Change
III.
CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION
1. Challenging Presidential Reconstruction: The Civil Rights Act of 1866
2. Defining Citizenship: The Fourteenth Amendment
3. Radicals in Control
4. It Matters Today: The Fourteenth Amendment
5. Political Terrorism and the Election of 1868
6. Voting Rights and Civil Rights
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IV.
BLACK RECONSTRUCTION
1. The Republican Party in the South
2. Creating Public Education, Fighting Discrimination, and Building Railroads
V.
THE END OF RECONSTRUCTION
1. The “New Departure” and the 1872 Presidential Election
2. The Politics of Terror: The “Mississippi Plan”
3. The Troubled Presidential Election of 1876
4. After Reconstruction
VI.
STUDY TOOLS
1. Summary
2. Chronology
3. Focus Questions
4. Key Terms
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STEP THREE
Type short notes for every section. Use the subtitle of every subsection to figure out what’s important. For
example, the name of the subtitle “American Origins” contains two keywords, “American” and “Origins”
that you can use as keywords in writing notes for every subsection. This would be the text in read. Use any
combination of colors you want.
OUTLINE FOR CHAPTER 15
Carol Berkin, et.al. Making America, Sixth Edition. Cengage Advantage Books, 2013.
II.
PRESIDENTIAL RECONSTRUCTION
6. Republican War Aims

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

7. Lincoln’s Approach to Reconstruction: “With Malice Toward None”

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

8. Abolishing Slavery Forever: The Thirteenth Amendment

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

9. Andrew Johnson and Reconstruction

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

10. The Southern Response: Minimal Compliance


A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.
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III.
FREEDOM AND THE LEGACY OF SLAVERY
5. Defining the Meaning of Freedom

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

6. Creating Communities

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

7. Land and Labor

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

8. The White South: Confronting Change

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

VII.
CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION
7. Challenging Presidential Reconstruction: The Civil Rights Act of 1866

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

8. Defining Citizenship: The Fourteenth Amendment

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

9. Radicals in Control

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

10. It Matters Today: The Fourteenth Amendment


A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.
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11. Political Terrorism and the Election of 1868

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

12. Voting Rights and Civil Rights

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

VIII. BLACK RECONSTRUCTION
3. The Republican Party in the South

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

4. Creating Public Education, Fighting Discrimination, and Building Railroads

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

IX.
THE END OF RECONSTRUCTION
5. The “New Departure” and the 1872 Presidential Election

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

6. The Politics of Terror: The “Mississippi Plan”

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

7. The Troubled Presidential Election of 1876

A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.

8. After Reconstruction


A few bullet points summarizing the main concepts in this subsection.
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X.
STUDY TOOLS
1. Summary

No need to summarize this section. Read as it describes the contents of the entire
chapter.
2. Chronology

No need to summarize this section. Important to study as it provides a timeline of
the events described in this chapter.
3. Focus Questions

Use them to guide you as you read and to test your own knowledge of the content of
this chapter.
4. Key Terms

This is new terminology and it serves as a study guide in reviewing this chapter.