Imagine living in a society where everyone is scared for their lives and the innocent lie to keep themselves safe. During the times of the Red Scare and the Salem witch trials, this was common everyday life. The Salem witch trials consisted of events which accused the innocent of being witches. Similarly, throughout the McCarthyism era, innocent people were accused of being communists with no solid proof. The Salem witch trials initiated in the spring of 1692, “after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft.” (www.history.com). Around 3,000 years later, the Red Scare began. In the 1950s, just after World War II, many Americans were afraid of communists entering their country. The government, seeing this as
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In the movie Good Night and Good Luck, referring to the McCarthyism Era, an American soldier, Milo, was being questioned with the thought that he was a communist. The proof that he supposedly was involved with communism was top secret & hidden in a classified folder. The proof was never shown to the public, so the people all just had to trust in the government and believe whatever evidence that was in that folder can prove the soldier was a communist. During the witch trials, the only evidence used to prove people guilty of witchcraft was Abigail Williams ' opinions & stories she tells. "Declaring witchcraft provides her with instant status and recognition within Salem, which translates into power." (www.cliffsnotes.com) There is no solid evidence shown in either of these scenarios. Just like the people during the times of McCarthyism where Americans had to trust in their goverment, Salem 's villagers ' had to rely on the court to believe Abigail 's stories of who was involved in witchcraft. People were assumed guilty without the use of solid evidence which is not fair under any
In the movie Good Night and Good Luck, referring to the McCarthyism Era, an American soldier, Milo, was being questioned with the thought that he was a communist. The proof that he supposedly was involved with communism was top secret & hidden in a classified folder. The proof was never shown to the public, so the people all just had to trust in the government and believe whatever evidence that was in that folder can prove the soldier was a communist. During the witch trials, the only evidence used to prove people guilty of witchcraft was Abigail Williams ' opinions & stories she tells. "Declaring witchcraft provides her with instant status and recognition within Salem, which translates into power." (www.cliffsnotes.com) There is no solid evidence shown in either of these scenarios. Just like the people during the times of McCarthyism where Americans had to trust in their goverment, Salem 's villagers ' had to rely on the court to believe Abigail 's stories of who was involved in witchcraft. People were assumed guilty without the use of solid evidence which is not fair under any