A Level History - America - Practice Exam

Which statement accurately reflects the outcome of the Sacco and Vanzetti trial?

1. They were acquitted after a retrial

2. They were found guilty and executed after 7 years on death row

3. They became prominent civil rights activists

4. They escaped to Europe

The correct answer is: They were found guilty and executed after 7 years on death row

The correct answer highlights that Sacco and Vanzetti were found guilty and executed after spending several years on death row. Their trial, which took place in the 1920s, became a focal point of controversy and public debate, largely due to the political climate at the time, which was marked by heightened fears of anarchism and communism. The case was viewed by many as a miscarriage of justice, driven by the defendants' foreign backgrounds and political beliefs rather than solid evidence linking them to the crime. Sacco and Vanzetti were convicted of murder in 1921 and spent over six years in prison while their appeals were pursued, during which their case garnered international attention and support from various social and political groups advocating for their release. Despite significant public opposition to their conviction and calls for clemency, they were executed in 1927. This outcome came to symbolize the broader issues of nativism and the tensions between American values and immigrant identities during the era.