MS-13

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ms-13

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is MS-13?United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America
2. When was MS-13 built?1980s
3. What is the organizational classification?International criminal gang
4. What is the key driver of central american expansion?Deportation of members following the end of the Salvadoran Civil War
5. What did MS-13 start out as in Los Angeles?It began as a group of Salvadoran immigrants who wanted to protect each other from other gangs.
6. Why did MS-13 become more violent over time?Pressure from gang life, power struggles, and the temptation of illegal money turned it from a safety group into a violent gang.

Transnational Criminal Organization: A criminal enterprise that operates across international borders, engaging in various illicit activities.
Salvadoran Civil War: A protracted armed conflict in El Salvador from 1979 to 1992, leading to significant displacement and migration.
Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO): A designation by the U.S. government for foreign groups that engage in terrorism, imposing sanctions and restrictions.