The Similiarities Between The 1690's Salem Witch Hunts and the 1950's Communist Scare.
In the 1690's the community of Salem Mass. was swept up in the controversy of the Salem Witch Hunts. About 160 years later the country experiences similar events in the 1950's Communist Scare. The religious, political, and social climates of these two times are very similar when compared. The motives of the accusers from each period in time are almost the same. The trials and hearings of these times are also very similar. The Salem Witch Trails and the 1950's House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Hearings are two very similar events in history.
The religious, social, and political climates of the Salem Witch Trails and the 1950's HUAC Hearings were very similar. In both incidences the people were paranoid of something. During the Salem Witch Trails people were afraid of the devil, and being accused of witch craft. The government and church overpowered the people, and some people would accuse their neighbors of witch craft to obtain their land. During the 1950's HUAC Hearings people were afraid of being bombed by communists, and being accused of having dealing with the communist party. President Truman began to fire government employees under the suspicion that they may have been communists. In both time periods people were trying to keep evil out of their community or country.
The motives of the accusers were very similar in the Salem Witch Trials and the 1950's HUAC Hearings. In both times accusers blamed others out of fear that they themselves might be accused. IN the Salem Witch Trails there was a lot of built up anger that seemed to explode at the trails, and people would turn against each other. During the 1950's HUAC Hearings people also had a lot of built up anger because of the Cold War, and people became paranoid of communist spies inside the country. In the Salem Witch Trials people would accuse their neighbors of witchery in an attempt to take their land.