Current Events: January 6th, One Year Later

On January 6, 2022 the United States will mark one year since the attack on the Capitol building, when far-right militia groups including the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, and Pro-Trump supporters who believed a false narrative that the 2020 presidential election was stolen through fraud forcefully made their way into the Capitol building. In the wake of the attack that left 5 people dead and roughly 140 law enforcement officers injured, the country has tried to make sense of the insurrection, the first major attack on the Capitol since 1814.

In June 2021 the House of Representatives created the U.S. House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol. As of this posting, the Committee is actively investigating the incident and is scheduled to begin holding public hearings in early 2022. The Committee’s investigative teams will each focus on specific areas around the insurrection, including funding, the motivation of individual actors, organizational coalitions, and former President Trump’s role and knowledge surrounding the attack. The Committee has stated that it aims to have a final report by the fall of 2022.

Around 700 people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the Capitol insurrection. Roughly 120 defendants have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the events. The penalties for the crimes associated with the insurrection have varied greatly, with some facing minimal to no jail time and others, like a man from Florida, being sentenced to more than five years in prison. Law enforcement officials are still searching for suspects, including a person who planted pipe bombs at the offices of the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee.

In a more recent development, the Attorney General of the District Columbia filed a federal lawsuit against the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, and individual members of these groups, alleging they were responsible for the violence of the January 6th attacks and seeking to recoup millions of dollars spent to deploy metro police to the Capitol, as well as costs related to the medical and mental health treatment officers have been receiving since the attacks occurred. Beyond restitution, the suit aims to deter future violence. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton has stated that “…This lawsuit will deter and say be prepared to spend money and defend yourself because we are coming after you.”

This week’s Current Events resources examine the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. The resources shared provide context and information about some of the key events and actors involved in the insurrection and its subsequent investigations. To see additional resources, check out our initial Current Event on the topic. If you are looking for a resource that places the Capitol attack in the context of U.S. history and democracy, you may consider watching PBS’ “Preserving Democracy: Pursuing a More Perfect Union” premiering on the anniversary of the attack.

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Essential Questions, Vocabulary & Extend the Resources:

Why is language an important aspect when discussing the January 6th Capitol attack?
How have the United States’ democratic institutions responded to the January 6th Capitol attack?
What role has the judicial system played in the aftermath of the Capitol attack?
In your opinion, has the United States done enough to deter and prepare for a similar attack to what was seen on January 6, 2021?
How does the peaceful transfer of presidential power strengthen a democratic nation?
In your opinion, what should the U.S. House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol focus its investigation on?
In your opinion, has the response from the general U.S. citizenry been adequate to deter and prevent another insurrection?

Click here for a hardcopy of the Essential Questions & January 6th Anniversary Vocabulary

Click here for a hardcopy of the Extend the Resources handout with suggested lesson activities and extensions