To Kill a Mockingbird Historical Context Review

Group Members: ______

This is worth 100 points (20 points per article) and will take 2-3 days! Do your best! Don’t waste time!

Directions: Work with your group to answer the questions that correspond with each article.

Article 1: Monroe County, Alabama 1930 Census Questions

Use the census information provided to answer the following questions:

How many families live in MonroeCounty? ______

Of the above total, how many families are listed as "native white" and how many families are listed as "Negro"?

“native white” : ______“Negro”: ______

Of the total number of tenant families, families that must rent homes, land, and implements, how many are white and how many are black?

White: ______Black: ______

Is there a significant difference? Why do you think there is such a difference?

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According to the census, how many whites own homes in MonroeCounty? How many "Negros" own homes?

White: ______“Negro”: ______

In 1930, the median family size in Monroe County, Alabama was 4.09. How do you account for such small families in a rural county? (Write 2 possible reasons – remember our information from Of Mice and Men? Same time period!)

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What is the median family size for "white" families? What was the median family size for "Negro" families? What does the difference in family size indicate about the social and economic structure of MonroeCounty?

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Why do you think the majority of families have no children under the age of ten?

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How many families in MonroeCounty are farm families? ______

How many families are listed as non-farm families? ______

According to the census, 3 percent of the "native white" population of Monroe County, Alabama was illiterate in 1930, while 25.8 percent of the "Negro" population of the county was illiterate. How do you account for such a large gap in the illiteracy rate?

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Notice the amount of money it cost to own a home.

A middle priced home was worth how much? ______

How does this compare to today’s cost of homes? ______

Article 2: The Klan and Education

Document # / Who wrote it or said it? / Brief Summary
1
2
3
4
5

Why do you think that schoolteachers were targets of Klan threats and violence?

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What threat did the Sunday school teacher pose to the Klan and its mission?

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List and describe the methods used by the Klan in these passages.

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Why was the teacher in document five whipped?

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How do you think local authorities responded to the Klan's threats and actions described in these documents?

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How do you think they should've responded?

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Article 3: Criminal Trial Procedures: An Overview

What is the role of the defense attorney in a criminal trial?

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What is the role of a prosecuting attorney in a criminal trial?

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How are juries selected for criminal trials?

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Do you think that jury selection is always fair? What could make a jury selection biased? (2 sentences)

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What is an opening statement? How important do you think it is in a criminal trial? (2 sentences)

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Why do you think it’s important that both the prosecution and the defense are able to see the evidence before a trial begins?
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What is a cross examination? Does the cross examination usually benefit the defense or the prosecution?

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What are jury deliberations? Does the jury have to unanimously agree in a criminal trial? Why do you think this is the case? (2 sentences)

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What is sentencing? Who does it? When does s/he do it? What is it based on?

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Article 4: The Scottsboro Case (1931)

What year was this article written? ______

Would this article be considered a summary or a first hand account? Why?

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When was the original Scottsboro trial? ______

Who was tried? ______

Summarize the events that lead up to the trial in 4 sentences.

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Who testified against the defendants? Why did they testify against them? (2 sentences)

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Do you think it is important to note that the jury was white and the defendants were black in the original case? Why or why not? (2 sentences)

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In the original case, who was convicted and who wasn’t?

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What happened when the defendants appealed?

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When did this trial begin? ______

When was the last defendant was granted a full pardon? ______

Why do you think it took so long for this case to be settled?

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Article 5: The Scottsboro Trials: New York Times Account

What year was this article written? ______

Would this article be considered a summary or a first hand account? Why?

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When was the original trial? ______

When was the trial that this article was written about? ______

Who so Victoria Price and why was she being questioned at this trial?

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Who is Dr. Bridges and why was he questioned at this trial?

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How does the reporter, Raymond F. Daniell, describe Mrs. Price? (2 direct quotes)

1. ______

2. ______

What court records does Mr. Lebowitz produce to show that Mrs. Price had shown “misconduct” the night before the incident occurred on the train?

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How does Mrs. Price react to these documents?

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Does Dr. R.R. Bridges assessment of Mrs. Price’s injuries confirm her story that that her “head was cut open by a blow from the pistol”? Why or why not?

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Who is the “star witness” that the reporter alludes to? ______

How does he judge that she recounted the crime? (2 direct quotes)

1. ______

2. ______

Judging by these quotes, do you think he believed her? Why or why not?

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FINAL ANALYSIS

Which article was the most interesting? (You MUST choose one. I know it’s hard. They are all so darn interesting.) Why did you deem this the most interesting? (3 sentences)

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Judging by the articles you read, what issues do you think will come up in To Kill a Mockingbird? YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST 3 IDEAS.

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

What do you predict the setting will be for To Kill a Mockingbird? (2 sentences)

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What kind of characters are you expecting?

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How was life in the 1930s in the south different from your life today? (4 sentences)

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