How Polarization and Division Leads to Political Violence
Ask students: Who are some of the political and civil rights leaders who were assassinated in the 1960s? What are the three factors that lead to political violence in the United States?
As Americans continue to grasp what led up to the threat on former President Trump's life, broadcaster Judy Woodruff sought some perspective on how this moment of political violence and deep division relates to the country’s past. It’s the latest in the ongoing series, America at a Crossroads.
View the transcript of the story.
Time Markers
Start of video to 4m:00s: an introduction to assassination attempts in the United States and parallels between the 1960s and now
4m:00s to 6m:30s: how political polarization has gotten worse today
5m:21s to end of video: potential ways to decrease political violence in the future
- Who are some of the political and civil rights leaders who were assassinated in the 1960s?
- What are the three factors that lead to political violence in the United States?
- When does historian Kevin Boyle suggest the guardrails of American politics began to fall off?
- Why does Kevin Boyle fear for the future if political leaders don't change their language?
- How can we use Martin Luther King, Jr.'s rhetoric and language to help decrease polarization?
Focus Questions
- What is political polarization? How does Kevin Boyle suggest that it has increased in recent years?
- What is misinformation? Can you think of some examples where misinformation has been spread?
- Media literacy: How has social media and the proliferation of outlets affected political misinformation? How has this affected political polarization?
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Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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