1. Are you now, or
have you ever
been, a
member of the
Communist
party?
McCarthyism
You are seeing
today an all out (Humanity VS. Society)
attempt
to marshal the
forces of the
opposition…
Jessica Travis
Autumn Scruggs 3B
I am always Ashley Phillips AP Eng.
chasing
rainbows,
waiting to find
a little bluebird
in vain!

2. Terms to know:
 McCarthyism – 1. the practice of making
accusations of disloyalty, especially of pro-
Communist activity, in many instances
unsupported by proof or based on
slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence. 2. the
practice of making unfair allegations or using
unfair investigative techniques, especially in order
to restrict dissent or political criticism.
 Humanity – 1. all human beings collectively; the
human race; humankind. 2. the quality or
condition of being human; human nature.
 Society – 1. an organized group of persons
associated together for
religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, p
atriotic, or other purposes. 2. a body of individuals
living as members of a community; community.

3. Joseph McCarthy.
- “McCarthyism is Americanism with its sleeves rolled up.”
 November 14, 1908
 Joseph McCarthy is born in Appleton, Wisconsin
 Education
 He dropped out of grade school at age 14, but
returned to finish his studies in 1928, permitting
him to attend Marquette University
 Received law diploma and began to dabble in
unsuccessful law practices
 Politics
 Was a Democrat early on, but switched into the
Republican Party after being overlooked as a
candidate in the Democratic Party for district
attorney

4. Joseph McCarthy.
- “This is the most unheard of thing I’ve heard of.”
 Campaign
 To stimulate political career, McCarthy quit his
job as circuit court judge and joined the Marines
during World War II.
 McCarthy ran as the Republican candidate for the
Wisconsin Senate seat, where he used
propaganda and accusations against his
opponent, Robert La Follette, to promote his own
campaign
 McCarthy won the election by saying La Follette
wasn’t a good American because he didn’t enlist
in the war

5. Joseph McCarthy.
- “The fate of the world rests with the clash between the atheism
of Moscow and the Christian spirit throughout the world.”
 Re-Election
 McCarthy had an unimpressive first term, so he
searched for ways to ensure his political success,
resorting even to corruption
 Edmund Walsh, a close fellow Roman Catholic and
anti-communist, suggested a crusade against so-
called communists.
 McCarthy enthusiastically agreed and took
advantage of the nation’s wave of fanatic terror
against communism
 Thus beginning the era of McCarthyism

6. Red Scare/McCarthy Era
 Itbegan when Joseph McCarthy made a
speech on Lincoln Day, February 9, 1950, to the
Republican Women's Club of Wheeling, West
Virginia.
 He produced a piece of paper which he claimed
contained a list of 205 known Communists working for
the State Department
 The American public went crazy with the thought
of seditious communists living within the United
States, and roared for the investigation of the
underground agitators.

7. Red Scare/McCarthy Era
 Thousands
of Americans were accused of being
Communists or communist sympathizers
 Became the subject of aggressive investigations and
questioning before government or private-industry
panels, committees and agencies.
 Suspicions were often believed despite inconclusive or
questionable evidence, and the threat posed by a
person's real or supposed communist involvement was
exaggerated.
 Many people suffered loss of employment and/or
destruction of their careers
 Some even suffered imprisonment

8. Victims
 The
number imprisoned is in the hundreds, and
some ten or twelve thousand lost their jobs
 Main targets were government
employees, those in the entertainment
industry, educators and union activists.
 Suspected homosexuality was also a common
cause for being targeted. The hunt for "sexual
perverts", who were presumed to be subversive
by nature, resulted in thousands being harassed
and denied employment
 Notable reporters were also
targeted, especially if they spoke out against
McCarthy.

9. Wait...
 Very few amounts of evidence.
 This evidence isn’t even worthy of being evidence.
 Most of the time the evidence is coincidental at
best.
 So why did they suffer through all of this?
Our guess? Because McCarthy
said they were communist.

10. McCarthyism and Humanity
 Joseph McCarthy caused mass mayhem and
nation-wide panic through his use of reiterating
the words “Communists are bad, and they are
infiltrating our government.”
 Joseph McCarthy may or may not have been a
crazy man. He may or may not have truly believed
his own words. But this one man, who only did this
out of sheer desire to be remembered in history
books, sparked an era of fear and paranoia.
 Because of his speeches, because of his
words, society molded into what he wished.
Society has the power to corrupt a thousand
people. One man’s words can force any number
of individuals to believe anything.

11. How it Relates to the Crucible
 Arthur
Miller himself was one of the people
accused of communism.
 He based his book on the McCarthy era trials, but
also on the Salem Witch Trials.
 Just like Joseph McCarthy, the girls in the Crucible
screamed an accusation and society conformed
to it. They instantly believed the accusation, and
a period of fear and paranoia overtook society.
 The accused in both worlds had a choice. Hand
over names of others, whom are most likely
innocent, or refuse and go through hardship.
Those who handed over names were given a
lesser punishment.

12. Conclusion
 Joseph McCarthy cried Communism with his
selfish desires, thus forcing society to mold to
his will.
 He fed off pre-existing fear and turned it into a
mass hysteria.
 This and other historical examples prove just
how much society will conform. Humanity is
prone to be followers. Words can influence a
nation, and even bend them to your will.