1. Sacco and Vanzetti
You be the jury.

2. Introduction 5min Read the quick background at the top of the handout
Read the biographies of Sacco and Vanzetti – jot down details that better help you understand who these guys are, what might affect them looking guilty or innocent?
Introduction 5min

3. Nicola Sacco Real name was Fernando, Nicola was his nickname
Grew up in Southern Italy
Not fond of school, preferred working with his hands
Left school and began working at age 14
In 1909, he left Italy for America with his older brother (he was almost 18)
He found a job in a shoe factory, got married, had two kids
Joined a local anarchist group – attracted to their commitment to justice
Fled to Mexico, with many other anarchists, to avoid the draft
Nicola Sacco

4. Born in Italy to a highly respectable, devoutly religious, conservative family in Northern Italy
Very bright, wanted to be a lawyer or a priest
Father wanted him to learn a trade, so at 13 he began an apprenticeship to be a baker. Did very well as a baker, moved to a large city in Italy, but was unhappy
Was drawn to radical movements
Mother died in 1907, he moved to NY in 1908
Moved a lot in America, trying to find a place to belong
Found his place in Plymouth, Mass settling among a group of anarchists
Fled to Mexico, with many other anarchists, to avoid the draft
Bartolemeo Vanzetti

5. Working in assigned groups (remember…juries are a random grouping of people)
Choose a jury foreperson
This person will guide all discussion and make sure all people’s voices are heard.
Jury Foreperson decides how the evidence will be dealt with
There are 9 pieces of evidence
Each piece has a prosecution and a defense side:
Prosecution: how it proves guilt
Defense: how it doesn’t prove guilt
How It Works

6. Share and process all the evidence, filling out your handout as you go
Avoid discussions of guilt or innocence until you’ve gone through all of the evidence
Once you’ve gone through all the evidence, answer question 4 individually – BEFORE you begin a group discussion
Follow the directions in Step 5 – once you are done discussing go onto Step 6 and take your final votes
How It Works

7. The Official Verdict Sacco and Vanzetti are both guilty July 14, 1921
Sacco was reportedly more incensed about Vanzetti’s conviction than his own
November 1925 – a confession
Celestino Madeiros, an ex-convict awaiting trial for murder, confessed to the murders
April 9, 1927 – final appeal was rejected
August 23, 1927 – executed
The Official Verdict

8. The Rest of the Story 1927 – new technology 1961 and 1983
Comparison microscope used for ballistics tests
Proved beyond a doubt that Sacco’s gun was the murder weapon
1961 and 1983
New investigations
Both revealed Sacco’s revolver was the murder weapon
Most likely: Sacco was guilty and Vanzetti was innocent
The Rest of the Story