Understanding The Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism

Salem Witch Trials  

● The Salem Witch Trials began in ______
● Salem was located in __________ Bay Colony
● Reverend Parris became Salems first official _________
● Who were the first two girls to experience demonic like episodes?
1)
2)
● What are the names of the first 3 women accused of Witchcraft and highlight the name
of the woman who admitted to witchcraft
-
-
-
● What was the name of one of the Court’s used for the trials? __________
● Over _____ people were put on trial and about ___ those people were sentenced to be
hung.

The McCarthy Era 

● This era was named after _____________. And is also called the Second ___________.
● The McCarthy era began after the end of __________.
- To combat against the growing political power known as __________.
○ Hundreds of people were put on trial however, the most targeted people were
1)
2)
3)
4)

The Author 
● Playwright ______ ______ was born in Harlem in ______.
● Attended Michigan University and majored in Journalism and worked for the school
paper
● He wrote The Crucible in _____.
● He wrote the crucible to reflect the __________ of the 1950’s
● During the McCarthy Era he was put on trial and arrested for __________.
● His passport was denied when he tried to travel in order to attend the premiere of “The
Crucible”
Postmodernism 
● Postmodern literature began to emerge after the end of __________.
● What are two skepticisms of Postmodern thought
 1)
2)

What are some themes you think will appear in the crucible?
____________________________________________________________________________
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Do you think that it was appropriate or necessary to write a play about the Salem Witch Trials
during the time The Crucible was published?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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Does the crucible remain relevant to our society now? If so how?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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On the Venn Diagram below compare and contrast the The Red Scare to that of The Crucible
and the Salem Witch trials. During our reading of the play you will be able to add to this chart.

The McCarthy Era  The Crucible