Worksheet 1: The Background of the Senate Judiciary … · leaders linked comic book reading to...
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Congress Investigates: The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency Investigates Comic Books in the 1950s Center for Legislative Archives www.archives.gov/legislative/resources Worksheet 1: The Background of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency’s 1954 Investigation of Comic Books A resolution passed by the United States Senate authorized the Judiciary Committee to create a Special Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency to investigate the rising level of juvenile crime in the United States. Although the subcommittee examined several causes of crime, public attention focused on allegations linking juvenile delinquency to the harmful effects of reading comic books. The early 1950s were a time of great anxiety about the nation’s youth. In 1955, Newsweek magazine reported that the national crime rate had increased by 33.4 percent since 1940, largely due to increased criminal acts by teenagers. Comic books were a new form of media and among the first consumer products specifically marketed to teenage buyers. Civic and religious leaders linked comic book reading to antisocial and criminal behavior, and several major newspapers launched anti–comic book editorial campaigns. Fear about the harmful effects of reading comic books emerged after World War II, fueled by the growing popularity of crime and horror comics. Many comics also featured sexually suggestive illustrations and lurid plot lines describing incidents of crime and revenge. By the early 1950s, 80 to 100 million comic books of this type were being sold each week. Although popular with teens, the violent comic books triggered adult outrage. Public discontent was expressed in many ways, including mass comic book burnings conducted in several communities. Childhood expert Dr. Fredric Wertham emerged as the best-known anti–comic book voice. Beginning in 1948, Wertham called for a ban on the sale of comic books to children under the age of 16, claiming that many delinquent children he had studied in his practice had been influenced by reading comics. Six years later, Wertham seized national attention with the publication of Seduction of the Innocent, a bestselling anti–comic book expose. Although Wertham’s views were respected and widely known, critics argued that his research was not supported by adequate data and consisted mostly of unproven theories.
Transcript of Worksheet 1: The Background of the Senate Judiciary … · leaders linked comic book reading to...
CongressInvestigates:TheSenateJudiciaryCommittee’sSubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquency
InvestigatesComicBooksinthe1950sCenterforLegislativeArchives
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Worksheet1:TheBackgroundoftheSenateJudiciaryCommittee’sSubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquency’s1954InvestigationofComicBooks
AresolutionpassedbytheUnitedStatesSenateauthorizedtheJudiciaryCommitteetocreateaSpecialSubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquencytoinvestigatetherisinglevelofjuvenilecrimeintheUnitedStates.Althoughthesubcommitteeexaminedseveralcausesofcrime,publicattentionfocusedonallegationslinkingjuveniledelinquencytotheharmfuleffectsofreadingcomicbooks.
Theearly1950swereatimeofgreatanxietyaboutthenation’syouth.In1955,Newsweekmagazinereportedthatthenationalcrimeratehadincreasedby33.4percentsince1940,largelyduetoincreasedcriminalactsbyteenagers.Comicbookswereanewformofmediaandamongthefirstconsumerproductsspecificallymarketedtoteenagebuyers.Civicandreligiousleaderslinkedcomicbookreadingtoantisocialandcriminalbehavior,andseveralmajornewspaperslaunchedanti–comicbookeditorialcampaigns.
FearabouttheharmfuleffectsofreadingcomicbooksemergedafterWorldWarII,fueledbythegrowingpopularityofcrimeandhorrorcomics.Manycomicsalsofeaturedsexuallysuggestiveillustrationsandluridplotlinesdescribingincidentsofcrimeandrevenge.Bytheearly1950s,80to100millioncomicbooksofthistypewerebeingsoldeachweek.Althoughpopularwithteens,theviolentcomicbookstriggeredadultoutrage.Publicdiscontentwasexpressedinmanyways,includingmasscomicbookburningsconductedinseveralcommunities.
