Understanding the Historical Context of the Novel To Kill a Mockingbird Understanding the Historical Context of the Novel

The Great Depression

The Roaring 20’s The new concept of “credit” People were buying: Automobiles Appliances Clothes Fun times reigned Dancing Flappers Drinking

Why was this bad? Credit system WWI People didn’t really have the money they were spending WWI The U.S. was a major credit loaner to other nations in need Many of these nations could not pay us back

Many found being broke humiliating. 1929-1939 Stock market crash Didn’t realize the effect it would have No money to replenish what was borrowed Many found being broke humiliating.

President Hoover Herbert Hoover was president at the start Philosophy: We’ll make it! What He Did: Nothing The poor were looking for help and no ideas on how to correct or help were coming

What about the people? Farmers were already feeling the effects Prices of crops went down Many farms foreclosed People could not afford luxuries Factories shut down Businesses went out Banks could not pay out money People could not pay their taxes Schools shut down due to lack of funds Many families became homeless and had to live in shanties

Many waited in unemployment lines hoping for a job.

People in cities would wait in line for bread to bring to their family.

Some families were forced to relocate because they had no money.

A drought in the South lead to dust storms that destroyed crops. “The Dust Bowl”

The South Was Buried Crops turned to dust=No food to be sent out Homes buried Fields blown away South in state of emergency Dust Bowl the #1 weather crisis of the 20th century

Two Families During the Depression

A Farm Foreclosure

Some families tried to make money by selling useful crafts like baskets.

*FDR* When he was inaugurated unemployment had increased by 7 million Poor sections (like Harlem) had 50% of the population unemployed Instated the “New Deal”-began to bring the economy back

To Kill a Mockingbird

Major Historical Happenings... Jim Crow Laws Scottsboro Trials Recovering from the Great Depression Racial Injustice Poor South

Jim Crow Laws After the American Civil War most states in the South passed anti-African American legislation. These became known as Jim Crow laws. These laws included segregation in… Schools -- Hospitals Theaters -- Water fountains Restaurants Hotels Public transportation Some states forbid inter-racial marriages

These laws were instituted in 1896 and were not abolished until the late 1950’s (even then still not completely).

Scottsboro Boys Trial 9 young African-American men (13-20) accused of raping 2 white girls in 1931 Immediately sentenced to death Trials went on for nearly 15 years before all the men were dismissed

Started on a train bound for Memphis Several white men boarded and picked a fight with the black men Whites were forced off train by the 12 black men. The white men reported the the black men had raped two white girls on the train to authorities They were immediately arrested and tried in front of an all-white jury.

The trials caused a huge uproar amongst the black community.

Harper Lee

Wrote To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960 Based the story on her life growing up in Monroeville, Alabama—the events of the 50s had a major impact on Lee’s life and was the influence for the novel TKAM was the only novel she ever wrote

The character of “Dill,” Scout and Jem’s playmate in the novel was based upon Lee’s actual neighbor, Truman Capote Capote is famous for amongst other things, In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

In 1962 the novel was turned into a film starring Gregory Peck. It received a humanitarian award and several Academy Award nominations

The End