McCarthyism
Joseph McCarthy
(1908-1957)
• McCarthy was born on on
November 14,1908 in
Grand Chute,Wisconsin
• He was a Marine
intelligence officer in
World War 2 and
stationed in the Pacific.
• McCarthy was elected to
Senate in 1946 where he
used his power to accuse
and charge communists.
What is McCarthyism?
•McCarthyism is a term for the accusations of any
communist activities in the U.S. Joseph McCarthy
was the founder of McCarthyism.
•McCarthyism developed during the Cold War, a
period of great hostility between the Communist
nations.
•Today the term McCarthyism is sometimes used to
refer to disloyalty to the U.S.
What is a Communist?
•A communist is one who follows the beliefs of communism.
•Communism is a system of government in which all goods
are equally shared among people
How It Affected People
• People were blacklisted
• They were fired from their
job in the government
because of Communist
associations.
• Some lost their jobs even
though they were innocent
and were not in the
Communist party.
Timeline
• Nov.14, 1908-Joseph Raymond McCarthy was
born in Grand Chute, Wisconsin.
• 1946-McCarthy was elected to the U.S.
Senate,where he made a name for himself as a rabid
Anti-Communist
• Feb.1950-McCarthy charged that the Dept. of State
was infiltrated by Communists.
• 1948-1956(or later)-McCarthyism occurred in the
U.S.
• 1951-1952-McCarthy questioned people in the
government if they are or have been a member of
the Communists party (witch-hunts)
• 1954-Anti-Communists crusade faltered.
• 1957-McCarthy died on May 2nd in Bethesda,
Maryland
Why Joseph McCarthy wanted
McCarthyism
• He was influenced to
be an anti - communist
as a child.
• He was a powerful
Senate.
• So he abused his
powers because of
what he was taught.
“Until this moment, Senator, I never really
gauged your cruelty or your recklessness.
Let us not assassinate this lad further,
Senator. You have done enough. Have
You no sense of decency, Sir, at long last?
Have you no decency?”
- Joseph N. Welch,
Chief Attorney for the Army
What McCarthyism is Today
• Today the term McCarthyism is sometimes used to refer to
reckless public accusations of disloyalty to the U.S.
• McCarthyism lives on, its definition as controversial as the
man himself. For some it simply describes the senator’s
outrageous political style of reckless accusation and guilt
by association; for others it also encompasses the anticommunist furor he personified.
How It Affected People
• People were blacklisted
• They were fired from their
job in the government
because of Communist
associations.
• Some lost their jobs even
though they were innocent
and were not in the
Communist party.
Timeline
• Nov.14, 1908-Joseph Raymond McCarthy was born in
Grand Chute, Wisconsin.
• 1946-McCarthy was elected to the U.S. Senate,where he
made a name for himself as a rabid Anti-Communist
• Feb.1950-McCarthy charged that the Dept. of State was
infiltrated by Communists.
• 1948-1956(or later)-McCarthyism occurred in the U.S.
• 1951-1952-McCarthy questioned people in the government
if they are or have been a member of the Communists party
(witch-hunts)
• 1954-Anti-Communists crusade faltered.
• 1957-McCarthy died on May 2nd in Bethesda,
Maryland
Why Joseph McCarthy wanted
McCarthyism
• He was influenced to
be an anti - communist
as a child.
• He was a powerful
Senate.
• So he abused his
powers because of
what he was taught.
What McCarthyism is Today
• Today the term McCarthyism is sometimes used to refer to reckless
public accusations of disloyalty to the U.S.
• McCarthyism lives on, its definition as controversial as the man
himself. For some it simply describes the senator’s outrageous political
style of reckless accusation and guilt by association; for others it also
encompasses the anti-communist furor he personified.
Joseph McCarthy
(1908-1957)
• McCarthy was born on on
November 14,1908 in
Grand Chute,Wisconsin
• He was a Marine
intelligence officer in
World War 2 and
stationed in the Pacific.
• McCarthy was elected to
Senate in 1946 where he
used his power to accuse
and charge communists.
How It Affected People
• People were blacklisted
• They were fired from their
job in the government
because of Communist
associations.
• Some lost their jobs even
though they were innocent
and were not in the
Communist party.
5 Key Points
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Thousands lost their job, reputations and lives were
destroyed
McCarthyism is a term for the widespread accusations
and investigations of suspected Communist activities in
the U.S. during the 1950’s
McCarthyism was based on Senator Joseph Raymond
McCarthy’s idea.
McCarthy accused people of being communists
sympathizers and were unable to continue working.
Some had their passports taken away or jailed for
refusing to give the names of other communists
Some people praised him as a patriot but others
condemned him for publicly accusing people of
disloyalty without sufficient evidence