ChildhoodexpertDr.FredricWerthamemergedasthebest-knownanti–comicbookvoice.Beginningin1948,Werthamcalledforabanonthesaleofcomicbookstochildrenundertheageof16,claimingthatmanydelinquentchildrenhehadstudiedinhispracticehadbeeninfluencedbyreadingcomics.Sixyearslater,WerthamseizednationalattentionwiththepublicationofSeductionoftheInnocent,abestsellinganti–comicbookexpose.AlthoughWertham’sviewswererespectedandwidelyknown,criticsarguedthathisresearchwasnotsupportedbyadequatedataandconsistedmostlyofunproventheories.
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TheSubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquencyfocuseditsinvestigationoncrimeandhorrorcomicbooksbecausetheyweresaidtooffer—accordingtothesubcommittee’sreportonthetopic—“shortcoursesinmurder,mayhem,robbery...andvirtuallyeveryotherformofcrime...andhorror.”DuringAprilandJune,1954,thesubcommitteeheldtelevisedpublichearingsinNewYork,thecenterofthecomicbookpublishingindustry.
Thesubcommitteewasespeciallyconcernedaboutcomicbooks’vivid,detailedillustrationsofviolentacts.Thesubcommitteeexpressedalarmthatratherthanprovokinglaughter,thesecrimeandhorrorcomicbooksaimedaspotlightonviolentdeathineveryformimaginableanddwelledindetailonsadisticcrueltyandvariousformsofinsanity.
Intheend,thesubcommitteefoundthatreadingcomicbooksdidnotcauseteenagerstocommitcrimes.Theyruledagainstcensoringorbanningcomicsandinsteadcalledonthecomicbookindustrytoregulateitselfbyadoptingaratingscodeandimposingavoluntarybanondepictionsofextremeviolence.Thecommitteeconcludedthat,ultimately,itwasaparent’sroletoscreenmaterialtheirchildrenread.
Althoughthesubcommittee’sexaminationofpopularmediaisawell-rememberedchapterofitswork,theinvestigationofcomicbookswasonlyoneelementofafarreachingandlong-lastingstudyofmassmedia.Afterthecompletionofitsstudyofcomicbooks,thesubcommitteeshifteditsfocustoviolenceandhorrorontelevisionandmoviesandthepowerofmediatoshapebehavior.
Thesubcommittee’sworkencompassedfarmorethananalysisofthemedia.Amongtheothertopicsinvestigatedbythesubcommitteeweretheeffectivenessofthejuvenilecourtsystemandyouthcorrectionalinstitutions,theconditionofgovernmentandsocialwelfareorganizationprogramsforyoungpeople,andtheeffectivenessofyouthemploymentprograms.
Thesubcommittee’sworkwasvaluedbytheSenate,anditsauthoritytoinvestigatewasrenewedandextendedbyaseriesofSenateresolutionsuntil1986.
CongressInvestigates:TheSenateJudiciaryCommittee’sSubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquency
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ReviewQuestions:
1. HowdidtheSenaterespondto1950sconcernsaboutjuveniledelinquency?
2. HowdidtheSubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquencyusetelevisiontoinformthepublicofitsstudyofmedia?
3. WhatwastheimportanceofDr.FredricWerthaminthishistory?
4. Howappropriate is it todescribe theSubcommitteeon JuvenileDelinquencyasbeingprimarilyfocusedoninvestigatingcomicbooks?
5. WhatdoesthehistoryofthesubcommitteeillustrateabouthowCongressrepresentstheAmerican people?
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Worksheet2:TestimonyIntroducedtotheSubcommittee
Instructions:Readthefollowingthreeexcerpts.Answerthequestionsattheendoftheworksheet,andrecordyouranswerstosharewiththerestoftheclass.
1. ExcerptfromtheTestimonyofDr.FredericWertham(medicalexpertonchildren),Psychiatrist,Director,LafargueClinic,NewYork,NY–PresentedtotheSenateJudiciaryCommittee,SubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquencyHearing,NewYorkCity,April21,1954
Dr.Wertham....Itismyopinion,withoutanyreasonabledoubt,andwithoutanyreservation,thatcomicbooksaloneareanimportantcontributingfactorinmanycasesofjuveniledelinquency....
