Note the effectiveness of the sit-in as a protest tactic.
What was its impact on participants? media? opposition? potential allies?
Allies
What allies did the students gain that proved essential for their success?
Opponents
How did the students' opponents provide the opportunity for
the movement's success?
Crises
In what ways was FSM a defensive
reaction to provocations by more powerful established interests or
was it a new attempt by students to push a new agenda?
Recruitment
Note the variety of ways people were recruited to the Berkeley
Free Speech Movement: some were already committed activists who
came to Berkeley before the FSM because of Berkeley's reputation
for political activism; but several were recruited almost
accidentally by happening to be in the right place at the right time.
Origins
Note all the connections between the civil rights movement and
Berkeley Free Speech Movement (FSM). Consider issues, leadership,
rhetoric, music, and most importantly, tactics.
Culture
What evidence is there that the FSM was an early example of a
"New Social Movement" with a typically post-modern critique of
contemporary society?