As you well know, The Crucible was written at the height of McCarthyism, when much of America was gripped with fear and paranoia about communism. In order to understand more about McCarthyism and why it caused such division in the country, you will be reading and reacting to the Wikipedia article on McCarthyism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism).

Fundamental research questions:

1. Who was Joseph McCarthy?
2. How did McCarthyism affect America?
3. Why was communism so widely feared by Americans?

Assignment: When you are finished reading the article, write a brief paragraph answering the above questions.

Follow up: Consider how all you have just read relates to The Crucible. What message does Miller seem to have about the condition of America during the 1950’s? Why would he have chosen to set the play during the Salem Witch Trials? Discuss with a neighbor some possibilities.