2006-12-09 14:53:14 · 11 answers · asked by freegirl8328 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
In modern terminology 'witch-hunt' also has a metaphorical usage, referring to the act of seeking and persecuting any perceived enemy, particularly when the search is conducted using extreme measures and with little regard to actual guilt or innocence.
By that definition, the McCarthy era would be one, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) into Communist influence on the motion picture industry is another, the Ex parte Quirin case can be argued (both ways) to be another, the Ku Klux Klan's activity might be considered another.
2006-12-09 15:42:27 · answer #1 · answered by Carl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, in addition to what the others said about McCarthy, there was also a witch hunt in Connecticut before the Salem one. In the sources below are links to a few articles on both the Salem and Connecticut witch hunts.
The Connecticut witch hunt took place from as early as 1647 and as late as 1697 (50 years!). I don't know why this one doesn't get as much attention as the Salem trials!
I'm sure there were others. Women have been accused of being witches since as early as 1622.
2006-12-10 10:25:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many cite the House Committee on Un-American Activities during the late 1930's thru the 1950's and 60's. Few know today that it was actually established to investigate alleged pro-Fascist and pro-Nazi sympathizers in the USA. The Committee chairmen Senator Maurice Dickman was a soviet spy.
After World War 2 it was used to identify communist influences in the media and in the state department. Senator McCarthy was it's most famous committee member who was ridiculed. However, since the fall of communism most of his assertions were proved correct i.e. the Soviet agents had indeed infiltrated the highest branches of the US government.
2006-12-10 07:57:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It was called McCarthyism. This happened in the 40's and 50's. It took place after WW2. Joe McCarthy, a US Senate, said that he had a list of names of Communists that were in our government. He used people's fear to help it gain momentum. He also used it to gain political power. It was basically a modern day version of the Salem Witch hunts. People would accuse people of being a Communist instead. It showed their "patriotism" to turn in a Communist.
2006-12-09 23:08:10 · answer #4 · answered by rosebrat_85 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
During WW2 when they were putting Japanese Americans in internment camps, When they were hunting communists during The Cold War and The PAtriot Act Post 9/11
2006-12-09 23:10:00 · answer #5 · answered by Faerie In Combat Boots 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Senator Joseph McCarthy tried to give the impression that there was a communist under every rock, but he had no evidence. There WERE communists in the state department as he claimed, but he was pretty much clueless as to who they actually were. A lot of lives were ruined by this, and it can be considered to be a masked attempt to discriminate against American Jews after WWII.
2006-12-09 23:38:49 · answer #6 · answered by Paul H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes in the 50s when Senator McCarthy was looking for Communists.
2006-12-09 22:57:15 · answer #7 · answered by Lauren 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Mitchell raids, starting around 1919, which sought to prosecute or deport "foreign agitators. Actually targeted at communists and anarchists.
2006-12-09 22:57:31 · answer #8 · answered by anywherebuttexas 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sometimes they call mccarthy looking for communsits witchhunts
2006-12-09 22:54:53 · answer #9 · answered by leena 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Honey they never stopped!! That's how they stopped women from overstepping any kind of authority (man).
2006-12-09 22:56:02 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