The Sacco and Vanzetti case was one of the U.S’s first case with immigrants. After being accused of killing a guard and a paymaster, Sacco and Vanzetti were sentenced to death, after a seven-week trial convicting both of first-degree murder, though not being executed until 1927 (Frankfurter). Sacco and Vanzetti’s trial in the 1920s American’s view of Sacco and Vanzetti's criminality derived from their status as Italian-immigrants, Anarchist beliefs, and the country's social divisiveness, and ultimately created their unjust conviction.
Italian-immigrants, Sacco and Vanzetti, arrived to the United States in 1908. During the early 20th century, Italian-Americans were frowned upon and were strongly stereotyped. The group of Italians who immigrated to the United States were …show more content…
Being poor in their homeland meant even tougher times once they arrived to the United States. As a result of their poor status, Italians settled in the cities nearest Ellis Island where they went through like New York City and Boston. Italian immigrants were often uneducated, therefore not speaking English. Not being able to speak the language of the country which you live in makes it very grueling to try to get a decent job. So, many of the Italians took the worst jobs in the cities. Many communities formed in New York of the Italians who all lived together creating what many refer to as “Little Italy” (Benson). Thus, the unfortunate stereotype of the Italian-born immigrants of poor, lower class, violent, etc. Americans took these stereotypes to heart and applied them often. So, the public probably was not shocked when they saw two Italians with poor reputations being taken into custody for two murders and over $15,000 stolen in the process. After all, Anarchists had been behind many bombings and violent activities in the past year (Sacco and Vanzetti had the stereotypes that they were poor and possibly criminals did not
Italian-immigrants, Sacco and Vanzetti, arrived to the United States in 1908. During the early 20th century, Italian-Americans were frowned upon and were strongly stereotyped. The group of Italians who immigrated to the United States were …show more content…
Being poor in their homeland meant even tougher times once they arrived to the United States. As a result of their poor status, Italians settled in the cities nearest Ellis Island where they went through like New York City and Boston. Italian immigrants were often uneducated, therefore not speaking English. Not being able to speak the language of the country which you live in makes it very grueling to try to get a decent job. So, many of the Italians took the worst jobs in the cities. Many communities formed in New York of the Italians who all lived together creating what many refer to as “Little Italy” (Benson). Thus, the unfortunate stereotype of the Italian-born immigrants of poor, lower class, violent, etc. Americans took these stereotypes to heart and applied them often. So, the public probably was not shocked when they saw two Italians with poor reputations being taken into custody for two murders and over $15,000 stolen in the process. After all, Anarchists had been behind many bombings and violent activities in the past year (Sacco and Vanzetti had the stereotypes that they were poor and possibly criminals did not