Historical and Cultural Connections - History of the Salem Witch Trials, McCarthyism, and Allegory

You have learned about the events surrounding the Salem Witch Trials in 1692 and the mass hysteria associated with witchcraft. You have also learned that Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as a social commentary to the 1950s mass hysteria associated with communism. This play is written as an allegory of McCarthyism when the United States government blacklisted accused communists. Mass hysteria that causes the arrest of hundreds of people does not happen overnight. Jealousy, fear, greed, and power are motivating factors that contribute to the injustices.