Mr.Chairman,aslongasthecrimecomicbooksindustryexistsinitspresentformstherearenosecurehomes.
...Oneoftheoutstandingthingsthereisincrimecomicbooks—letmesayheresubjecttolaterquestionsthatinmyopinioncrimecomicbooksasIdefinethem,aretheoverwhelmingmajorityofallcomicbooksatthepresenttime.Thereisanendlessstreamofbrutality…
Ithinkthatcomicbooksprimarily,andthatisthegreatestharmtheydo,causeagreatdealofethicalconfusion....
IwouldliketopointouttoyouoneothercrimecomicbookwhichwehavefoundtobeparticularlyinjurioustotheethicaldevelopmentofchildrenandthosearetheSupermancomicbooks.Theyarouseinchildrenfantasiesofsadisticjoyinseeingotherpeoplepunishedoverandoveragainwhileyouyourselfremainimmune.WehavecalledittheSupermancomplex.
Inmanycomics,thewholepointisthateviltriumphs:thatyoucancommittheperfectcrime.IcouldgiveyousomanyexamplesthatIwouldtakeallyourtime.
Iwillgiveyouonlyoneortwo.Hereisalittle10-year-oldgirlwhokilledherfather,broughtitaboutthathermotherwaselectrocuted.Shewinksatyoubecausesheistriumphant...
Iwanttomakeitparticularlyclearthattherearewholecomicbooksinwhicheverysinglestoryendswiththetriumphofevil,withaperfectcrimeunpunishedandactuallyglorified...
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Nowwhatabouttheremedy?Mr.Chairman,Iamjustadoctor.Ican’ttellwhattheremedyis.Icanonlysaythatinmyopinionthisisapublic-healthproblem.IthinkitoughttobepossibletodetermineonceandforallwhatisinthesecomicbooksandIthinkitoughttobepossibletokeepthechildrenunder15fromseeing[crimecomics]displayedtothemandpreventingthesebeingsolddirectlytochildren.
Inotherwords,Ithinksomethingshouldbedonetoseethatthechildrencan’tgetthem…
Iamnotadvocatingcensorship,butitisthecomicbookindustrywhichatthepresentmomenttriestocensorwhattheparentsread…EversinceIpublishedmybook…Ihavebeentoldbythreatsbylibelsuits,ofdamages;itisamiraclethatmybookwaspublishedconsideringhowmanythreateningletterstheselawyersandpeoplehavewrittentomyprospectivepublishers…
SenatorEstesKefauver(D,TN).Wouldyoulikenthissituationyoutalkabout,showingthesamethingoverandoveragainuntiltheyfinallybelievedit,towhatweheardaboutduringthelastwarofHitler’stheoryoftellingthestoryoverandoveragain?
ChairmanRobertC.Hendrickson(R,NJ).The“biglie”technique”
Dr.Wertham.Well,Ihatetosaythat,Senator,butIthinkHitlerwasabeginnercomparedtothecomicbookindustry.Theygetthechildrenmuchyounger.
2. ExcerptfromtheTestimonyofWilliamGaines,PublisherofEntertainingComics.QuestionedbySenatorEstesKefauver(D,TN)andSubcommitteestaffAssociateChiefCounselHerbertWilsonBeaser—PresentedtotheSenateJudiciaryCommittee,SubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquencyHearing,NewYorkCity,April21,1954
Mr.Beaser.Letmegetthelimitsasfaraswhatyouputintoyourmagazine…Isthesoletestofwhatyouputintoyourmagazinewhetheritsells?Isthereanylimityoucanthinkofthatyouwouldnotputinamagazinebecauseyouthoughtachildshouldnotseeorreadabout?Mr.Gaines.No,Iwouldn’tsaythatthereisanylimitforthereasonyououtlined....
