1. Racism led to an unjust legal system where Tom Robinson, an innocent black man, was wrongly convicted of a crime and sentenced to death simply due to the color of his skin and prejudice of the all-white jury.
2. The racist attitudes prevalent in Maycomb caused Atticus to receive threats and face hostility from many in the town for agreeing to defend Tom Robinson, a black man.
3. Jem and Scout witnessed the ugly realities of racism through the mob that gathered outside the jail to lynch Tom Robinson before the trial, showing them the deep prejudice that existed. Racism shaped how the