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Background Information

Background Information. Published in 1960 by Harper Lee Won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 Story is set in the 1930’s in Maycomb, Alabama The Trial in the book is based on the Scottsboro Case of 1931. What’s it all about?. Children growing up and learning about life

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Background Information

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Background Information • Published in 1960 by Harper Lee • Won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 • Story is set in the 1930’s in Maycomb, Alabama • The Trial in the book is based on the Scottsboro Case of 1931

  2. What’s it all about? • Children growing up and learning about life • A father standing up for what is right • A man standing trial for a rape he did not commit • Racism and prejudice in a small Alabama town

  3. Understanding History You must understand the time period in order to understand the events in the book The Stock Market Crash of 1929 The Great Depression of the 20’s and 30’s The Treatment of African Americans from Slavery and beyond

  4. The Great Depression • Stock Market Crash of 1929 • The Country was in the middle of a great economic depression The Great Depression • FDR Elected as President • New Deal legislation to get the country moving again

  5. Treatment of African Americans • Mistreatment dates back to slavery • Blacks were seen as property to be bought and sold—no better than a dog or a horse • They had no freedom and no rights • Even after the slaves were freed, they were not really free

  6. After Slavery • Jim Crow Laws established “Separate but Equal” • Segregation was a part of daily life • Blacks seen as inferior in all ways to whites • They had no real rights or protections

  7. The KKK • Klan membership and power increased after WWI and they spread terror throughout the South • In some cases, the very people who were supposed to uphold justice were Klan members or Klan supporters

  8. The KKK continued… • This included law enforcement and government officials • In many cases, lynchings and other crimes went unreported because of corrupt and racist officials and law enforcement • Some blacks were wrongly convicted of crimes because of jury and witness tampering by the Klan or their supporters

  9. Lynching in America • In some parts of the country, lynching was a common and acceptable way of dispensing justice • Blacks who were charged with crimes risked being lynched before they went to court

  10. Lynching in America– continued… • Many times, the authorities turned their heads or even participated in the lynchings • Some took place secretly, while others drew large crowds of onlookers and supporters • Popular postcards featured pictures of lynchings

  11. Harper Lee’s World • In the 1950’s and 60’s, the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing • Treatment of African Americans had changed, but not really improved • Although her story is set in the 1930’s, it applied to her own time as well • In many ways, it still speaks to us today

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