LibGuides: ENGLISH12 The Crucible: Relevant Topics

Salem Witch Trials

Image courtesy of Bettmann/CORBIS

What really happened. Dig into how the infamous Salem Witch Trials began and why they remain a cautionary tale of groupthink and scapegoating.

Source: YouTube, 2020, TED-ED, Duration 5:30, URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVd8kuufBhM

A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials
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An article in the Smithsonian Magazine.
Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive
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From the University of Virginia Library.
Salem Witchcraft Trials (1692)
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An account of the famous trials.
Witchcraft in Salem Village
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Danvers Archival Center in conjunction with University of Virginia.
Salem Witch Museum
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For all things Salem Witch Trials.

McCarthysim & Red Scare

Tells the story of the rise and fall of Senator Joseph McCarthy, a fierce partisan and demagogue whose battles against Communism in early 1950s America utilized the new medium of television to garner public attention. Preying upon the public's fear of communism within the U.S. government, he hurled accusations against numerous political enemies often with little or no evidence, and with scant regard to the principles of due process, free speech, and liberty.

Source: YouTube, 2019, Bill of Rights Institute, Duration 4:19, URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnsJkdW8BfI

McCarthyism and the Red Scare
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The Miller Center, in non partisan partnership with the University of Virginia and specialises in political history, talks about the political lessons from McCarthyism and the Red Scare.
Red Scare [History]
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The Red Scare led to a range of actions that had a profound and enduring effect on U.S. government and society.
Did Joseph McCarthy cause the Red Scare of the 1950s? [Britannica]
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