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Mr.Beaser.Therewouldbenolimitactuallytowhatyouputinthemagazines?Mr.Gaines.Onlywithintheboundsofgoodtaste....Mr.Beaser.Yourowngoodtasteandsalability?Mr.Gaines.Yes.SenatorEstesKefauver(D,TN).HereisyourMay22issue.Thisseemstobeamanwithabloodyaxholdingawoman’sheadupwhichhasbeenseveredfromherbody.Doyouthinkthatisingoodtaste?
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Mr.Gaines.Yes,sir;Ido,forthecoverofahorrorcomic.Acoverinbadtaste,forexample,mightbedefinedasholdingtheheadalittlehighersothattheneckcouldbe
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seendrippingbloodfromitandmovingthebodyoveralittlefurthersothattheneckofthebodycouldbeseentobebloody.
3. ExcerptfromtheTestimonyofRichardClendenen,ExecutiveDirector,UnitedStates
SenateSubcommitteetoInvestigateJuvenileDelinquency—PresentedtotheSenateJudiciaryCommittee,SubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquencyHearing,NewYorkCity,April21,1954
Mr.Clendenen.IamexecutivedirectoroftheSenateSubcommitteetoInvestigateJuvenileDelinquency....
Ourinvestigationintothecomicbookindustryhasbeenalmostexclusivelylimitedtothosecomicswhichthemselvescenterabouthorrorandcrime.
TheparticulartypeofcomicstowhichIreferpresentbothpicturesandstorieswhichrelatetoalmostalltypesofcrimeandinmanyinstancesthosecrimesarecommittedthroughextremelycruel,sadistic,andpunitivekindsofacts.
Now,inconnectionwiththatquestion,Ishouldliketomakeitperfectlyclearthatourinvestigationhasnotbeenconcernedwithothertypesofcomics,manyofwhichallauthoritiesseemtoagreerepresentnotonlyharmless,butmanytimeseducationalentertainment.
Ishouldalsoaddthatevenwithinthattypeofcomicbooksknownasthehorrorcrimecomics;therearegradationswithinthisgroup,too.Thatis,somearemuchmoresadistic,muchmorelurid,thanothersinthesameclassorcategory.
Now,althoughourinvestigationshavebeenlimitedtothisparticularsegmentofthecomicbookindustry,weshouldnotgivetheimpressionthatthisisasmallportionofthecomicbookindustry.
AccordingtoestimateswhichwereprovidedusbytheAuditBureauofCirculationsandControlledCirculationAudits,thetwofirmsthatpublishcirculationfigures,therewereabout422differentkindsofcomicorcomic-booktitlesonthenewsstandsinMarch1954.Aboutone-fourthwereofthecrimeandhorrorvariety.Now,asfarasallcomicbooksareconcerned,
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althoughexactfiguresarelacking,mostauthoritiesagreethatthereareprobablysomewherebetween75millionand100millioncomicbookssoldinthiscountryeachmonth.
Ifonequarteroftheseareofthecrimevarietyofcomics,thismeansthattherearesome20millioncomicbooks,crimecomicbooksplacedonthenewsstandsofthiscountryeachmonth....
Wehavereviewedvirtuallyallofthesurveysandstudiesthathavebeenmade;thatis,wehavereviewedallthatwehavebeenabletofind.
Imightsaythatitprobablyisnottoosurprisingthattheexpertopinionsandfindingsofthesestudiesarenotwhollyunanimous.Thatis,thereiscertaindiversityofopinionregardingtheeffectsofthesematerialsonyoungstersevenamongtheseindividualswhomwemightproperlyqualifyasexperts....Thereissubstantial,althoughnotunanimous,agreementonthefollowingthreepoints:
1. Thatthereadingofacrimecomicwillnotcauseawell-adjustedandwellsocializedboyorgirltogooutandcommitcrime.
2. Theremaybeadetrimentalanddelinquencyproducingeffectuponsomeemotionallydisturbedchildrenwhomaygainsuggestion,support,andsanctionforactingouthisownhostileandaggressivefeeling.
