Final answer:
The publication of To Kill a Mockingbird took place during a time of significant racial tension and civil rights activism in the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
The context for the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird can be inferred from the timeline provided. The novel was published in 1960, during a time of significant racial tension and civil rights activism in the United States. The Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum, with events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the sit-ins at lunch counters in the South. It was also a time when racial segregation was still prevalent in many parts of the country.