Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare

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Thousands of people were arrested and taken away from families in the 1960s. This was all because of something most of them did not do. Joseph McCarthy accused people of being communists without using solid evidence to prove it. In result of this, many people lost jobs, friends, some even had their whole life ruined because of it. If a parent got accused, their child lost friends, parents telling their children to stay away from them. This was the norm in the 1950s-everyone was afraid of the “reds”, or communists. The cold war had a large affect on this, because it is when America became afraid of communists or Russians. McCarthyism affected everyone in America Most citizens were afraid of the reds, some were former or current reds, some were accused and persecuted for being an assumed red. It’s clear that McCarthyism played a big role in the development of America. McCarthyism became a household term, not only associated with the red scare. It is now a term used for any accusation without any evidence. This time period was not the first time people were accused of being a communist, however it did become a very big deal in the U.S. and happened most during that time. The idea of McCarthyism was developed even before McCarthy, he just made the idea popular. It’s origins are from many things. Every time the U.S. skirmishes with Russia, the idea increased. Also, according to "The Cold War Home Front: McCarthyism.", Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal was supposedly linked to communism. The idea came from a lot of places, McCarthy being the main one. McCarthy was not exactly the picture-perfect senator. In fact, most considered him “one of the least qualified, most corrupt politicians of his time” McCarthyism was first used by him as a... ... middle of paper ... ...d show how media has an effect on people. One would think that America would learn from their mistake, however, McCarthyism still exists in this country today with terrorism. Hopefully, this will be our last time period with this unconstitutional act. Works Cited "The Cold War Home Front: McCarthyism." The Cold War Home Front: McCarthyism. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. "Joseph R. McCarthy." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. "McCarthyism, Red Scare, and Domestic Subversion." Discover the Networks. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. "McCarthyism." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print. "Red Scare." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. Schrecker, Ellen. The Age of McCarthyism: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford of St. Martin's, 1994. Print.

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