3. Thereisreasontobelievethatasamongyoungsters,themostavidandextensiveconsumersofcomicsaretheveryboysandgirlslessabletotoleratethistypeofmaterial.Asamatteroffact,manyexpertsfeelthatexcessivereadingofmaterialsofthiskindinitselfissymptomaticofsomeemotionalmaladjustmentinayoungster.
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Worksheet2Questions:
1. WhatjoydoesDr.Werthamclaimthatchildrenfindincomicbooks?
2. InwhatwaysdoSenatorKefauverandDr.Werthamlikentheimpactofcomicbookstopropaganda?
3. HowdidWilliamGainesjustifythetastefulnessofthecoverofCrimeSuspenseStoriesthatECComicspublishedonMay22,1954?
4. WhatpotentiallinkdoesRichardClendenendrawbetweencomicbooksandjuveniledelinquency?
5. Whatdoyouthinkwasthemostpersuasivetestimonyintheaboveexcerpts,andwhatwastheleasteffective?Why?
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Worksheet3:DocumentsinSubcommitteeEvidence
Instructions:Examinethefollowingthreecomicbookcoversandthreecomicbookplotsummaries.Answerthequestionsattheendoftheworksheetandrecordyouranswerstosharewiththerestoftheclass.
BooksCovers:
1.VaultofHorror,February–March,1954
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2.FightAgainstCrime,May1954
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3.PanicMay,1954
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PlotSummariesofcomicbooks(writtenbythesubcommitteestaff):
1. BottomsUp(StoryComics)
Thisstoryhastodowithaconfirmedalcoholicwhospendsallhiswifecanearnonalcohol.Asaresulttheirsmallsonisseverelyneglected.Onthedaythesonistostartinthefirstgradeinschool,themotherasksthefathertoescorthimtotheschoolbuilding.Instead,thefathergoestohisfavoritebootlegger,andthesongoestoschoolbyhimself.Enroute,thechildisstruckandkilledbyanautomobile.Informedoftheaccident,themotherreturnshometofindherhusbandgloatingoverhisnewsupplyofliquor.Thelastfourpanelsshowthemotherassheproceedstokillandhackherspousetopieceswithanax.Thefirstpanesshowsherswingingtheax,buryingthebladeinherhusband’sskull.Bloodspurtsfromtheopenwound,andthehusbandisshownwithanexpressionofagony.Thenextpanelhasamontageeffect:thehusbandislyingonthefloorwithbloodrushingfromhisskullasthewifeispoisedoverhim.Sheholdsthebloodyax,raisedformoreblows.Thebackgroundshowsanenlargementofthefearfilledeyesofthehusband,aswellasanenlargementofthebloodyax.Todescribethissceneofhorror,thetextstatesthat,“andnowthesilenceoftheHendricks’apartmentisbrokenonlybythesofthummingofNoraasshebusiesherselfwithher‘work.’”Shethencutshisbodyintosmallerpiecesanddisposesofitbyplacingthevariouspiecesinthebottlesofliquorherhusbandhadpurchased.Shethenreturnstheliquortothebootleggerandobtainsarefund.Assheleaves,thebootleggersays:“HMMM,funny!IfiguredthatryewouldbeinsideLoubynow!”Thestoryendswiththeartistadmonishingthechildreadersinamacabreveinwiththefollowingparagraph,“ButifWestlakeweretoexaminetheremainderofthecasemorecloselyhe’dseethatitisLouwhoisinsidetheliquor!Heh,heh!Sleepwell,kiddies!”Wethenseethreeofthebottles—onecontainsaneye,oneanear,andoneafinger.
