Name:
Period:


Introduction
o
Attention Getter/Opening Statement: Throughout the course of history, there have
been persecutions of a group of people fueled by rage and no probable cause. These
events could be called “witch hunts.”
o
Thesis Statement: Two “witch hunts,” over the course of history which have many
similarities are the Salem Witch Trials and the search for Communists, or Red Scare,
during the 1940s and 1950s.
o
Preview of paper: These events both had a group of people leading a hunt that led to
the unjust persecution of another group of people. The events that sparked and ended
these “witch hunts,” are very similar. From the events of these “witch hunts,” our
society can learn many things.
Body
o
Paragraph One

Topic Sentence: Both had a group who led the hunts and someone who was
hunted.

Supporting Details: McCarty and his followers. Those who were hunted were
members of government, entertainers, or educators who were believed to
have Communist ties.

Supporting Details: Daughters of rich members of the community.
Undesirables and those had land that the rich folk wanted.

Supporting Details:

Concluding Sentence and Transition to Next Paragraph: In both of these “witch
hunts,” there was a clear group of persecutors who targeted a certain group of
people, but this is not the only similarity between these hunts.

Body
o

Paragraph Two

Topic Sentence: The events that sparked and ended these “witch hunts,” are
very similar.

Supporting Details: Increasing appearance of Communist ideals in America.

Supporting Details: The divide between town and village. Children were
experimenting with witchcraft and did not want to take the blame.

Supporting Details: In both of these hunts, the courts begin to lose their
momentum as cases were thrown out due to lack of evidence.

Concluding Sentence and Transition to Next Paragraph: These “witch hunts,”
both had similar events that sparked them and a similar end. As a society
there is much we can learn.
Body
o
Paragraph Three

Topic Sentence: We can learn much from these events.

Supporting Details: The damaging effect of mass hysteria on a society.

Supporting Details: We need evidence before we jump to conclusion.

Supporting Details: When thinking of these events we need to pay most
attention to Salem because of the loss of life due to these unjust persecutions.

Concluding Sentence and Transition to Next Paragraph: As society there is much
to learn from “witch hunts,” which is why we should use them as cautionary
tales.

Body
o

Paragraph Four (if needed)

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details :

Supporting Details:

Supporting Details:

Concluding Sentence and Transition to Next Paragraph:
Conclusion
o
Review of points of the paper: “Witch hunts,” can be a black spot on our history, but
they are a place for use to learn to make steps to stop them from happening again.
We can think about the person leading the hunts and those who were hunted. We
need to be aware of the types of events that led to these hunts. Lastly we need to be
aware of how all of these help us learn and grow as a society.
o
Restatement of thesis: We looking at these “witch hunts,” is clear that there are many
similarities between both the Salem Witch Trials and the hunt for Communists during
the 1940s and 1950s.