McCarthyism’s Anti Communist Campaigns
Required ResourcesRead/review the following resources for this activity:
Textbook: Chapter 28, 29, 30LessonMinimum of 1 primary sourceMinimum of 4 scholarly sources (in addition to the textbook)Optional Resources to ExploreFeel free to review the library guide for scholarly sources and videos at the following link:Link (website): History Library Guide Links to an external site.IntroductionThe purposes of each case study assignment include the following:To hone your abilities to research using scholarly sourcesTo advance critical thinking and writing skillsTo compile a response to the prompts providedTo explore a historical topic and make connections to change over time
InstructionsPick one (1) of the following topics. Then, address the corresponding questions/prompts for your selected topic. Use at least one (1) documented example of the corresponding primary source in your writing.
Option 1: McCarthyism and Anti-Communist CampaignsThe Cold War brought about an irrational fear of communism and communist activities in the United States. As we are learning this week, one of the most vocal instigators of this paranoia was Senator Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy delivered a speech about the imminent threat of communism on February 9, 1950. Perform a search on the internet and locate and read Joseph McCarthy’s speech given in Wheeling, West Virginia on February 9, 1950. Copy and paste the following keywords into your Google search bar: “Joseph McCarthy, Wheeling, West Virginia.” The speech is also referred to as “Enemies from Within.”
Construct the case study by responding to the following prompts:Explain how Senator Joseph McCarthy defined communist nations within the speech. What specific threats did these nations pose?Assess if Senator Joseph McCarthy charges were accurate.Analyze anti-communist sentiments during the Cold War era, were these sentiments valid. If so, how? If not, why not?Explain if there are other examples of events similar to the Red Scare that have occurred throughout history and modern day.Examine what happened to people who invoked the Fifth Amendment, refused to appear or were found in violation of the law as defined by the Congressional Committee.Writing Requirements (APA format)Length: 4-5 pages (not including title page and references page)1-inch marginsDouble spaced12-point Times New Roman fontTitle pageReferences pageIn-text citations that correspond with your end referenceGradingThis activity will be graded based on W7 Case Study Grading Rubric.