The Crucible and McCarthyism

1. The Crucible and McCarthyism American Literature Mr. Grande

2. Salem in the 1760s

3. Original Salem House

4. Salem Trials

5. Salem Arrest Warrant 5

6. What Were the Salem Witch Trials? • Salem, Massachusetts during the 1690s. • In 1563, a little more than a century before the witch hunts of the1690s, Queen Elizabeth legalized the killing of witches. • First offense = public ridicule. • Second offense = death. • King James I • decided first offense = death.

7. Examination of an Accused Witch

8. Petition of John Proctor Awaiting Execution SALEM-PRISON, July 23, 1692. Mr. Mather, Mr. Allen, Mr. Moody, Mr. Willard, and Mr. Bailey Reverend Gentlemen. The innocency of our Case with the Enmity of our Accusers and our Judges, and Jury, whom nothing but our Innocent blood will serve their turn, having Condmened us already before our Tryals, being so much incensed and engaged against us by the Devil, makes us bold to Beg

9. Petition of John Proctor Awaiting Execution and Implore your Favourable Assistance of this our Humble Petition to his Excellency, That if it be possible our Innocent Blood may be spared, which undoubtedly otherwise will be shed, if the Lord doth not mercifully step in. The Magistrates, Ministers, Jewries, and all the People in general, being so much inraged and incensed against us by the Delusion of the Devil, which we can term no other, by reason we know in our own Consciences, we are all Innocent Persons.

10. Petition of John Proctor Awaiting Execution Here are five Persons who have lately confessed themselves to be Witches, and do accuse some of us, of being along with them at a Sacrament, since we were committed into close Prison, which we know to be Lies. Two of the 5 are (Carriers Sons) Youngmen, who would not confess any thing till they tyed them Neck and Heels till the Blood was ready to come out of their Noses, and ‘tis credibly believed and reported this was the occasion of making

11. Petition of John Proctor Awaiting Execution them confess that they never did, by reason they said one had been a Witch a Month, another five Weeks, and that their Mother had made them so, who has been confined here this nine Weeks. My son William Proctor, when he was examin'd, because he would not confess that he was Guilty, when he was Innocent, they tyed him Neck and Heels till the Blood gushed out of his Nose, and would

12. Petition of John Proctor Awaiting Execution have kept him so 24 Hours, if one more Merciful than the rest, had not taken pity on him, and caused him to be unbound. These actions are very like the Popish Cruelties. They have already undone us in our Estates, and that will not serve their turns, without our Innocent Bloods. If it cannot be granted that we can have our Trials at Boston, we humbly beg that you would endeavour to

13. Petition of John Proctor Awaiting Execution have these Magistrates changed, and others in their rooms, begging also and beseeching you would be pleased to be here, if not all, some of you at our Trials, hoping thereby you may be the means of saving the shedding our Innocent Bloods, desiring your Prayers to the Lord in our behalf, we rest your Poor Afflicted Servants, • John Proctor, etc.

14. Salem Hangings

15. Bridget Bishop George Burroughs Martha Carrier Martha Corey Mary Easty Sarah Good Elizabeth Howe George Jacobs Susannah Martin Rebecca Nurse Alice Parker Mary Parker John Proctor Ann Pudeator Wilmott Redd Margaret Scott Samuel Wardwell Sara Wildes John Willard The Dead: 19 Were Hanged

16. Pressed to death when he failed to plea guilty or not guilty: Giles Corey Died in prison: Sarah Osborn Roger Toothaker Lyndia Dustin Ann Foster The Dead: Means Other Than Hanging

17. Salem Memorial

18. Memorial: Rebecca Nurse

19. Memorial: Sarah Good

20. So…What is McCarthyism? • … and what’s it have to do with The Crucible?

21. Allegory • Main Entry: al·le·go·ryPronunciation: 'a-l&-"gor-EFunction: nounInflected Form(s): plural-riesEtymology: Middle English allegorie, from Latin allegoria, from Greek allEgoria, from allEgorein to speak figuratively, from allos other + -Egorein to speak publicly, from agora assembly -- more at ELSE, AGORA1: the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence; also: an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression2: a symbolic representation : EMBLEM 2 • Defination from Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary: http://webster.com/dictionary/Allegory

22. McCarthy Trials 1947 Salem 1690’s

23. 1938 - House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Established • The Committee's task: "to make from time to time investigations of (1) the extent, character, and objects of un- American propaganda activities in the United States, (2) the diffusion within the United State of subversive and un-American propaganda that is instigated from foreign countries or of a domestic origin and attacks the principle of the form of government as guaranteed by our Constitution, and (3) all other questions in relation thereto that would aid Congress in any necessary remedial legislation."

