Alondra Z. Melanie S. Ariel .R Adrian P. Project

1. Start of
McCarthyism
Welcome to the Museum of
Rise of
McCarthyism
Fall of
McCarthyism
McCarthyism
Museum Entrance Exit

2. The Start of McCarthyism Room
Room 1
Return
to
Entry
The Atomic
Era
Start of the
Cold War
Joseph
McCarthy
Communist
Threat

3. http://www.geir.org/future/tech/AtomicEra.html
● The Atomic era began in 1945 after WWII
had ended
● Although civilizations during this era were
dominated by mechanical process, they also
developed computational devices and often
harnessed fission energy
○ During the Atomic era countries such
as Russia and the US began to have
atom bombs
● Russia tested their first atom bomb in 1949
which would begin the “arms race”
● With this Communism would become a
threat to the United States Return to
Exhibit
The Atomic Era

4. http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/joseph-mccarthy
● He was a first-term senator from wisconsin
○ He won in 1946
● In 1953 he began his second term in being a
senator
● He was in charge of the Committee on
Government Operations
○ That let him launch more
investigations of the federal
government
● Eventhough he did not have enough
evidence, more than 2,000 government
employees lost their job
Return to
Exhibit
Joseph McCarthy

5. http://www.worldology.com/Europe/Europe_Articles/rise_of_communism.htm
● Communism is a theory or system of a
social organization based on the holding of
all property in common
○ This means that property is public and
everyone is paid according to abilities
and needs
● Communism took control of Russia in 1917
after the Communist revolution, and the
ideal of a Communist Russia was built on
after that
● Communist would become a threat to the
United states when it potentially spreads
into the government Return to
Exhibit
Communist Threat

6. The Start of the Cold war
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history
● The start of the cold war started after the
end of WW2 in (1945)
● It started because of a dispute over the
future of Europe
● The “Cold War” was between the Soviet and
Americans
● When there was a global struggle- military,
political, economic, ideological- to have a
new “Cold War” occur
● Russia exploded their first atomic bomb on
August 1949
Return to
Exhibit

7. The Rise of McCarthyism
Room 2
Return
to
Entry
Joseph McCarthy
becoming
Senator
Other Witch Hunt
Victims
Communist
Investigations
The House
Committee on
Un-American
Activities

8. Joseph McCarthy becoming Senator
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/joseph-mccarthy
● Joseph McCarthy became senator only
because he took advantage of americans
● Also he pushed his way into becoming the
senator
● He used the fact that people in america
didn’t like communist so he would do witch
hunts for people that were “communist” on
his list
● The fear of Communists soon became
Mccarthyism
Return to
Exhibit

9. Communist Investigations
http://www.ushistory.org/us/53a.asp
● Joseph McCarthy had investigations in the
US government to find Communist
○ Joseph proclaimed on February 9,
1950 that he was aware that 205 card
carrying members of the communist
party were working for the United
States government
● McCarthy did investigations on the US
government and had 2000 employees fired
● The Army-McCarthy hearings, some “Witch
hunts” McCarthy ordered, and The HCUA
were investigations that were against
Communist Return to
Exhibit

10. The House Committee on Un-American Activities
http://www.ushistory.org/us/53a.asp
● The House Committee on Un-American
Activities (HCUA) targeted Hollywood film
industries.
○ Actors, writers, and producers alike
were summoned to appear and give
names of colleagues who might have
been with the communist party
● Those who gave names of the suspected
were released and returned on to business
usual, while those who refused were cited
for contempt
● Uncooperative artist were blacklisted from
jobs and lost their reputation Return to
Exhibit

11. Other Witch Hunt victims
http://www.ushistory.org/us/53a.asp
● Unions were special targets for communist
hunters
○ Sensing an unfavorable environment
The American Federation of labor
(AFL) and Congress of Industrial
Organizations (CIO) closed ranks in
1955
● Books such as Robin Hood were taken off
shelves because of the communist deemed
suggestions of stealing from the rich to give
to the poor
Return to
Exhibit

12. The Fall of McCarthyism
Room 3
Return
to
Entry
The Irving Peress
Case
Picture page :
McCarthyism
The
Army-McCarthy
Hearings
End of
McCarthyism

13. The Irving Peress Case
https://www.mtholyoke.
edu/~lillsie/McCarthyism/downfall.html
● After giving up on his investigation of the army
security he focused on Irving Peress an army
dentist
○ Peress was promoted to Major than when
the army saw his paperwork for dismissal
they quickly discharged him
● McCarthy went on a full campaign criticizing the
army saying why did they let Peress be
promoted
○ McCarthy asked General Ralph Zwicker for
names and when he didn’t want to answer,
McCarthy said he had intelligence of a 5
year-old and the treatment of the general
generated a lot of hostility of the press and
American public
Return to
Exhibit

14. The Army-McCarthy Hearings
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/joseph-mccarthy
● When Joseph McCarthy tried to turn his
investigations of communist to army security
○ He was charged with using improper
influence to win privileged treatment
for a former staff member
● These hearings were televised so every
american saw how McCarthyism was really
“evil” and not a ‘good” thing.
● After this, McCarthyism went downhill
Return to
Exhibit

15. http://www.ushistory.org/us/53a.asp
● By the time the Army-McCarthy hearings
were over McCArthy lost most of his allies
and the senate wanted to condemn him for
his “inexcusable”, “reprehensible”, “vulgar
and insulting” conduct “unbecoming a
senator”
● McCarthy kept his job, but lost his power, he
died in 1957 at the age of 48
● McCarthyism was dead by 1960, but its
effects would last for a long time
● To the Average American something
became clear: “Don’t Criticize America. Don’
t be different. Just Conform.” Return to
Exhibit
End of McCarthyism

16. Picture page: McCarthyism
Return to
Exhibit

17. Citation Page
History.com Staff. Cold War History. A+E Networks. 2009. History.com. August
26, 2014
History.com Staff. Joseph R McCarthy. A+E Networks. 2009. History.com.
August 26, 2014
"Army-McCarthy Hearings." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web.
27 Aug. 2014
"McCarthy's Downfall." McCarthy's Downfall. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.