The McCarthy hearings and the Salem witch trials accurately represent the saying, "Desperate times call for desperate measures." In the 1950s, the McCarthy hearings tainted lives by falsely accusing those in the film industry of being associated with Communism. In the 17th century, the Salem witch trials charged innocent villagers of practicing witchcraft. Victims from the McCarthy hearings were isolated and ruined, while victims from the Salem trials were hanged and shunned. People were so full of fear that they would do anything to eliminate their anxiety. The McCarthy hearings of the 1950s reenacted the hysteria of the Salem witch trials of 1692 by spreading mass fear of prosecution, creating false accusations, and blacklisting people.
The Salem witch trials were considered to be America 's most notorious episode of witchcraft hysteria. Many innocent people were killed as a result of false accusations, and many other women were put through trials to determine if they were witches. All of the evidence that was given, in other circumstances, would be deemed unreasonable. Abigail claimed to have been stuck with a needle by Elizabeth, who did so by using voodoo. She also "saw" a bird flying in
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The McCarthy hearings and the Salem witch trials relate because they both blacklisted citizens. During the McCarthy hearings, the HUAC committee believed that Communists were incorporating subversive messages into Hollywood films (Georgakas). Some of the people who were a part of these films were put on the Hollywood blacklist and most couldn’t continue their careers. Whoever hired them would be suspected of working with Communists, which made it extremely difficult for actors to land auditions. Not only were careers ruined, but some victims even spent a year in prison for their false crimes. Film makers blamed others and said they regretted ever working with Communists to be left alone. Those whose careers were affected changed their names so they could keep making