Objectives
- Students will understand Jim Crow and its origins
- Students will understand lynching
Overview
The PowerPoint presentation is meant to be adapted and used as an introduction to the roots and impact of Jim Crow laws and Lynch Law. The purpose of this presentation is to give students an understanding of what led up to lingering racist attitudes since the Civil War, especially given the treatment of Crooks.
Materials Needed/Preparation
- Computer and LCD projector or interactive white board
- A hard copy of the notes pages for the PowerPoint
Estimated Time
1-2 class periods
Procedures
- Adapt and show the Jim Crow and Lynch Law PowerPoint presentation.
- Refer to the notes pages for more information on each slide.
Post Activity/Takeaways/Follow-up
Post Activities
- Have students journal/write about prejudices they have personally been the victim of. This can be done as homework or as an in-class assignment. Allow time for sharing and discussions.
- Have students journal/write about equality. What is it? How important is it? Should everyone be treated equally? This can be done as a homework assignment or as an in-class assignment. Allow time for sharing and discussions.
- Have students journal/write about justice. What is it? How important is it? Is it ever acceptable to “take justice into your own hands?” This can be done as a homework assignment or as an in-class assignment. Allow time for sharing and discussions.
- Have a Four Corners debate on justice, vigilante justice, and lynching. (See Four Corners for a detailed description of this activity.)
- Have students do mini-research projects on late nineteenth and early twentieth century leaders in the struggle for equal rights.
Takeaways
- Although Of Mice and Men takes place in California, the effects of Jim Crow and the fear of Lynch Law are still evident. Students should understand that racism and Jim Crow did not exist only in the South.
- Students should become more aware of how equality and justice affect their lives.
Follow-up
Assessment
- Quiz on Jim Crow and Lynch Law.
- Grade/assess the suggested writing prompts listed under “Post Activities.”
- Grade/assess the activities suggested under “Follow-up.”
California State Content Standards Met
- History and Social Science Content Standards 8
- ~Students analyze the character and lasting consequences of Reconstruction: 1, 4
- History and Social Science Content Standards 10
- ~Students analyze the development of federal civil rights and voting rights: 2, 4
- History and Social Science Content Standards 11
- ~Students analyze the major political, social, economic, technological, and cultural developments of the 1920s: 2
