The Salem Witch Trials and The McCarthy Era Throughout the history of America, we see history repeat itself throughout centuries with similar events that change the view of people throughout time. The McCarthy era was a time in America in where accusations of communism were claimed towards the people. This event led to the creation of the play, “The Crucible” written by Arthur Miller, basing his ideas off of the Salem Witch Trials. There is a relationship between these events, that supports the idea that history repeats itself. The McCarthy Era of the 1950s and the Witch Trials of 1692 are very similar. The events portray false accusations, fear among the people and overall each event is controlled by one main person. The two events
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Throughout the Salem witch trials, the fear would become within the people that lived within the village, and feared that they would become accused of witchcraft and working with the devil. While Abigail Williams played a big role within the accusations the fear would rise within the people, such as Mary Warren. The fear of being accused as a witch is portrayed during a trial in which Abigail claims to see evil birds coming from Mary Warren (The Crucible, Act 3). The fear of being executed takes over the mind of the girl and accuses John Proctor as devils works, in order to not be accused of witchcraft from Abigail (The Crucible, Act 3). The fear was not only within Mary but, as well as the rest of the village that feared of being hung for false accusations. The fear in the people is reflected between the two events relates and relates towards the repetition of history. The fear of being accused as communists rose within the American citizens as the McCarthy era took its place in the 1950s. The “witch-hunts” during the era was ordered by the Joseph in order to look for communist sympathisers (American Museum). The people feared these movements because if they were accused, the choice would either be denying the trial and losing their jobs and friends, or accusing their colleagues of communism (American Museum). The similarity between these two events seem to reflect, overall the citizens and people of the McCarthy Era and the Salem Witch Trials were terrified of the false accusations and the fear of being falsely accused for being a witch or a communist. This fear is what led the main figures of each event the power of accusing any person in order to have
Throughout the Salem witch trials, the fear would become within the people that lived within the village, and feared that they would become accused of witchcraft and working with the devil. While Abigail Williams played a big role within the accusations the fear would rise within the people, such as Mary Warren. The fear of being accused as a witch is portrayed during a trial in which Abigail claims to see evil birds coming from Mary Warren (The Crucible, Act 3). The fear of being executed takes over the mind of the girl and accuses John Proctor as devils works, in order to not be accused of witchcraft from Abigail (The Crucible, Act 3). The fear was not only within Mary but, as well as the rest of the village that feared of being hung for false accusations. The fear in the people is reflected between the two events relates and relates towards the repetition of history. The fear of being accused as communists rose within the American citizens as the McCarthy era took its place in the 1950s. The “witch-hunts” during the era was ordered by the Joseph in order to look for communist sympathisers (American Museum). The people feared these movements because if they were accused, the choice would either be denying the trial and losing their jobs and friends, or accusing their colleagues of communism (American Museum). The similarity between these two events seem to reflect, overall the citizens and people of the McCarthy Era and the Salem Witch Trials were terrified of the false accusations and the fear of being falsely accused for being a witch or a communist. This fear is what led the main figures of each event the power of accusing any person in order to have