The Crucible, the Salem Witch Trials, and McCarthyism
Witch-hunt Project
Due date: Tuesday., Sept. 1 at midnight
Witch-hunt
1. campaign against dissenters
an intensive systematic campaign directed against those who have done something
wrong or who hold different views.
2. persecution of witches
a singling out and harassment of people believed to be witches
From June through September of 1692, nineteen men and women, all having been
convicted of witchcraft, were carted to Gallows Hill, a barren slope near Salem Village,
Massachusetts, and hung. In 1953 Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible, a play about the events
and trial leading up to these hangings. However, The Crucible is not just about an event that
happened over 250 years before the play was written. It is also an allegory (a story that is a
metaphor) about a modern-day witch-hunt that happened during the 1950s, adversely affecting
many Americans, including Arthur Miller himself.
The Project
This project has two parts.
Part 1: You will work in a group of 2 students to research and complete a Power Point on a single
topic involving either the Salem Witch Trials or the McCarthy Era. This will be presented to the
class as a powerpoint.
NOTE!! If you are absent during part of this process, it is up to you to be in touch with your group
member so that you can fulfill your part. If you fail to be an active member of your group, your
grade will reflect your lack of participation.
Part 2: You will email your powerpoint to me on the due date. BOTH partners will present the
powerpoint in class the next day.
This counts as a Major Project Grade (35%).
The Power Point Presentation:
For this part of the project, you will work in groups of 2 to complete the following:
1. Research
2. Power Point
1. Researching the Historical Context of the play.
Salem Witch Trials
The McCarthy Era
You and your partner will be assigned ONE of the following topics to research:
Salem Witch Trials








Salem witch trial time period—
discuss at least five significant
dates/events that occurred
The influence and effect of
European witch hunts on American
witch hunts
an chronological account of the
events, from the inception to the
end of witch trials
Discuss 4 people that played large
roles during the Salem witch trials
the reasons for the accusations of
witchcraft
how Puritanism played a role in
the outcome of the trials
Identify 5 people named as witches.
What kind of people, in general,
were they? Why were they named
as witches?
What finally ended the witch hunts?
McCarthy Era









Discuss at least five significant dates/events that occurred
during the time period of McCarthy’s House of UnAmerican Activities crusade
Who was Joseph McCarthy? Primarily focus on his role
in creating “McCarthyism”
An account of the events of Joseph McCarthy’s crusade
(House of Un-American Activities)
Who were named as Communists (and what kind of
people, in general, were they) Why were they named as
Communists?
How did McCarthy’s crusade affect America and the
American people?
What role did the media (newspapers, radio, and
television) play in both supporting and hurting McCarthy?
What finally stopped the hunt for Communists in
America?
Author Arthur Miller biography and work
Highlight and explain 5 similarities between the Salem
Witch Trials and the McCarthy era
2. Preparing and presenting your Power Point
The Power Point will:
 have a minimum of 15 slides on your assigned topic, including a title slide, a credit slide,
and a citation slide
 present a minimum of 8 visuals that relate to the topic and represent major ideas of the
Salem Witch Trials and the McCarthy Era
 Each slide must have sufficient textual information to explain either the visual on the slide,
or your topic in general (in other words, don’t put together a bunch of pictures with no
explanations)
 have a citation list for all of your sources (last slide) i.e. Where did you get your
information? You should have at least five credible sources for maximum credit. NO
wiki, Ask, About, Schmoop, etc.
 Both group members will present the powerpoint
The Crucible Presentation Rubric
Topic ____________________________
Date _________________
Period_______
Group members:_______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Poor
5
Fair
10
Good
15
Excellent
20
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Creativity and overall effect
Dramatic, emotional and
interesting!
_____
_____
_____
_____
Clear and thorough research
Explain/interpret
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Oral presentation from
all group members
Visuals
(minimum of 8 visuals)
Works Cited/Bibliography
citing 5 credible sources
Grand Total _______/100
Additional Comments: