Today, we do not blame sorcery and witches for someone’s illness. This was not the norm in 1692. Two girls named Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, the niece and daughter of Salem Village’s reverend Samuel Parris were sick in Salem Village and could not wake up. When they did, they became hysterical. This happened to several young girls from Salem. They claimed they were possessed and accused some women of witchcraft. The village was then on the hunt for witches. Fear and hysteria spread throughout the village, causing everyone to search for anyone who they thought might be a witch. Your life was at risk if someone accused you of witchcraft. It was a hunt for witches. It’s not just about finding witches. A witch hunt involves the persecution of one group and the searching for them. This is due to the unreasonable fears that the majority has. They see a group that does not conform to their way of life or who is different as being evil. The group is punished without much evidence. In fact, the majority of evidence was hearsay. However, this was not our first witch hunt. Red Scare was a witch hunt that took place in the 1950s. In addition, Americans began to become increasingly concerned about the communism that was growing in Eastern Europe. Americans feared that the revolution in Russia would lead to immigrants overthrowing their government. The Red Scare was the correct name for this event. The Soviet flag is red, and the word scares means fear. Joseph McCarthy, an American senator, claimed that more than 200 communists were infiltrating government offices. It was baffling to see the panic and persecution that followed. McCarthyism is a term that was coined during this period of American history. It means “the practice of accusing people of being disloyal, particularly of procommunist activities, without proof, or on the basis of minor, doubtful, or irrelevant facts”. House of Un-American Activities Committees (HUACs) were created to investigate and find these alleged Communists. Its primary target became Hollywood. They began investigating movie industry members and banned 325 screenwriters. In 1950, ten Hollywood Ten members refused to co-operate with HUAC investigations because they felt it violated their rights. The opposition was sentenced to prison for a year. McCarthyism lasted until 1954. McCarthy was finally overthrown when he accused U.S. Army of communism. The hearing was televised. McCarthy accused Army officers who refused to answer questions about their political views of being uncooperative. Joseph Welsh, an attorney for U.S. Army officers, called McCarthy out. McCarthy’s reputation changed, as did the opinions of President Eisenhower. The rest of the Senate also agreed. McCarthy’s power abuse was the conclusion of McCarthy’s censure. He continued to hold office, yet had no real power. People began to pick up the pieces of their lives and careers. Arthur Miller was one of many Hollywood actors who were accused. He wrote a play which HUAC did not approve of. Arthur Miller got into trouble for his 1952 play “The Crucible”. It was a reflection of the witch hunts that were going on in the 1950s. He was brought before the court in 1956 when he tried to renew his travel documents to Belgium for his play’s opening. He refused to provide the names of those who sympathized with communism when asked. As a result, he was convicted of contempt of congress. The Crucible represents what America was like in the 1950s. His co-workers and his own experiences were used to inspire him. He was fascinated by the paranoid environment and how irrational fear can create chaos. He began to look for topics that matched his own experiences. Then he came across the Salem Witch trial and found the perfect way to portray the Red Scare’s themes on stage. The Crucible has themes that are very similar to those of the Red Scare. McCarthy’s character Judge Danforth is a representation of McCarthy. Judge Danforth sentences Salem on the basis of hearsay, including the accusations made by girls such as Abigail. McCarthy used intimidation by using hearsay in order to make himself an important and feared political figure. Danforth is described in this way. He will not let innocent people go without a sentence. Miller focused in on the Salem residents who blamed others for their personal gains, mirroring Red Scare. Mass hysteria is a common factor in witch hunts. A witch hunt occurs when a majority becomes scared. We are always susceptible to witch-hunts, which is scary. Fear will always overcome us, no matter what changes we make in society. Some might even say that Donald Trump has sparked a witchhunt. Trump is accused of exploiting the fear that America has about terrorism. McCarthy-style tactics are used by Trump to label everyone not with him an enemy. He also targets the immigrants, portraying their negative image in America. The importance of talking about McCarthyism is important. We must be educated to avoid falling into the trap of fear, hatred and past mistakes.