THE DEVIL'S LOOSE
IN SALEM
A WebQuest for The Crucible
Introduction
In the 1690s a wave of fear and hysteria swept across Salem,
Massachusetts. The town residents feared that witches had taken over their
community and were secretly conspiring with the devil to do his work.
This began an infamous period in American history which came to be
known as The Salem Witch Trials. 250 years later, In the late 1940s and
early 1950s a new kind of witch hunt was sweeping across America. This
time the fear was of communism. Led by Senator Joseph McCarthy this
modern day witch hunt came to be characterized by one word:
McCarthyism. The resulting hysteria left Americans terrified that
communists had infiltrated the country and were trying to take over
America. Those who were most strongly affected were those in the movie
industry. In what came to be known as The Hollywood Blacklist, many
actors, writers and directors' careers were destroyed based on rumor and
speculation that they were communists. In 1952, Arthur Miller wrote The
Crucible, which depicts the events of the Salem Witch Hunts, as a
commentary on the communist witch hunts going on during his time.
"Witchcraft," MicrosoftÆ EncartaÆ Online Encyclopedia 2002.
The Task
Your groups' task will be to research these two famous witch
hunts in American history. You will learn what the town of
Salem was like in the 1690s and what it is like today. You will
find out how 17th century New England Puritans lived. You will
take a unique and memorable exploration into what it would
have been like to have been accused of witchcraft during the
Salem witch hysteria. Finally, you will research the more recent
American witch hunt of McCarthyism. After completing your
research, you will work with your group members to create a
Crucible project folder filled with the following "artifacts":


1) A Travel Ad for the town of Salem
2) A Puritan Guide to Life a "good advice" pamphlet for Puritans


3) A Letter from an Accused Witch asking for help
4) A Letter to Arthur Miller from a Blacklisted Hollywood
writer
The Process
Step 1: Each of you will complete the WebQuest Tour Guide as you follow
the links provided and explore the specified sites.
A Tour Through Salem
Go to this website and answer the following questions:
http://www.teachnet-lab.org/MBHS/Scragg/Crucible/salemtour.html
1. Where, in relation to Boston, is Salem located?
2. Why might the Puritans have chosen to settle in Salem?
3. What is Salem's nickname? (Hint: check out the police badge)
4. What are some examples of how Salem capitalizes on and promotes its witch history?
5. List and describe some tourist attractions visitors to Salem might want to see:
1.
2.
3.
Witch Hunts
Go to this website and answer the following questions:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/salem/index.html
1. How do those who confess to being witches differ from those who maintain their innocence?
2. Which government official finally puts an end to the Salem Witch Trials? What prompted him to do
this?
3. What does he do with the people accused of witchcraft who are in jail awaiting trial?
4. Who is Reverend Parris' successor as minister of Salem? How does he help to heal the wounds
caused by the Salem Witch Trials?
5. In the time since the witch trials ended, how have the cities of Salem and Danvers and the state of
Massachusetts tried to make up for what happened to those who suffered or died?
A HOLLYWOOD Witch Hunt
Go to this website and answer the following questions:
http://www.rajuabju.com/literature/hollywoodblacklist.htm
1. What does the term HUAC stand for?
2. Why was HUAC created?
3. Which industry did HUAC launch its first major attack against?
4. What well-known senator conducted these communist "witch hunts?" What word do we use today to
refer to this era in history?
5. Who were "The Hollywood Ten" and why were they arrested and jailed?
6. Why did McCarthy believe Hollywood might play a big role in a communist uprising in America?
7. In what ways did those who were accused during the McCarthy Era suffer? Why was this unfair?
8. What did it mean to be a "friendly witness" at a HUAC hearing? What happened after they testified?
9. What did "unfriendly witnesses" refuse to do? What happened to them as a result?
10. Finally, as we begin reading The Crucible remember that this tragedy really happened.
Many real people suffered and many innocent people died during this sad period in American
history. In writing The Crucible, Arthur Miller wants to remind us all of those famous words of
George Santayana: "Those who forget the past, are doomed to repeat it."
What do you think these words mean?
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Step 2: After completing the guide, each of you will be assigned to a group of
four students. Each student will focus more specifically on one aspect of the
research and should choose one of the following roles to play and artifacts
to create.
ROLE ONE: Puritan Advisor

A Puritan Guide to Life - This is a "must have" for all good
Puritans. Be sure to include tips on how to dress, how to
behave in church and in public, tips for daily life and work
and of course getting along in family relationships. You may
also add any other tips you feel every good Puritan ought to
know and live by. You will also want to include pictures that
illustrate proper Puritan dress and behavior. Go to the
following sites to find the information you will use in your
pamphlet:




Daily Life for New England Colonists
Who Were The Puritans?
Family and Government in Puritan New England
Puritanism in New England
ROLE TWO: Travel Agent