2. FriscoMary(AceComics)
Thisstoryconcernsanattractiveandglamourousyoungwoman,Mary,whogainscontrolofaCaliforniaunderworldgang.Underherleadershipthegangembarksonaseriesofholdupsmarkedfortheirruthlessnessandviolence.Oneoftheseescapadesinvolvestherobberyofabank.Apoliceofficesoundsanalarmtherebyreducingthegang’s“take”toamere$25,000.OneofthescenesofviolenceinthestoryshowsMarypoisedoverthewoundedpoliceofficer,asheliesonthepavement,pouringbulletsintohisbackfromhersubmachinegun.Theagoniesofthestrickenofficerareclearlydepictedonhisface.Mary,
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whointhisparticularscenelookslikeanaverageAmericangirlwearingasweaterandskirtandwithherhairinbangs,inresponsetoapleasfromoneofhergangmemberstostopshootingandflee,states:“Wecouldhavegottwiceasmuchifitwasn’tforthisfrog-headed-rat!!!I’llshowhim!”
3. WithKnifeinHand(AtlasComics)
Apromisingyoungsurgeonbeginstooperateonwoundedcriminalsinordertogainthemoneydemandedbyhisspendthriftwife.Afterhehasruinedhisprofessionalcareerbybecomingassociatedwiththeunderworld,acriminalcomestogethelpforhisgirlfriendwhohasbeenshotbythepolice.Intheaccompanyingpanels,thegirlisplacedupontheoperatingtable;thedoctordiscoversthatthecriminal’sgirlfriendisnoneotherthanhisownwife.Thescenethenshowsthedoctorcommittingsuicidebyplungingascalpelintohisownabdomen.Hiswife,gaspingforhelp,alsodiesontheoperatingtableforlackofmedicalattention.Thelastsceneshowsherstaringintospace,armdanglingoverthesideoftheoperatingtable.Thedoctorissprawledonthefloor,hishandstillclutchingtheknifehandleprotrudingfromhisbloodyabdomen.Thereisaleeronhisface,andheiswinkingatthereader,connotingsatisfactionathavingwroughtrevengeuponhisunfaithfulspouse.
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Worksheet3Questions
1. Whatactionisthemainfocusoneachofthethreecomicbookcovers?
2. Distinguishamongthethreetypesofviolenceshownonthecomicbookcovers.Whichdoyouthinkhasthemostpotentialtobeconsideredharmfultoyoungreaders?Why?
3. ShouldthecoverofPanicbeconsideredaviolentsceneorasocialsatire?
4. Whichofthethreeplotsummariesdidyoufindthemostengaging?Why?
5. Howwasrevengeusedintheplotyouselectedinansweringquestion4?
6. Whichplotmosteffectivelysurprisedthereader?Why?
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Worksheet4:CorrespondenceSenttotheCommittee
LetterfromEugeniaGenovar,November24,1953
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LetterfromBobStewart,June12,1954(Page1)
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LetterfromBobStewart,June12,1954(Page2)
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LetterfromRobertMerdian,June22,1954
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LetterfromBrianMulholland,September28,1954
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Worksheet4Questions:
1. WhatdotheselettersreflectabouttheinfluenceofDr.FredericWerthamonthepublicopinionsaboutcomicbooks?
2. Whichletterdidyoufindtobethemostpersuasive?Why?
3. WhatdotheselettersshowabouttherelationshipofCongresstothepublic?
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Worksheet5:ReviewQuestions
1. Whatdoestheevidenceinthislessonsuggestabouttheimportanceofcrimeandhorrorcomicsasa1950shistoricaltopic?
2. WhatdoestheprimarysourcematerialinthislessonshowaboutCongressasaninstitutionofrepresentativegovernment?
3. Asaresultofthesubcommittee’sinvestigation,thecomicbookindustrydecidedto
policeitselfbybanningextrememurderandhorrorcomics.Wouldyousupportthispolicy?Whyorwhynot?
