APUSH: Period 8, 1945-1980 - The Red Scare and McCarthyism

Why This Matters

The Red Scare and McCarthyism are significant events in American history that demonstrate the dangers of fear, paranoia, and the erosion of civil liberties. This period, spanning from the 1910s to the 1950s, highlights the tension between national security and individual rights, a classic struggle between the state and the individual. As such, it is closely tied to the AP theme of Politics and Power, which explores the ways in which power is exercised and contested in society.

Key Events & People

• The Palmer Raids (1919-1920): A series of raids and arrests led by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, targeting suspected radicals and immigrants, marking the beginning of the Red Scare.
• The Red Scare (1917-1920): A period of widespread fear and hysteria about communism and radicalism, fueled by the Bolshevik Revolution and World War I.
• Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957): A Republican senator from Wisconsin who led the charge against communism, accusing thousands of Americans of being communists or communist sympathizers.
• The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) (1938-1975): A congressional committee established to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities, often targeting suspected communists and radicals.
• The Hollywood Blacklist (1947-1960): A list of suspected communists and radicals in the entertainment industry, leading to the blacklisting and persecution of many artists and writers.
• The Smith Act (1940): A law that made it a crime to advocate the overthrow of the government, used to prosecute suspected communists and radicals.
• The Alger Hiss Case (1948): A high-profile espionage case involving a former State Department official accused of spying for the Soviet Union.
• The Rosenbergs (1950-1953): A married couple accused of spying for the Soviet Union, executed for treason in 1953.
• The McCarran Internal Security Act (1950): A law that required communist organizations to register with the government and imposed strict penalties for non-compliance.
• The Army-McCarthy Hearings (1954): A series of televised hearings that exposed the excesses of McCarthyism and ultimately led to McCarthy's downfall.

Cause & Effect Chain

• Cause: The Bolshevik Revolution and World War I created a climate of fear and hysteria about communism and radicalism.
• Effect: The Red Scare led to the Palmer Raids and the establishment of HUAC.
• Long-term consequence: The Red Scare and McCarthyism contributed to the erosion of civil liberties and the persecution of suspected communists and radicals.

Essential Vocabulary

• *McCarthyism*: A term used to describe the period of anti-communist hysteria and persecution in the United States, characterized by the use of fear and intimidation to silence critics and opponents.
• *Red Scare*: A period of widespread fear and hysteria about communism and radicalism in the United States, fueled by the Bolshevik Revolution and World War I.
• *HUAC*: A congressional committee established to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities, often targeting suspected communists and radicals.
• *Blacklist*: A list of suspected communists and radicals in a particular industry or profession, used to exclude them from employment or other opportunities.
• *Smith Act*: A law that made it a crime to advocate the overthrow of the government, used to prosecute suspected communists and radicals.
• *Palmer Raids*: A series of raids and arrests led by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, targeting suspected radicals and immigrants.
• *McCarthyism*: A term used to describe the period of anti-communist hysteria and persecution in the United States, characterized by the use of fear and intimidation to silence critics and opponents.
• *Loyalty Oath*: A pledge of allegiance to the United States, often used to screen employees and citizens for suspected disloyalty.
• *Subversive*: A term used to describe individuals or groups suspected of working against the interests of the United States.
• *Treason*: The crime of betraying one's country, often used to prosecute suspected communists and radicals.

Common Student Mistakes

• What students often get wrong: The Red Scare began in the 1920s and ended in the 1950s.
• Correction: The Red Scare began in 1917 and ended in the 1920s.
• What students often get wrong: Joseph McCarthy was a Democrat.
• Correction: Joseph McCarthy was a Republican.
• What students often get wrong: The Hollywood Blacklist was established in the 1940s.
• Correction: The Hollywood Blacklist was established in 1947.
• What students often get wrong: The Smith Act was passed in the 1950s.
• Correction: The Smith Act was passed in 1940.

DBQ / LEQ Connections

• Possible essay prompt: Analyze the role of fear and hysteria in the Red Scare and McCarthyism. How did these factors contribute to the persecution of suspected communists and radicals?
  • Evidence: The Palmer Raids, the Smith Act, the Hollywood Blacklist, the Alger Hiss Case, and the Rosenbergs.
• Possible essay prompt: Evaluate the impact of the Red Scare and McCarthyism on American society and politics. How did these events affect civil liberties and the balance of power between the state and the individual?
  • Evidence: The McCarran Internal Security Act, the Army-McCarthy Hearings, and the testimony of witnesses before HUAC.
• Possible essay prompt: Compare and contrast the Red Scare and McCarthyism with other periods of anti-communist hysteria in American history, such as the Palmer Raids or the House Un-American Activities Committee.
  • Evidence: The Palmer Raids, the Smith Act, and the testimony of witnesses before HUAC.

Quick Self?Check

1. What was the primary target of the Red Scare and McCarthyism?
   • Correct answer: Suspected communists and radicals.
   • Explanation: The Red Scare and McCarthyism were primarily directed against individuals and groups suspected of being communists or communist sympathizers.
2. What was the name of the law that made it a crime to advocate the overthrow of the government?
   • Correct answer: The Smith Act.
   • Explanation: The Smith Act was a law passed in 1940 that made it a crime to advocate the overthrow of the government, used to prosecute suspected communists and radicals.
3. Who was the senator from Wisconsin who led the charge against communism?
   • Correct answer: Joseph McCarthy.
   • Explanation: Joseph McCarthy was a Republican senator from Wisconsin who led the charge against communism, accusing thousands of Americans of being communists or communist sympathizers.

Last?Minute Cram Sheet

• The Red Scare began in 1917 and ended in the 1920s.
• The Palmer Raids were a series of raids and arrests led by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer.
• The Smith Act was passed in 1940.
• The Hollywood Blacklist was established in 1947.
• The McCarran Internal Security Act was passed in 1950.
• The Army-McCarthy Hearings were a series of televised hearings that exposed the excesses of McCarthyism.
• Joseph McCarthy was a Republican senator from Wisconsin.
• The Rosenbergs were a married couple accused of spying for the Soviet Union and executed for treason in 1953.
• The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was a congressional committee established to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities.
• The term "McCarthyism" refers to the period of anti-communist hysteria and persecution in the United States, characterized by the use of fear and intimidation to silence critics and opponents.