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The Wall Street Crash of 1929, or "Black Thursday"
It was on this day that the Great Depression was set into motion. Throughout the 1920's, the market was booming. Because of this, any civilians outside the normal investor profile had bought into stocks. It was thought that the market would keep going up indefinitely. This was not the case, and on "black thursday" the market went down very quickly, throwing many people's lives into financial ruin. -
How would Atticus, at the age he was in the story be affected by the stock market crash and how would he feel about it?
Atticus, being patient, cautious and moral, does not have the personality type of an investor. He would not gamble his meager savings in such a risky way. However, he is very interested in current news. As he is a very intelligent man, he probably would understand better then most the implications of this event. In his life and town, the great depression would just make a bad economic situation worse. -
How would Scout, at the age she is in the story feel about the stock market crash and how would she be affected by it?
Scout, being a child, would have next to no interest or knowledge about the market. However, once she saw Atticus' concern her headstrong personality would demand from him an explanation. While she would not care about the market, or "paper wealth," she would care deeply about its effect on the American population and protest it's unfairness. This event would not really affect her small-town southern childhood, especially as Atticus is not the investing type. -
President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed.
At about 12:30 pm on this Friday afternoon, the President of the United States was assasinated while traveling by car with his wife, the Governer of Texas, and the Governer's wife. The event threw America into a state of panic comparable to 9/11 and Pearl Harbour. President Kennedy was a popular figure and the effects of his death are still seen in the U.S. today. -
How would Scout, at the age she is in the story be affected by the Kennedy Assasination and how would she feel about it?
The experience of such a large national event is shocking for any child. -
How would Atticus, at the age he is in the story, feel about and be affected by the assasination of John F. Kennedy?
Atticus would likely have been a supporter of Kennedy's, and been deeply saddened by the death of this innocent man. His lawyerly perspective would question the accuracy of the initial investigation, which is now widely considered false. There are certainly people who have been far more affected by the shooting, however Atticus' life still would have changed. Many adults around him would be emotionally impacted. There would also be another election, and all the drama that comes with that. -
How would Scout, at the age she is in the story feel about the civil rights act and how would it affect her life?
Scout would not see the point of such an act. She would be of the mindset that such bills should not have to exist and that people should just treat each other well without the law stepping in. This bill has the potential to affect Maycomb and her life in many ways. As she does live in the deep south, some local businesses might consider closing. Her school would also become far more integrated and might have to move locations due to the influx of more racially diverse pupils. -
Civil Rights Act is enacted.
The civil rights act meant that discrimination because of race was now illegal. However, erasing prejudice is simply not that easy. Many businesses and schools chose to close their doors rather then let people of colour in. This is destructive to the economy, the lives of PoC and it fuels the idealism that racist behaviour is okay. -
How would Atticus, at the age he is in the story feel about the civil rights act and how would it affect his life?
While Atticus would not do this or feel this way, some of his colleagues wmight choose to close their businesses. When a bill like this is signed, there is always a polarizing reaction that can help one such as Atticus see deeper into the true nature of his fellow Maycomb citizens. Atticus would be relieved that this bill was put into place, but he would know to be careful about sharing his opinions in order to not make enemies. -
The Assasination of Harvey Milk
Politician Harvey Milk was a man who made great strides for lgbtq rights. As a politician living in San Francisco, he was not successful at first, but eventually he did very well. On November 27, 1978 he was shot and killed by Dan White. This was a tragedy for many people. Considering the shortness of his political career, his life and death left a lasting impact on America. -
How would Atticus, at the age he is in the story feel about the assasination of Harvey Milk and how would his life be affected by it?
Atticus Finch is a fair man who would lament the muder of any innocent. While the people around him would likely be very homophobic and insensitive, Atticus would know better.Since in the story the impending civil rights movement of his time plays a role in his life, in the civil rights movement relating to lgbtqa would undoubtedly affect his existence. From a legal standpoint, the trial surrounding this event was very relevant, also something Atticus could relate to. -
How would Scout, at the age she is in the story, be affected by the assasination of Harvey Milk and how would she feel about it?
If Scout was a child at the time of this event, she would witness an incredible outpouring of emotions relating to "gay" rights. Being a child of Atticus, an abnormally accepting man for his time, she would be accepting as well. Children around her at school might repeat the homophobic and insensitive views of their parents, to which she is likely to respond with physical violence. Her and Atticus would likely have involved discussions about the trial, and it would help her learn a lot. -
The election of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the USA and the first black man to hold office.
On November 4th, 2008 Barack Obama became president of the United States. He is the first black man to ever hold this position and his election was an event celebrated by many. In his presidency, he has introduced Obamacare, which allows Americans to access free healthcare, similar to Canada. Many people associate this action with Obama more then any other. -
How would Scout, at the age she is in the book feel about the election of president Obama and how would it affect her?
Similarly to Atticus, Scout's Maycomb world would be shaken. All her classmates, while not truly understanding, would repeat what they heard their parents saying at home. In many cases this would be extreme racism. Scout, however, is far more likely to just hope that Obama would be a good, fair president and repeat Atticus' words about equality. This could be met by disagreement from her classmates, which she would react to with violence. -
How would Atticus, at the age he is in the story be affected by the election of president Obama and how would it affect him?
Providing that he still resides in a small southern town, this event would send it into an uproar. While Atticus would likely vote democrat in this day and age, he would be an anomaly among his town's voting population. Atticus Finch is the type of man to quietly respect other people's beliefs even when in disagreement, and this skill is one he would have to use often in the direct aftermath of Obama's election.
