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Jim Crow Laws
Jim Crow Laws were laws that legalized segregation between African Americans and white people. Segregation was common place during the time of the novel. Places that were segregated included restrooms, water fountains, movie theaters, and schools. As we read the novel, we will see instances of segregation in the south during the 1930s.
Jim Crow Laws Video -
Stock Market Crash
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 led to the Great Depression, which took place during the 1930s. This was the time period in which the novel was set. Many Americans faced great poverty and were without jobs for quite some time. Throughout the novel, references are made to the Great Depression and the difficulties that people, particularly farmers, faced during this time.
The Great Depression Video -
Scottsboro Boys
Nine young African American men were falsely accused of rape, tried and convicted, and sentenced to death. It took many years before all nine men were acquitted of the crime. This event closely parallels the story of Tom Robinson in the novel.
Scottsboro Boys Video -
Franklin D. Roosevelt Elected President
Franklin D. Roosevelt became President in the midst of the Great Depression. Roosevelt developed the New Deal, which was a plan to help America begin to recover from the Depression. His Inaugural Address is alluded to in the novel. -
The Great Depression
While the Great Depression spanned several years, 1933 is considered the worst year of the Depression. This was a time of great economic unrest and severe unemployment. Many businesses, schools, factories, and banks closed. People stood in lines, looking for employment and food for their families. The impact of the Great Depression was felt for years, but things began to improve with the start of the New Deal.
Great Depression Quiz -
Race Relations
During the 1930s, violence and discrimination against African Americans increased, especially in the South. Many African Americans lost their jobs, and many of their schools closed during this time. In 1933, lynchings of African Americans increased, and this is made reference to in the novel. -
The Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl was a series of dust storms caused by severe drought and lack of conservation of the soil. These storms took place in the Midwest in the 1930s and caused many farmers to lose their farms and begin migrating west toward California. The greatest of these storms happened on April 14, 1935 and was known as Black Sunday. These storms made things even more difficult for farmers who were already struggling because of the Depression.
Dust Bowl Video -
Works Progress Administration Founded
The Works Progress Administration offered jobs to millions of unemployed people during the Great Depression. This was a part of the New Deal that helped to improve the economic situation for people during the Great Depression. The WPA is referenced during the novel. -
The Arrest of Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus when instructed by the driver. This event led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which also helped spur the momentum of the Civil Rights Movement. As we read the novel, this helps us understand the many ways in which African Americans were treated unfairly simply because of the color of their skin.
Facts About Rosa Parks -
Death of Emmett Till
Emmett Till was a young African American boy from Chicago who went to Mississippi to visit his uncle. While he was there, it was alleged that Emmett whistled at white woman in a grocery store. Later, Emmett was kidnapped by the woman's husband and brother-in-law. Emmett was beaten, shot, and thrown in a river. The two men were acquitted of the charges, and no one was ever punished for the death of Emmett Till.
Emmett Till Video -
Brown vs. Board of Education
This decision by the United States Supreme Court is often credited with being one of the events that sparked the Civil Rights Movement. The decision made by the Supreme Court said that segregation in public schools was illegal. As we read the novel, this helps us to remember that African Americans fought many years after novel took place in order to gain the rights that they deserved.
The Civil Rights Movement -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national original illegal. When we look at when the Jim Crow Laws were instituted and when the Civil Rights Acts was enacted into law, we see how long African Americans were treated unfairly. This helps us to have a better understanding of what race relations were like during the time period in which the novel is written.
Civil Rights Quiz
