How to Compare the Salem Witch Trials to the Red Scare
The Salem witchcraft trials in 1692 and the Red Scare of 1950 to1954 remain two of the most controversial events in American history. Many have drawn parallels between them, most famously Arthur Miller in his classic play, "The Crucible."
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History
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Both trials were motivated by fear that turned into hysteria. The Salem witch hunt began when two young girls became sick with an undiagnosed illness. The doctor thought they were bewitched. The Red Scare began in the years following World War II, when the Soviet Union rose up as a threat to U.S. security. Americans feared Communist expansionism.
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Unsubstantiated rumors fueled both trials. Young girls made the first accusations of witchcraft in Salem. Eventually 180 people were accused and jailed, many of them on evidence provided by "specters" or ghosts. Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy claimed there were 205 Communists in the State Department in a famous speech given in 1950. Congressional investigations failed to confirm his charges.
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Leadership
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Outspoken, visible leaders pushed both trials forward. Salem Chief Justice William Stoughton headed a court specially formed to make the trials go quickly. He favored admission of "spectral evidence." Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy was the face of the Red Scare. He became associated with the phrase: "Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist party?"
Consequences
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Twenty men and women were executed as a result of the Salem witchcraft trials. The Red Scare took its toll in lives ruined. Accusations caused many to lose their jobs; some committed suicide.
Resolution
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After the Court of Oyer and Terminer was dissolved in October 1692, magistrates and jurors apologized and the victims' families were paid restitution. In December 1954, the U.S. Senate condemned McCarthy for abusing his power.
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References
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