many similarities to the affairs that were unfolding around the author at the time of writing, the mass hysteria aroused by the communists ‘witch-hunts’ of cold war, 1950s America. As we follow the harrowing results of released repression, the hysterical accusations of Salem bears direct resemblance to communist McCarthyism as well as other similarities that unfold as the play narrates one of the most tragic periods of American history. Amidst the apparently insipid, puritanical village of Salem there was little controversy due to its populations consent to theocratic autocracy however this apparent peaceful, holy sanctuary was rife with evils that conjured the demonic hysteria throughout Salem village; these were caused by an amalgamation …show more content…
It was during his early career as a Judge that “McCarthy made the needs of children involved in contested divorces a priority.” this extract from Thomas Reeve’s biography that suggests McCarthy experienced a troubled childhood that could have lead to desire for power. During his fist election campaign, he accused his opposition, Robert La Follette, of War profiteering despite having personally profited from WWII. His early monotonous Senate career erupted in 1950 when he produced a list of 205 suspected communists exclaiming “The state department is infested with communists…this list of names were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State Department.” The majority of accusations had little or no verification and is seen as propaganda aimed to exploit the fear of communism that had arose from the cold war. This act of inflammatory manipulation foreshadowed McCarthy’s evolution to become the chairman of the Government Committee on Operations of the Senate, and thus the Witch hunts
In 1954, McCarthy turned his attention from the federal government towards exposing the supposed communist infiltration of the armed services. McCarthy launched his “Army-McCarthy Hearings,” but these hearings were different, they were broadcast on national television from April to June. Hearing after hearing, McCarthy invulnerability reputation began to disappear. First, the army services had undermined the Senators credibility by “showing evidence that [McCarthy] had tried to win preferential treatment for his aides when they were drafted” (“Army-McCarthy Hearings”). Then, the public came to notice that McCarthy used aggressive measure to interrogate witnesses, especially when he was interrogating a young Army Lawyer.
Primary Sources: Cunningham, Jesse G., Laura K. Egendorf, editors. The McCarthy Hearings. Greenhaven Press, 2003. Print.
These years are often referred to as the “McCarthy era”, named after a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin who blamed many of his colleagues of Communist subversion. In many cases, defendants were pitted against their own friends, whose only evidence were their words. Cultural and racial bias ran rampant, and often those accused of a crime against the country, such as espionage or conspiracy of espionage, were not given fair trials. In one such case, a husband
Throughout History, women have long struggled and fought for the same equality, justice, and rights as males in society. Historians have two opposing views of what life was like in Puritan society. One side argues that Puritan society was a golden age for women as they worked alongside their husbands, had an important role in the household. However, opposing historians argue that Puritan women were inferior to men in the society for five main reasons. Women were inferior because they were supposed to be silent company, they only received half the inheritance of their brothers, they were meant to have and take care of the children, they received harsher punishment for their wrongs, and they had to follow strict rules.
McCarthy had a list of people that were allegedly communist. In reality, most of them were nothing but alcoholics or drug addicts. Regardless, McCarthy pushed through and became the chairman of the government committee on the operation of the investigations. He continued the investigations for two years questioning many people in the government. During this panic, it became a witch-hunt of communist.
REVIEW OF LITRATURE A.) SUMMARY SOURCE A Although the whole book had information on the Salem witch trials. The introduction, chapter 1 and 2 and the conclusion had information regarding the research needed • Introduction: states what the Salem witch trials where and who they accused.
As this trial wraps up and have left our once wonderful town of Salem Massachusetts to ruins. Throughout the course of the witch trials many lives have been lost in the ability to trust one another as protestant brothers and sisters has been lost. To this day very question the strength of this town and if it will have the ability to bounce back from such a horrific event such as this. While some may say forget the past for this in the past the story, this horrific story will be told for centuries to come. In addition to this to explain the catastrophic damage even the judges involved in this case have apologized for the many lives lost in the families change forever, never to be the same.
During the seventeenth century, there was a series of court hearings and prosecutions of people who happened to be accused of practicing witchcraft in Massachusetts. These events would later be called the Salem witch trials. In the book titled The Crucible by author Arthur Miller, it is written in the form of a play that has a central idea that explores the Salem witch trials in seventeenth - century Salem, Massachusetts. The main theme that is seen throughout the play is cruelty which can be seen in the way each individual is treated by their peers. The first significant event of cruelty that is seen is within society itself.
Senator Joseph McCarthy was a merciless politician who would be censured by the Senate in 1954 for his false accusations. However, his political journey throughout the country had a significant impact on the American public. Americans let fear override their conscious and allowed a bully to insert panic into their minds. McCarthy’s crusade was powerful and convinced the naive public during a time of war to question their own government without sufficient
McCarthy manipulated the media, told outrageous stories about the communist conspiracy in the United States, and used his power and America’s fear to besmirch any opponents as “communist sympathizers” to make sure he remained at the top. Actually, most conservative members of Congress supported McCarthy because it helped them gain votes during elections. The majority of McCarthy 's movement attacked liberals and members of the Democratic Party and this aided anyone who was not part of those topics and organizations. Then McCarthy began to target the Army because they wouldn’t favor David Schine, one of his former investigators, who had been drafted in. “Senator Joseph McCarthy began hearings investigating the United States Army, which he charged with being ‘soft’ on communism.
It was derived from the fear and hatred they had deep inside them. Mccarthy used this plot to get rid of his opponents and secure him a prime spot for a next term as a senator. McCarthy’s trials were no different to The Salem witch trials by raising suspitions he was able to destroy lives with a written list. Although people tried to contradict his allegations the majority’s fear of communists clouded the court’s judgement. They had no remorse for the aftermath of their doings.
McCarthyism was a vociferous campaign against alleged communists in the US government. Many of the accused were blacklisted or lost their jobs, although most did not in fact belong to the Communist Party. In these two events, many similarities
McCarthy created the uproar of having a ‘witch hunt’ on communists in America. His influence on the people gave him credibility when he accused those innocent people. “He cited 81 cases that day. He skipped several numbers, and for some cases repeated the same flimsy information. He proved nothing, but the Senate called for a full investigation.”(ushistory.org).
Paul Arrington Chartos 6 2/10/23 The True Criminal There is always two sides to every coin, good and evil but, what happens when both sides are evil? Who is more wrong and who is more right? These were the exact problems that Salem faced during the Witch Trials.
It is a dramatized and not exactly true to life story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692-93. Miller wrote the play as a metaphor or analogy of McCarthyism, when the US government shunned people for being communists. Some of the connections that can be made are between Joseph McCarthy in spreading the idea of Communism invading America, and Abigail Williams’ spread of the devil invading Salem. McCarthy utilized the current fear and hatred for communists to further his own agenda. Abigail Williams used the fear and hatred for witches and the devil to further her agenda of getting John Proctor away from his wife.