McCarthyism

Sociological phenomenon

when a population experiences intense feelings of fear about an issue that they feel will threaten the social order

What is Mass Moral Panic?

mass movement

Who have these mass moral panics been directed towards?

minorities

Mob Mentality (Groupthink)

psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people where the result is irrational decision making

How do members in a mob reach a consensus?

ignoring other viewpoints by isolating themselves from outside influences

Who were the most powerful nations in the world after WWII?

USA and USSR

What did the US government make an effort to stop from spreading?

communism

What did Americans fear?

hordes of communists taking over the country

What is another name for communists the American public called?

reds

Who was Joseph McCarthy?

Republican Senator

What years did McCarthy have major influence?

1950-1954

What did McCarthy claim?

he has a list of suspected communists; Americans were being overrun by communists

What did news reports “confirm”?

there were communist spies in the US and they had the recipe for atomic bombs

What time period was The Red Scare/McCarthyism?

1947-1953

What was the House of Un-American Activities Committee?

it was formed by the US in order to investigate communist organizations

What did the House of Un-American Activities Committee actively do?

interrogate American citizens

What did McCarthy and the US hope to achieve with the House of Un-American Activities Committee?

proving that American citizens were actually communists

Who would be targeted of being Un-American?

immigrants, homosexuals, Hollywood film makers, etc.

What happened to individuals who were suspected of communism?

they were blacklisted (shunned)

What did it mean to be blacklisted?

publicly defaced, lost your job, and shunned by people

What did many of the accused individuals do at these Congressional hearings?

they named names

Who did McCarthy mainly target (1)?

those involved in the entertainment industry

How many screenwriters, actors, directors, and producers were called to testify?

300

What was the Hollywood Ten?

10 film makers refused to testify, resulting in 1 year of prison

How many years did these hearing last?

10

What happened after the 10 years of the hearings?

no real communist conspiracy was ever uncovered

The American people began to question the validity of HUAC and its interrogation due to:

insufficient evidence, unfair proceedings, and opposing viewpoints were suppressed

What year did Miller’s play “Death of a Salesman” win a Pulitzer Prize?

1949

What year was Miller called to testify?

1956

When did The Crucible appear on Broadway?

January 22nd, 1953

What caused the making of The Crucible?

Communism during the Cold War

When did McCarthyism end?

1957 or 1958