Artists Protest McCarthyism - Part 1

Essential Question

How were musicians and artists affected by McCarthyism in 1950s America?

Inciting people to actively resist a system, person, or action.

Resistance

Expressing disapproval of a system, person, or action.

Protest

Issues in the 1950s and 1960s

1. The "Red Scare" and the Cold War

2. Women's Rights

3. Civil Rights

4. Migrant Worker Rights and Immigration

5. The Antiwar Movement

6. The Counterculture Movement

At this point, rock and roll music becomes an art form equal to classical music.

The "Red Scare"

• By 1945, America's relationship with the Soviet Union (who was its ally during World War II) was strained

• The Soviets had also developed nuclear weapons and were building up their stock

• The Soviets had begun to expand their influence across Eastern Europe.

• America viewed the Soviets as a new threat to world peace. Their system of Communism was also considered a threat to the economic boom of the postwar era. This is the beginning of the Cold War

• In America, there was a "red scare". This was a fear and suspicion of the Soviets, who were viewed as a threat

McCarthyism

At the center of the Red Scare was Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, a Republican from Wisconsin, who by 1950 had become the face of a national campaign to identify communists in American society. McCarthy enflamed America’s uneasiness about Soviet power. “McCarthyism,” as his crusade became known, emerged from the worry many Americans shared that the Soviets might drop an atomic bomb on U.S. soil, a threat that led communities to practice air raid drills in preparation for an attack. But McCarthyism also fed off the anxiety that communist ideas could infiltrate the hearts and minds of American citizens.

Use Reliable Sources

• capitalism

• socialism

• communism

• totalitarianism

Assignment - 10 Minutes

On the next slide, you will see a link to Padlet. If you have not used Padlet in other classes, you will need to make an account using YOUR GREEN DOT EMAIL. In each column, add your definition of each political system IN ONLY TWO SENTENCES.

Class Discussion

• Why is it difficult to describe a political ideology using only two sentences?

• Which terms were the most difficult to define, and why?

Assignment

Take the next three minutes to read the two quotes in your handout. On the next slide you will write a paragraph comparing these two quotes.