The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, From the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement

How do the stories in The Small and the Mighty aim to inspire readers? What values do they aim to instill? Use specific examples from the text.

What criteria determine who is included in McMahon’s conception of “the small and the mighty”? What do the book’s heroes have in common? How are they different?

McMahon argues that creating a moral panic is one of the most effective ways to crush social movements that threaten the dominant social class. How does she define “moral panic,” and how is it used as a political weapon? How do you see moral panic manifesting today, and what kinds of issues are affected?