McCARTHYISM and The Demons of Salem

Vocabulary flashcards covering key people, terms, and concepts related to McCarthyism, HUAC, The Crucible, and the Salem parallel.

McCARTHYISM

Anti-communist campaign (late 1940s–1950s) led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, featuring unproven accusations, loyalty tests, blacklists, and civil-liberties abuses.

HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)

Congressional committee formed in 1938 to investigate suspected communists; central to the Red Scare and political persecution in government and entertainment.

card-carrying communists

Term used to describe people believed to belong to the Communist Party and seen as infiltrators.

blacklist

Policy of excluding individuals from work due to suspected communist ties, effectively ending many careers.

comsymps

Abbreviation for Communist sympathizers; those accused of sympathizing with Communists.

Edward R. Murrow

Influential journalist whose criticisms of McCarthy helped undermine the anti-Communist crusade.

Mort Sahl

Comedian noted for challenging McCarthy and the era’s censorship in the press.

The Crucible

Arthur Miller’s 1953 play about the Salem witch trials, used as an allegory for McCarthyism and the domestic cold war.

Salem witch trials

17th‑century witchcraft prosecutions used as a metaphor for modern political witch-hunts.

Francis Walters

Chairman of HUAC who interrogated Miller and pressed him during hearings (as referenced in the notes).

Marilyn Monroe

Actress whose potential photograph with the chairman was suggested as leverage in HUAC inquiries.

Elia Kazan

Director who testified before HUAC and named names, a central figure in Miller’s discussion of the era.

A Life

Elia Kazan’s memoir recounting his experiences and moral decisions during the HUAC period.

Timebends

Arthur Miller’s memoir detailing his life and thoughts about The Crucible and the era.

J. Edgar Hoover

Director of the FBI who oversaw a vast internal security apparatus during the domestic cold war.

Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?

Famous HUAC question used to compel testimony and damage reputations.

the enemy is within

Miller’s idea that the true threat lies inside society, not just from external forces.

witch hunt

Metaphor for the McCarthy era’s indiscriminate and fear-driven investigations, echoing Salem.

The Devil in Massachusetts

Marion Starkey’s book used by Miller as source material for The Crucible.