Lesson plan
Pirus
The Pirus ( ) are a subset of the larger Bloods gang alliance, an organized crime group in the United States. In the early 1960s, the Los Angeles, California, area was filled with street gangs fighting for power. At that time, the Crips, founded by Raymond Washington and Stanley "Tookie" Williams, were rapidly growing in influence. They expanded quickly, pressuring smaller gangs to either join them or submit. A group of young Black Americans from Compton and nearby areas felt threatened by the Crips' dominance. They refused to submit, and eventually formed their own gang as the main rival to the Crips. From there, the Pirus were born, who later became part of the larger group known as the Bloods. The name “Piru” originated from Piru Street in Compton, which was named after the town of Piru. It is from this area that young men from Piru Street opted to stand up to the Crips. They joined hands with some other smaller gangs that were not willing to be dominated. They all agreed to adopt red as their color against the blue of the Crips. Over time, the violence between the Crips and the Bloods (with the Pirus included) became increasingly brutal. Gang wars erupted in the streets of Los Angeles, escalating from simple fights to shootings, murders, and territorial battles.…
Article summary
The Pirus ( ) are a subset of the larger Bloods gang alliance, an organized crime group in the United States. In the early 1960s, the Los Angeles, California, area was filled with street gangs fighting for power. At that time, the Crips, founded by Raymond Washington and Stanley "Tookie" Williams, were rapidly growing in influence. They expanded quickly, pressuring smaller gangs to either join them or submit. A group of young Black Americans from Compton and nearby areas felt threatened by the Crips' dominance. They refused to submit, and eventually formed their own gang as the main rival to the Crips. From there, the Pirus were born, who later became part of the larger group known as the Bloods. The name “Piru” originated from Piru Street in Compton, which was named after the town of Piru. It is from this area that young men from Piru Street opted to stand up to the Crips. They joined hands with some other smaller gangs that were not willing to be dominated. They all agreed to adopt red as their color against the blue of the Crips. Over time, the violence between the Crips and the Bloods (with the Pirus included) became increasingly brutal. Gang wars erupted in the streets of Los Angeles, escalating from simple fights to shootings, murders, and territorial battles.…
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.