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Political And Social Aspects Of The First Red Scare

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It’s the 1920’s and fear sweeps through the United States. When communists overthrew the Russian government in the 1917 Bolshevik Russian Revolution, the United States government resolved to prevent a similar uprising in America. American citizens also had a growing fear that the new communist ideals in Russia would spread to the United States, damaging the nation’s democracy. This fear of communism was known as “The Red Scare” or “The First Red Scare.” During this time, inflation was increasing, soldiers who had returned home from WWI were desperate for work, and labor strikes were common. This unrest made the Red Scare problematic during the 1920’s in both political and social aspects. The political troubles of the Red Scare began in 1920 …show more content…

When Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were arrested for theft and the murder of two payroll clerks on May 5, 1920, their trial earned itself worldwide awareness. This awareness was gained, according to newworldencyclopedia.org, “With critics accusing the prosecution and presiding judge of improper conduct, and of allowing anti-Italian, anti-immigrant, and anti-anarchist sentiment to prejudice the jury” (Sacco and Vanzetti). Instead of being convicted and sentenced to death on the account of murder and theft, many believed that Sacco and Vanzetti were charged due to their anarchist beliefs and the fact that they were Italian immigrants. As stated by time.com, “There was plenty of reason to doubt that Sacco and Vanzetti had actually committed the crimes. The money [they stole] was never recovered and neither suspect had a criminal record. Plus, another known criminal confessed to the crime” (Sacco and Vanzetti Were Executed 90 Years Ago. Their Deaths Made History). In fact, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were not criminals at all - Sacco was a cobbler and Vanzetti sold fish. Even so, the two men were proclaimed guilty and executed on August 23, 1927 by electric chairs. However, there were many Americans at the time who did believe that Sacco and Vanzetti were guilty, or that Vanzetti was innocent while Sacco was guilty. This caused a great deal of strain in society

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