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TWELVE ANGRY MEN

TWELVE ANGRY MEN. HISTORICAL CONTEXT. President: Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican) New York City Mayor: Robert F. Wagner Jnr. NEW YORK, 1957. United Nations Building. There were many immigrants from Germany, Italy, Poland, etc. post-WWII

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TWELVE ANGRY MEN

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  1. TWELVE ANGRY MEN HISTORICAL CONTEXT

  2. President: Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican) • New York City Mayor: Robert F. Wagner Jnr.

  3. NEW YORK, 1957 • United Nations Building

  4. There were many immigrants from Germany, Italy, Poland, etc. post-WWII • At the same time, the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum, with Brown vs. Board of Education 1954 and the Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955-6.

  5. COLD WAR • The USA and USSR had fought together in WWII but by 1945, ideological tensions were rising • The USA decided the best strategy was containment – ensuring the Communist threat did not spread any further • Both sides were building up their nuclear weapons, and eventually had enough to destroy the world • Thus, “cold war” – no direct fighting but a tense standoff

  6. The Cold War was part of the daily life of Americans throughout the 1950s and 1960s • Many built fallout shelters in their backyards

  7. MCCARTHYISM • The HUAC (House of Un-American Activities Committee) tried suspected communists and communist sympathisers • These trials were publicly broadcast: “Are you now or have you ever been a Communist?” • Joseph McCarthy was determined to rid the country of left-wing sympathisers, and targeted those who worked in the entertainment industry • Rose acknowledged: “In a way, almost everything I wrote in the fifties was about McCarthy.”

  8. ROSENBERGS • On 29th March 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage • 2 years later they were executed • According to accounts, the jury spent a lot of time trying to convince a single juror who was doubtful of Ethel’s guilt • Many Americans were sympathetic, concerned for their two young sons, aged 3 and 7

  9. SPACE RACE • On October 4 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik – the first man made object to be launched into the Earth’s orbit • A year later, Eisenhower created NASA

  10. BASEBALL • In 1957, the New York Giants moved to San Francisco and the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles • This left New York without a National League team (Yankees play in the American League)

  11. US LEGAL SYSTEM • Originally, all juries had 12 members and decisions had to be unanimous • Until 1968, only white men who owned property were allowed to sit on a jury • Poor defendants had to be provided with a defence lawyer, free of charge, by the government

  12. BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT • A person is innocent until proven guilty ie. the burden of proof is on the prosecution • The prosecution’s evidence must prove that there is no other logical explanation than the defendant committed the crime • If the jurors have no doubt, or only unreasonable doubt, then the defendant should be found guilty • If there is a reasonable alternative possible, the defendant can be found not guilty

  13. KEY TERMS • PROTAGONIST HOMICIDE • ANTAGONIST INTIMIDATE • ACQUITTAL JURY • APPALL PREMEDITATED • BIGOT PROOF • DEFENDANT PROSECUTION • DOGGED SADISM • EVIDENCE SUBSERVIENT • TESTIMONY UNANIMOUS • VERDICT PREJUDICE

  14. CHARACTERS FOREMAN: responsible for organisation of jury, assistant high school football coach 2nd Juror: bank clerk, shy at first 3rd Juror: small business owner. Bad relationship with his own son (no longer speak). This is a contributing factor to his prejudice against the defendant

  15. 4th Juror: stockbroker, wears glasses, very serious and logical • 5th Juror: works in a hospital, has lived in the slums his entire life • 6th Juror: house painter, happy for case to continue as he does not have to work

  16. 7th Juror: concerned about getting to a baseball game. Sells marmalade • 8th Juror: discontent with handling of trial, wants to discuss evidence in detail. Architect • 9th Juror: old man, respects 8th Juror’s passion and sense of justice

  17. 10th Juror: tactless, bigoted, condemns defendant as “one of them” • 11th Juror: German immigrant watchmaker, patriotic, loves American justice system • 12th Juror: marketing agent. Constantly distracted from the case

  18. INNOCENT VS NOT GUILTY • What is the difference?

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