Today, as always in American history,
there is great national unrest on the subject of racism and discrimination.
You will be exploring one man's quest for equality, the facts of his life,
the political implications, and the civil rights movement. You will take
a look at society then and the mysterious circumstances surrounding King's
death.
The Task
Students will be using Netscape
Navigator to visit Web sites on Martin Luther King, Jr. Each student will
keep a notebook of the answers to questions along with their own thoughts
and comments. Each student will create a timeline and take an electronic
quiz. Finally students will share with the rest of the class what you've
learned from this lesson. So, travel back in time and imagine yourself
and your family as an African American family living in the 50's and 60's.
The Process
On your quest for equality, you
must answer the questions listed below by linking to the various Web sites
to find the answers. Write your anwers in a notebook along with your thoughts
and comments. Once you have answered all of the questions continue to take
the electronic quiz. Your final task is to create a timeline and share
with the class what you've learned from this lesson.
As a part of your quest on Martin Luther King,
Jr., you are asked to answer these questions and then make a timeline.
1. When and where
was MLK born? 2. In what profession was MLK? 3. Who does King marry? 4. When and what was Brown vs. Board of Education? 5. How was Rosa Parks' incident significant? What year? 6. In 1956, what was King arrested for? 7. What did the Unitied States district court finally rule? 8. King spends a month in India to study what? 9. What year was the first lunch-counter sit-in? Where? 10. State facts about the Freedom Riders? 11. What was King arrested for in Birmingham? 12. When was the March on Washington and what was the name of the
speech given by King?
13. When was John F. Kennedy assassinated? 14. King receives the Nobel Peace Prize when? 15. When was Malcolm X murdered? 16. The march from Montgomery, Alabama to Selma was for what and
when did it take place? 17. What Act was written and signed by whom in 1965? 18. "Black Power", the slogan, is used for the first time?
19. Dr. King attacks the government's Vietnam policy in a speech
at the Chicago Coliseum in what year? 20. King leads protesters through Memphis in support of sanitation
workers when? 21. Dr. King's last speech is called what? 22. Dr. King was assassinated? 23. Presidential candidate Senator Robert Kennedy is shot?
In the Civil Rights' Era, listen to King's dream.
What is King's Dream for his people? Whose philosophy did King follow and
what was that philosophy?
Listen to Malcolm X's response to king. How was Malcolm X's view at the
time different from King's and what made him change his mind?
What type of means did MLK use to open the way for blacks to obtain
the rights and liberties guaranteed to all citizens?
Where was King assassinated - city, state, and specific location?
What seemed shady about the specific location?
Name some of the contradictions and the questions they had about the shooting?
Who shot MLK?
Robert Kennedy, on his campaign trail for Presidency, was informed
of King's assassination. The police warned the senator not to make his
speech that day because riots had broken out in cities across America.
He decided to anyway to a crowd of 2,500 people who hadn't heard the news
yet.
Where and when was this speech given? After reading the speech, why do
you suppose these people didn't riot? Write down some key quotes.
Be sure to take careful notes
and answer all questions to the fullest. You will be handing in your notebook
so try and keep it as neat as possible. Don't forget to write down all
your thoughts and comments.
One of the objectives of this
Webquest is to enable you to put yourself in the place of the African American
people in the 50's and 60's and look at what happened from their point
of view in order to gain an understanding of how intolerance shaped the
events of history.
Conclusion
Is the struggle for equality
a thing of the past? Can you find examples of discrimination today? Find
a newspaper article to support your findings. Compare the society of the
50's and 60's to today. Today laws help protect the rights of all Americans,
but we must continue to work towards equality. How can you do your part?
