PURITANISM, THE 1950S, AND THE RED SCARE

What They Have In Common

PURITANISM

New land – new laws Seeking to purify the ills of the church Close society – outsiders not welcome Not of the church – corrupt Fear/distrust the worldly

THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS

Fear of the unknown Witch hunts Dancing, singing, speaking unknown

languages, hallucinations Possibly from food or drink contaminate Hanging of innocent citizens

THE 1950S

Controversy Nixon Communism Spies

THE RED SCARE

Fear First – 1918-1920 1940’s – 1950’s second and strongest

Red ScareUnited States and Russia – Who has the

biggest and most destructive weapon?Truman Loyalty Doctrine – funded anti-

communist efforts in the United States and abroad

THE RED SCARE -CONTINUED

Joseph McCarthy - Senator – established HUAC

McCarthyism – persecution and slander of those believed to be Communist sympathizers

House Un-American Activities CommitteeHold trials to determine who was a

communist sympathizer Hit the arts and entertainment sector

Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Dashiell Hammett, Lena Horne, Langston Hughes, Arthur Miller, Orson Welles, Pete Seeger, Lucille Ball