A Travel Ad for the Town of Salem - This is an ad
for prospective visitors to Salem that shows off the
many places of interest and historical features of
the town. What places in the town pay homage to
the Salem Witch Trials that occurred there 300
years ago? Your ad should include names,
descriptions and photos of places of interest that someone visiting
Salem would want to go visit. What special events does the town
celebrate each year that someone visiting the town might want to
attend? Go to the following sites to find the information you need to
create your travel ad:

Salem City Guide
"Salem - Stop By for a Spell" Article
Salem Area Bus Schedules
One Family's Salem Adventure



ROLE Three: The Accused Person

A Letter Pleading for Help Imagine it's 1692 and that you are really going
through the experience of being accused of
witchcraft. You have a well-respected friend who
lives in New York, and you hope they can help you.
Write a letter to your friend from your jail cell.
Describe what is happening to you and ask for their
help. Your letter should reveal both the events going
on in the town, your personal experiences with being arrested and tried
as a witch, as well as the emotions and feelings you are experiencing.
Visit the sites below to gather the information you will use to write your
letter:




Are You a Witch? - Interactive Site
Accused Witches Trial Transcripts
Petitions of Accused Witches Awaiting Execution
Letters From Gov. Phips Denouncing the Trials
ROLE Four: Hollywood Writer

A Letter to Arthur Miller - It is 1953, and Hollywood is
in the midst of another witch hunt. You are a big
Hollywood writer. Fifteen years ago, you attended a
few political meetings you thought were about voicing
new ideas in politics and now because of this, the
House Un-American Activities Committee has
blacklisted you. You can't get a job. Even though you
have written some of the best scripts in Hollywood, no one will hire you
or even associate with you for fear of being called communists
themselves. Your life has become so difficult, almost unbearable. One
day you hear Arthur Miller has written a play called The Crucible, and
rumor has it that even though the play is about The Salem Witch Trials that it's really about the communist witch hunt that you have become a
victim of. Write a letter to Arthur Miller telling him about what your life
has been like since the blacklist started. In your letter, discuss the
many similarities you have noticed between The Crucible and the
McCarthy Trials and express your personal appreciation for what Miller
has been brave enough to do. Websites to visit:

The Hollywood Blacklist
House Un-American Activities Committee - HUAC
Arthur Miller - Biography
Tribute to Arthur Miller Who Died 2/10/05

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
**(new)**


Arthur Miller - "Why I Wrote the Crucible"
Letter From the Daughter of a Blacklisted Writer
Evaluation
Completeness
Accuracy
Creativity of
Design
Beginning
Developing
Accomplished
Exemplary
1
2
3
4
Project Folder
contains two or
fewer of the four
required
artifacts. The
WebQuest Tour
Guide is
incomplete or
missing.
Project Folder
contains three or
fewer of the four
required artifacts.
The WebQuest
Tour Guide may
be incomplete.
Project Folder
contains all four
required artifacts.
The WebQuest
Tour Guide may
be somewhat
incomplete.
Project Folder
contains all four
required artifacts.
The WebQuest
Tour Guide is fully
complete.
The artifacts in
the project folder
and the
WebQuest Tour
Guide display
numerous
inaccuracies with
regard to the
facts.
The artifacts in
the project folder
and the
WebQuest Tour
Guide display
some
inaccuracies with
regard to the
facts.
The artifacts in the The artifacts in the
project folder and
project folder and
the WebQuest
the WebQuest
Tour Guide
Tour Guide display
display few
no inaccuracies
inaccuracies with
with regard to the
regard to the facts.
facts.
Project artifacts
show little
creativity,
cohesiveness,
and/or effort.
Project seems
hastily put
together and/or
sloppy.
Project artifacts
show some
degree of
creativity,
cohesiveness
and effort. Project
may be
somewhat hastily
put together.
Project artifacts
display a high
degree of
creativity,
cohesiveness and
effort. It is clear
students spent a
lot of time putting
the project
together.
Project artifacts
display creativity,
cohesiveness and
effort. It is clear
students spent
time putting the
project together.
Score
Group
Cohesiveness
Group does not
communicate or
work well
together to
create final
product. Group
is off-task often.
Group mostly
communicates
and works
together well.
Certain members
of group are
sometimes offtask.
ALL group
members
communicate with
each other and
work together to
create the final
product. Little offtask time.
ALL group
members
communicate well
with each other.
They work
efficiently and
closely together to
create the final
product. No offtask time.
Conclusion
This WebQuest has given you a detailed look into two dark periods in
American history, frighteningly similar although separated by 250 years. The
witch hunts in Salem in 1692 and those led by Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s
will forever remain as tragic examples of how fear and panic over a perceived
enemy, whether real or imagined, can consume a society and lead to great
injustices. Have we at long last learned our lesson? Only time will tell.