Mob Mentality and the “Bystander”
1925 Detroit
1348 Strasbourg
1925 Washington DC 1974 Boston
Kathryn Jones
North Reading Public Schools
8th Grade U.S. History
May 30, 2009
Heading “Mob Mentality and the Bystander”
Kathryn Jones
North Reading Public Schools
May 30, 2009
United States and World History
8th Grade
Historical Context and Background: Please see Attached Background Page
Essential Questions:
 What is the danger of mob mentality?
 What can the individual do in the face of a mob?
 Can individuals create change in society?
Learning Objectives:
 Students will recognize the racial tensions stemming from the Great Migration during
the post World War I period.
 Students will identify scapegoating of the Jews in Strasbourg during the Black Death.
 Students will recognize the racial tensions and mob actions in South Boston in 1974
regarding the busing of African American students into white neighborhood schools.
 Students will be able to analyze primary source documents.
 Students should recognize the power of the individual, and that Individuals should
stand up for what they believe.
Historical Thinking Benchmarks Incorporated:
 Analysis of primary and secondary sources.
 An understanding of historical debate and controversy.
 Understanding that although the past tends to be viewed in terms of present values, a
proper perception of the past requires a serious examination of values of that time.
Massachusetts Frameworks Incorporated:
USII.9 Analyze the post-Civil War struggles of African Americans and women to gain basic
civil rights. (H)
Learning Activities – Please see Attached Activities Pages
Authentic Assessment – Please see Attached Assessment
Annotated Bibliography – Please see Attached Annotated Bibliography
Historical Context and Background
In Year III of the Teaching American History grant, much emphasis was placed on the issue of
immigration and migration. The inspiration for my lesson was Kevin Boyle’s Arc of Justice. In this book,
Boyle recounts race relations in Detroit, 1925. His focus is the murder trial of Ossian Sweet, but he delves
into the Great Migration of African Americans from the South, the racial tensions, rise of the KKK, birth of
the NAACP, and institutional segregation. Ossian Sweet is on trial for the murder of a neighbor during an
attack on his home in an all white neighborhood. A mob had descended upon it in protest of the African
American family moving in. Students will be reading pages 27-39, which is the account of the mob attack on
Sweet’s home and the subsequent shooting.
This lesson will be part of a World History class, but will utilize three other events in U.S. history
regarding mob mentality and the role of the “bystander”. The lesson begins with the analysis of a document
from Strasbourg, 1348. Students will see how Jews are blamed for the Black Death and massacred. They
will also see another document from Pope Clement VI urging his people to attack Jews. Looking carefully at
the dates of both documents students will see that the people are disregarding the Pope. Students will discuss
mob mentality and the motivating factors in Strasbourg. Students will then focus on the racial tensions in
Detroit, 1925, a KKK march on Washington DC in 1925, and a racial riot in South Boston in 1974. Students
will make the connection between mob mentality toward the Jews in the 1300’s and that toward African
Americans in their own country in this century. Students will end the lesson by applying mob mentality and
the role of “bystander” to their Middle School experiences.
This lesson strongly supports the Historical Thinking Benchmarks. Students will be working with
and analyzing five primary sources. Students will also gain a deeper understanding of how social morals
change over time.
STUDENT ACTIVITES
Day 1
The Black Death – Scapegoating Jews and Mob Mentality
Students are in groups and receive Documents N (Jewish Pogroms in Strasbourg 1348) and O (Papal Bulls
from Clement VI) and a guiding worksheet (See Appendix 1 , 2, and 3).
Using the guiding worksheet, students will analyze and discuss the Jewish pogrom in Strasbourg. Students
will discover the reason for the massacre, the Pope’s position, the mob’s disregard for the Pope, and the
efforts of a few individuals attempting to protect the Jews. Students will be asked reflection questions at the
end of the guided reading to prompt them to make connections to present-day or recent current events.
Students read pages 27-39 of Kevin Boyle’s Arc of Justice for homework.
