"Justice or Fear?": The Trial of Sacco & Vanzetti

Target: I can explain how the "Red Scare" influenced the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti by comparing Vanzetti’s final speech to a political cartoon about anti-immigrant hysteria.

Key Vocabulary

• The Red Scare (1919–1920s): A period of intense fear in the U.S. that communists, anarchists, and immigrants were plotting to overthrow the government.

• Nativism: The belief that "native-born" Americans are superior to immigrants. Nativists wanted to stop immigration, especially from Southern and Eastern Europe.

• Sacco & Vanzetti: Two Italian immigrants and anarchists who were convicted of murder and executed. Many historians believe they were found guilty because of their race and beliefs, not because of the evidence.

• Anarchist: A person who believes that all forms of government are bad and should be abolished.

Part 1: Do Now (5 minutes)

Directions: Read the prompt below and write a 5-8 sentence response.

Prompt: Imagine a valuable phone is stolen in the cafeteria. The principal immediately blames two new students just because they dress differently and don't speak English well. He ignores the fact that no one actually saw them take the phone. Is it fair to assume someone is guilty just because they are different or "look suspicious"? Why does fear make people jump to conclusions?

Sentence Starter: It is (fair/unfair) to blame them because... Fear makes people jump to conclusions because when people are afraid, they look for a "scapegoat" to...

Part 2: Analyzing the Sources

Directions: Analyze the two documents below and then answer the questions that follow.

Source 1: Bartolomeo Vanzetti, Final Statement to the Court (1927)

Context: After being sentenced to death, Vanzetti gave this famous speech. He argued that the judge and jury were killing him not because he was a murderer, but because of who he was.

Original Text	Simplified Text
"I am not only innocent of these two crimes, but in all my life I have never stole, never killed, never spilled blood... I have suffered because I am a radical and indeed I am a radical; I have suffered because I am an Italian and indeed I am an Italian... If you could execute me two times, and if I could be reborn two other times, I would live again to do what I have done already."	"I am innocent of these crimes. In my whole life, I have never stolen, never killed, and never hurt anyone... I am suffering today because I am a 'radical' (anarchist), and it is true that I am a radical. I am suffering because I am an Italian, and it is true that I am an Italian... But even if you could kill me twice, I would still live my life the exact same way."

Source 2: Political Cartoon - "Close the Gate" (1919)

Context: This cartoon was published during the Red Scare, right before the Sacco and Vanzetti trial began. It reflects the mood of the country at the time.

Analysis Questions

Directions: Answer the writing questions and the two Multiple Choice questions.

1. According to Source 1, what does Vanzetti believe are the REAL reasons he is being punished?

Sentence Starter: Vanzetti claims he is really being punished because he is a... and because he is an... not because he committed a crime.

2. Look at Source 2. How does this cartoon explain why a jury might be biased against men like Sacco and Vanzetti?

Sentence Starter: The cartoon shows that Americans were terrified that immigrants were "Reds" who carried... If the jury saw Sacco and Vanzetti as dangerous monsters like the man in the cartoon, they would...

Regents-Style Multiple Choice

3. The trial and execution of Sacco and Vanzetti (1920s) illustrates that:

(1) The justice system always protects the rights of the accused

(2) Nativism and political fears can interfere with fair legal trials

(3) African Americans were gaining equal rights in the South

(4) The Supreme Court supported the rights of anarchists

4. The "Red Scare" shown in Source 2 also led to the passage of which type of legislation in the 1920s?

(1) Laws establishing a minimum wage

(2) The 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote

(3) Immigration Quota Acts (National Origins Acts) restricting immigration

(4) The Social Security Act

Part 3: Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

Directions: Answer the following prompt in a complete paragraph (5-8 sentences).

Prompt: Using evidence from both sources, explain how the Red Scare affected the Sacco and Vanzetti case. Why did Vanzetti believe he was being executed (Source 1), and how does the cartoon (Source 2) prove his point?

Sentence Starter: The Red Scare made it difficult for Sacco and Vanzetti to get a fair trial. As Vanzetti said in Source 1, he was being punished because "I am a..." and "I am an..." rather than for murder. Source 2 proves his point because it shows that Americans viewed radical immigrants as... This fear (Nativism) led the jury to assume...