Letter from Birmingham Jail: Test you knowledge

In which year was Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail written?

• 1956

• 1960

• 1963

• 1968

What was the main purpose of King's letter?

• To express his gratitude to the clergymen for their concern

• To defend the actions of the civil rights movement

• To apologize for the demonstrations and protests

• To call for an end to the civil rights movement

In the letter, King makes a distinction between two types of laws. What are they?

• a) Just laws and unjust laws

• State laws and federal laws

•  Civil laws and criminal laws

• International laws and domestic laws

According to King, what is the difference between a just and an unjust law?

• A just law is a man-made code that is fair from a moral point of view, while an unjust law does not consider if the law is fair from a moral point of view.

• A just law is a law that is enforced, while an unjust law is not enforced.

• A just law is a law that benefits the majority, while an unjust law benefits the minority.

• A just law is a law that is passed by a majority, while an unjust law is passed by a minority.

Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic steps that King outlines for nonviolent resistance?

• Collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist

• Negotiation with the oppressor

• Self-purification

• Retaliation with violence

King's use of civil disobedience was influenced by what historical figure?

• George Washington

• Mahatma Gandhi

• Abraham Lincoln

• Thomas Jefferson

In the letter, King addresses the criticism that the civil rights movement is "unwise and untimely." What is his response to this criticism?

• He acknowledges that the movement is untimely, but argues that it is necessary.

• He argues that the movement is both thought-out and overdue.

• He argues that the movement is unwise, but necessary.

• He dismisses the criticism as something that is not based on facts.

King writes that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." What is the significance of this statement?

• It means that civil rights issues in the United States are interconnected with issues of justice around the world.

• It means that civil rights issues are only important in certain parts of the United States.

• It means that civil rights issues should be resolved through the legal system, rather than through civil disobedience.

• It means that civil rights issues are not important unless they directly affect one's own community.

King writes that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." This is an example of which rhetorical device?

• allusion

• alliteration

• antithesis

• ambiguity

In the letter, Martin Luther King expressed disappointment with which group of people for not being more supportive of the Civil Rights Movement?

• Black activists

• White moderates

• Northern businessmen

• Southern politicians