The Crucible, McCarthyism, and Allegory

What did Senator Joseph McCarthy claim to be true in 1950?

• 1. Some 200 communists were working in the United States.

• 1. Some 200 communists were working for the U.S. government.

• 1. Some 200 communists were working for the entertainment industry.

• 1. Some 200 communists were working in the U.S. Army.

When was The Crucible first debuted?

• 1. 1952

• 1949

• 1953

• 1951

Which of the following best describes the similarities between The Crucible and McCarthyism?

• 1. They both involve fear and hysteria that ruined innocent lives.

• 1. They both encouraged Americans to take action and be informants.

• 1. They both reflect American fear of communism in the United States.

• 1. They both relate to the dangers of witchcraft in the United States.

Who was Joseph McCarthy?

• 1. A man accused of witchcraft

• 1. The playwright of The Crucible

• 1. A Wisconsin senator who spread fear of communism

• 1. The man who put an end to the Red Scare

Which of the following is NOT an effect of McCarthyism in the United States?

• 1. People made false accusations of communism.

• 1. American fears of communism decreased.

• 1. People made false confessions of communist activity.

• 1. Innocent people lost their jobs.

What is an allegory?

• A false accusation

• A metaphor or analogy

• Historical fiction

• A Broadway play

The Crucible is an allegory about McCarthyism. What is McCarthyism?

• A liberal political ideology

• Hysteria during the Salem Witch Trials

• Illegal monitoring of those accused of communism

• Blurring the lines of church and state

The Crucible is an allegory about the Red Scare. What is the Red Scare?

• The fear of the Scarlet Fever epidemic

• Draft-dodging

• The fear of the spread of communism

• The fear of the British redcoats

What did the author of The Crucible, Arthur Miller, do when he was accused of being a traitor?

• He provided names of coworkers who were affiliated with communism

• He fled the United States

• He made a false confession to avoid incarceration

• He refused to provide any names

In The Crucible, why were so many people brought to trial?

• The judges and law-enforcement were demon-possessed.

• The town was demon-possessed.

• Hysteria induced false accusations.

• The town had become over-populated.