The Red Scare (1950's)

Read Chapter 26, section 3 in your textbook. (pages 822-827) and answer the following questions.
Title: The Red Scare (1950s). Labels: Red_Jello, Red_Scare, McCarthy, McCarthyism, Rosenbergs, Blacklist, Alger_Hiss


This assignment is due on Tuesday, April 6 at the beginning of class.






For each term or name, write a concise sentence or two explaining its significance.


1. HUAC
HUAC began to investigate communist influence in Hollywood to try and prevent communist propaganda in films.

2. Blacklist

The Blacklist was a list of people in Hollywood who were believed to be communist.
It ruined the careers of over 500 actors writers and directors.

3. Alger Hiss
Alger Hiss was a state department official who was accused of being a Soviet Spy.
Soviet released cables seemed to prove his guilt.

4. Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
Ethel and Julius Rosenburg were indicated in the case of Fuchs, who had given information to the Soviets about atomic bombs. They were executed for espionage.

5. Joseph McCarthy
McCarthy was a famous anti-communist activist who made many unsupported accusations.

6. McCarthyism
Named after Joseph McCarthy, McCarthyism was when McCarthy made many attacks and accusations against suspected communists.

7. In a paragraph, describe the motivations and actions of Joseph McCarthy during the 1950s. What prompted his actions? What did he do? What happened as a result of his actions?

Joseph McCarthy motivations for his attacks on suspected communists were purely self-serving. McCarthy was a senator from Wisconsin who had been labled as "ineffective". McCarthy needed an issue to take on the win another election. He used people's irrational fear of communism to his advantage and made many false and unsupported claims against believed communists. McCarthy made accusations against the US army which resulted in a televised Senate investigation. The Senate comdemned him for improper conduct.