Boycotts
Throughout the history of the United States, activists have incorporated the boycott into their methods of protest. Your job is to examine the boycott as a protest technique by reviewing the web sites below. As you view each site, bear in mind the following questions:
- What is the historical context of each boycott? What is each group boycotting and why?
- Were these boycotts successful? If they were, why were they successful? If not, why were they unsuccessful?
- How effective were these boycotts in conveying the message of the protesters? Would you consider the boycott to be an effective means of resistance? Why or why not?
Resources:
- Boycott of British goods during the American Revolution
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1247.html
- Montgomery Bus Boycott
http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65/montbus.html
- Boycott of Benetton products
http://www.spychips.com/press-releases/benetton-boycott.html