Name: Date:

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”

Day 1

1) Why is there a need for a new senator?

2) Who is responsible for appointing a new one?

3) What kind of senator does the other senator and political backer want?

4) Who is giving the Governor advice of his appointment?

5) What advice were they giving?

6) Who finally gets the appointment?

7) How was the decision made?

8) Describe Jefferson Smith when he becomes senator and when he gets to Washington, D.C.

9) What did Smith do when he arrived in Washington?

10) What is Smith’s big idea he would like to see passed?

11) How does the media distort the truth?

12) What is the real job of the secretary?

13) What is Senator Payne’s big aspiration?

14) If you could foreshadow, where would be the relationship between the location of the dam and the boy’s camp?

15) How does Smith show his disapproval of photographers?

Day 2

16) How easy does Mr. Smith believe passing a bill will be?

17) How does his secretary describe the process?

18) How was Mr. Smith received when he proposed his bill?

19) What is graft?

20) Why should the Governor and Sen. Payne be worried about Smith?

21) How is politics a dirty business?

22) How does Sen. Payne use his daughter in politics?

Day 3

23) What accusations does Sen. Payne make against Sen. Smith?

24) How has Sen. Smith’s perception of Washington, D.C. change after this?

25) How does Saunders try to cheer Sen. Smith up?

26) What does Sen. Smith do to stop the vote on his dismissal?

27) What do the Senators do when Sen. Smith does this?

28) What will happen if Sen. Smith yield s the floor?

28) How does the Sen. Smith get the Senators back in the room?

29) What does Taylor do to sway public opinion against Smith? How does this show how the media plays a role in politics?

30) What will happen if Sen. Smith lets the session recess?

31) How does the news reach Sen. Smith’s home state?

32) What is the President of the Senate’s reaction to the filibuster and Sen. Smith’s pleas?

33) What does Sen. Payne attempt to do in the hallway?

34) What does Sen. Payne finally admit?

Overall Questions

35) What do you think will happen to Sen. Smith? Will he remain in the Senate?

36) What will happen to Sen. Payne?

37) What will happen to the Dam project and the Boys’ camp?

38) What groups are noticeably absent from the Senate?

39) How do interest groups play a part in politics?

40) Has another US senator have to be appointed the same way Mr. Smith was?

41) What political party do you think Sen. Smith would be in? Why?