24. Post WWII distrust of Soviet Union China falls to Communists A consensus developed based on a several key assumptions: All Communists owed their primary loyalty to Moscow” They unblinkingly followed the party line They would, whenever possible, work to subvert the American system. 1945 and on

25. Late 1940s • The Communist Party of America, which had been in existence for decades, started to be viewed as a threat to U.S. national security.

26. 1947 • The Truman administration barred communists or people who associated with communists from government jobs. • The Department of Justice deported foreign-born communists and in 1948, indicated and convicted the party's top leaders under the Smith Act, a 1940 law prohibiting the "teaching and advocating" of subversive doctrines. Several hundred communists went to jail.

27. 1947 • HUAC began public hearings to investigate the influence of communism in the film industry. Ex-members of the Communist Party testified about Hollywood actors, directors, screenwriters, and producers, accusing many of being secret communists.

28. 1947 • With television cameras rolling, Hollywood stars testified at the HUAC hearings. Some named names. Others refused to testify and were cited for Contempt of Congress.

29. The Hollywood 10 • The Hollywood 10 were found cited for contempt and served one year of jail time for refusing testify and refusing to name names. They were also blacklisted, making it impossible for any of them to find work in Hollywood for decades, if ever.

30. But the “Hollywood 10” were not the only Hollywood figures to be blacklisted. Thousands of people in Hollywood lost their jobs or had difficulty finding work after refusing to name names in front of HUAC... Red Channels could be considered THE “Blacklist.” It contained short biographies of those people in radio, television and film who were thought to be associated somehow with Communism and were called to testify in front of HUAC.

31. Dalton Trumbo, Screenwriter (one of the “Hollywood 10”) Some of Those Blacklisted in Hollywood:

32. Ruth Gordon, Actress/Writer

33. José Ferrer, Actor

34. Burgess Meredith, Actor/Producer/Director

35. Lena Horne, Singer/Actress

36. Orson Wells, Actor/Producer/Director/Writer

37. “...my father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I am going to stay here and have a part of it just like you.  And no Fascist-minded people will drive me from it. Is that clear?…. I am here because I am opposing the neo-Fascist cause which I see arising in this committee.” Paul Robeson, Actor/Singer/Activist

38. Arthur Miller, Writer

39. 1948-1950 • The University of California started requiring all employees to sign an anti-Communist loyalty oath. Many faculty and staff objected to the oath, calling it a political test as a condition of employment. Thirty-one professors lost their jobs when they refused to sign, as did many more teaching assistants, student employees and staff. The professors sued and won in court, and resumed their jobs.

40. 1948 - 1950 • People became afraid to speak out about liberal issues or even criticize the government, for fear of being labeled a communist. Ironically people in the U.S. were afraid to speak out in their own country while US soldiers were fighting against communism all around the world—to protect freedom and democracy!

41. 1950 • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were charged with conspiracy to commit espionage (they allegedly sold secrets about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union). They pled "not guilty." In 1951 the Rosenbergs were convicted of spying, sentenced to death and executed in 1953. The Rosenbergs along with many supporters all over the US and the world declared their innocence up until their deaths.

42. Senator Joseph McCarthy • Senator McCarthy was the Chairman of the House Un-American Activities Committee, and he is credited with leading the aggressive pursuit of those called before the Committee. Today he is often characterized as paranoid and “McCarthyism” is synonymous with “witch hunt”

43. McCarthy Speaks: • “Our job as a Americans and as Republicans is to dislodge the traitors from every place where they’ve been sent to do their treacherous work.”

44. February 9, 1950 • Senator Joseph McCarthy announced in a speech that he had a list of 205 communists in the U.S. Department of State. This allegation was never proven (and the number seemed to vary every time he made this announcement), but it got McCarthy a lot of publicity.

45. 1950-1954 McCarthy's fame allowed him to publicly attack various government agencies including the U.S. Army. He also accused high-level government officials of being communists. Because the Republicans won control of the White House and the Congress in 1952, McCarthy was now attacking his own party. Many Republicans became impatient with McCarthy...

46. April 22, 1950 - June 17, 1954 • Senator McCarthy conducted televised hearings of those thought to be affiliated with the Communist party. Republicans worried that McCarthy's public hearings were beginning to make him (and the entire Republican Party) look ridiculous. During a broadcast, Edward R. Murrow, CBS news anchor, said,"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty."

47. December 2, 1954 • The U.S. Senate officially states "Joseph R. McCarthy…tended to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute, to obstruct the constitutional processes of the Senate and to impair its dignity, and such conduct is hereby condemned." By a vote of 67 to 22, Joseph McCarthy was censured.

48. May 2, 1957 • Joe McCarthy dies of hepatitis at the age of 47

49. How Are These Two Events Alike? • In many ways, the McCarthy hearings resembled the notorious Salem Witch Hunts of the 1690s... Discuss

50. The End?