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Lizzie Borden: The Murders, the Trial, & the Media Frenzy

Lizzie Borden, the famous woman from Fall River, Massachusetts, who went to trial for brutally murdering her father and step-mother, was acquitted, so why does the age-old rhyme vividly describe her wielding an ax, and why do so many of us believe she did it? In this episode, Mary, Kirk, and Haley break down the facts of the murders and explore why a century-old case captures our imagination in such a profound way. Why did the trial create a media frenzy across the country and bring a city to a standstill? How did it reflect important social issues of the time like women’s rights and classism?

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Curriculum

Media and American Democracy

How does the First Amendment’s protect speech and press, prior restraint, and right to know in democracy? The lessons in this curriculum are each designed for a 45-minute class period and can be used in a Journalism, English, Civics, Social studies, or Government classroom. They explore the application of the First Amendment’s protection in a modern democracy concerned with national security. Find effective ways to use the First Amendment, press-related debate, and the daily news to capture the imaginations of their students and inspire engagement, citizenship, and the belief that all of us have the responsibility to participate.