The McCarthy Hearings(1953 – 1954)

By: Denise ChenJack PrivitelloArmen Spendjian

AM. Lit – 11-3

Background• Years Involved : 1950 – 1955

• Hearings Lasted : 36 Days & Televised for 188 hours

• “The Famous Fifties” – time of BOOM in the arts, technology, medicine, population, culture, etc.

• WHAT : Joseph McCarthy accused people in the government, authority, politics, and military of being Communists.

- At Least 201 people were charged

WHO: Joseph R. McCarthy

• Senator of Wisconsin for 2 years (unknown to others)

• Giant Impact on American foreign policy

• Known as a cheap politician of vulgar

• At one time, had more power than President – needed him to make laws (important for where we are now)

• After his accusations of the authority began, the public interest in him skyrocketed

Reasons / Evidence• McCarthy found out that some government officials were rising against him

• He began to dislike them (showed hatred)

• McCarthy felt he needed to maximize his power

• He wanted to either fool others or he actually believed that the people were communists

• NO EVIDENCE – only that he and the secretary of state knew the names of the communists and had a list

Results / Outcome• Scared the Americans because it was people of authority who were Communists – created an era of Paranoia

• McCarthy was never arrested for false accusations

• Many people in the arts and literature (Hollywood 10) were blacklisted & they lost jobs cause of accusations

• President Eisenhower denounced his senatorial position

• McCarthy continued to accuse others but eventually became “a voice making no sound in the wilderness”

• “THE RED SCARE” - McCarthyism

McCarthyism• “McCarthyism is Americanism with its sleeves rolled” – McCarthy said as he entered the hearings with his hairy arms bare to the biceps

• Coined by Herbert Block, cartoonist in Washington Post

• First Meaning : a synonym for hatefulness, illiberal, anti-intellectual, reactionary, mudslinging, etc

• Recent Meaning : an evil to a large number of Americans and a positive good to a smaller number

- Persecution of individuals backed up with little evidence and with use of personal attacks upon the people in harsh manners

Connections• Similar to The Salem Witch Trials because the accusations started off with hatred or dislike of a certain person/group

• Similar to The Salem Witch Trials because there was little or no evidence to prove the accusations

• Similar to The Crucible Plot because it shows how Americans are like savages and can be corrupt

• Similar to the government because it shows that some people need unnecessary power to feel superior to others

• Similar to government : Injustice and Imprecision in the government

OPEN – ENDED QUESTION

Is it possible for McCarthy’s accusations

to be proven without evidence? What does this show about the

government then, and now? What does this

show about Americans then, and now?