Day 2
Mob Mentality in America – Racial Riots in Detroit and Boston
The lesson begins with a brief discussion of the Arc of Justice reading. Teacher will check for student
understanding of the historical event, and the issues that led to the mob outside of Ossian’s home. Students
will then go back to groups and receive documents P (KKK march on Washington 1925) and Q (South
Boston race riot, 1974), and a photo analysis sheet for each photo. Students will not have any information
except the pictures. Once students have filled out the analysis sheets, a class discussion will tie these events
to both Ossian Sweet and the Jews in Strasbourg. The theme of mob mentality and the bystander will be
addressed and explored.
For homework, students will complete a “pretest” with four scenarios of violence and bystanders. (See
Appendix 7)
Day 3
Mob Mentality in the North Reading Middle School?
The last day of the lesson will connect the issue of mob mentality and the bystander to the students’ everyday
lives. Class begins students in groups sharing their pretests. Emphasis is placed on what factors would
motivate a bystander to help versus what might stop a bystander from helping. Students are then asked to
revisit the historical events at Strasbourg, Detroit, Washington DC, and Boston and discuss factors that may
have stopped people from acting. This should generate some really interesting discussions. A class wrap-up
ends the lesson.
Students are given a hypothetical vignette to write a response for a quiz grade. (See Authentic Assessment)
Authentic Assessment
Students will be asked to write an essay as a response to the hypothetical case below. Students will be
expected to draw upon at least two historical events discussed in class in their essay.
Essay: What would you (or should you) do, and why? Address the role of bystander in preventing violence.
In your essay, you must refer to at least two historical events from this lesson.
You and your friends hear a rumor that a student may bring a gun to school. What do you do? Why,
what factors motivate you? What have you learned from history?
Students will be given a writing template to help them organize their answers. (See below) Answers will be
graded by a teacher generated rubric.
Topic Sentence
Argument Example:
Example:
Example:
Argument Example:
Example:
Argument Example:
Example:
Example:
Clincher
Annotated Bibliography
Boyle, Kevin. Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age. New Yotk: Henry Holt and Company,
2004. (An excellent book that tackles many race issues of the 1920’s)
Brady, Charles, and Phil Roden. The DBQ Project. 2005. Print. (a great DBQ program for U.S. and World History – excellent
questions, primary sources, and materials)
"Brown vs. Board of Education: A Geographic Review." My Wonderful World Blog. February 11, 2009 . 22 May 2009
<http://blog.mywonderfulworld.org/2009/02/february-is-black-history-month.html>. (Photo of Boston Busing Riot, 1974)
Cary,Cerbin,Dixon,Wilson, "Psychology: Bystander Intervention Lesson." KEEP Toolkit. 10 May 2006. University of WisconsinLa Crosse. 22 May 2009 <http://www.cfkeep.org/html/snapshot.php?id=41787945797469>. (Pretest and Lesson Plan for
Bystander Intervention)
"Photo Analysis Worksheet." Educators and Students. United States National Archives & Records Administration. 12 May 2008
<http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/photo_analysis_worksheet.pdf>. (photo analysis worksheet)
"Racism and Conciousness News and Commentary." 08 Nov 2008. Racism and National Concsiousness. 22 May 2009
<http://racismandnationalconsciousnessnews.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/knights-of-the-ku-klux-klan-washington-dc-1.jpg>.
(Photo of KKK March on DC 1925)
Appendix1
Appendix 2
Name:
Section:
Date:
Mob Mentality and the Bystander – Jewish Pogroms in Strasbourg
Guiding Questions for Documents N and O
Document N
Read the poem, study the woodcut, and read the historian’s note. Then discuss the following questions with
your group. Write your answers in the space provided.
1. In the poem, what were the Jews accused of doing?
2. What was the “evidence” and how was it obtained?
3. What did the people of Strasbourg do to the Jews?
4. Did any citizens of Strasbourg protest against the actions of the majority? Who? What happened?
5. According to the historian’s note, was this action against the Jews of Strasbourg an isolated event?
6. What does the woodcut show? Does this image verify any of the details of the poem? If so, what?
Appendix 3
Document O
1. Did Pope Clement VI believe that Jews were responsible for spreading the plague?
2. What was the Pope’s argument?
3. Was the Strasbourg incident before or after the Pope’s bull?
4. Why do you think the people of Strasbourg did not listen to the Pope?
Your Thoughts
1. What is your reaction to the incident at Strasbourg?
2. If you had been a citizen of Strasbourg 1348, what would you have done?
3. Why didn’t more people speak out?
4. Can you think of any other examples of when people haven’t stopped something unjust from
happening?
Appendix 3
Document P
http://racismandnationalconsciousnessnews.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/knights-of-the-ku-klux-klanwashington-dc-1.jpg
Appendix 4
Document Q
Appendix 5
Appendix 6
Bystander Pre-Test Form
Name: ___________________________________________
Instructions: Read each of the following four (4) scenarios and try to imagine being present in each situation.
Answer the questions for each scenario.
1. On a snowy day, a car is traveling along a busy road. The driver weaves in and out of the passing lane and
accelerates quickly to pass other cars barely missing them. Suddenly the car hits a patch of ice and slides off the
road and onto the shoulder. Motorists who have been following the driver slow down as they approach the car.
In your opinion what is the likelihood that an onlooker would help in this situation? Indicate your opinion by putting
an “X” on the scale.
1---------------- 2 ----------------- 3 ------------------- 4 ------------------- 5 ---------------- 6 ---------------- 7
Very likely
Very unlikely
to help
to help
What factors do you think would influence whether an onlooker would help or not help. List the factors in the columns
below.
Factors that would influence onlooker to help
Factors that would influence onlooker not to help
2. A teacher is walking across campus carrying a stack of papers between classes. Bending over to pick up her
pen she accidentally drops a large stack of papers she was carrying. At that moment a gust of wind blows the
papers all over the sidewalk. Students and passersby watch the papers flying around.
In your opinion what is the likelihood that an onlooker would help in this situation? Indicate your opinion by putting
an “X” on the scale.
1---------------- 2 ----------------- 3 ------------------- 4 ------------------- 5 ---------------- 6 ---------------- 7
Very likely
Very unlikely
to help
to help
What factors do you think would influence whether an onlooker would help or not help. List the factors in the columns
below.
Factors that would influence onlooker to help
Factors that would influence onlooker not to help
Appendix 7
3. At 1:00 a.m. outside a tavern several men are arguing. Two of the men are shouting loudly at a third man
who appears to be backing away from them. The two men move toward the lone man and start waving their
arms as he backs up against a wall. A group of people exiting the tavern notice the situation.
In your opinion what is the likelihood that an onlooker would help in this situation? Indicate your opinion by putting
an “X” on the scale.
1---------------- 2 ----------------- 3 ------------------- 4 ------------------- 5 ---------------- 6 ---------------- 7
Very likely
Very unlikely
to help
to help
What factors do you think would influence whether an onlooker would help or not help. List the factors in the columns
below.
Factors that would influence onlooker to help
Factors that would influence onlooker not to help
4. In middle of the day a man climbs on the railing of a bridge high above a river. He sits on the railing
muttering things to himself. A crowd begins to gather number and motorists stop on the bridge to watch him.
In your opinion what is the likelihood that an onlooker would help in this situation? Indicate your opinion by putting
an “X” on the scale.
1---------------- 2 ----------------- 3 ------------------- 4 ------------------- 5 ---------------- 6 ---------------- 7
Very likely
Very unlikely
to help
to help
What factors do you think would influence whether an onlooker would help or not help. List the factors in the columns
below.
Factors that would influence onlooker to help
Factors that would influence onlooker not to help
Appendix 7