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The slow and unwelcome process of integration can be shown through the causes, skeptical ties, and effects. Both of these subjects in American history share a common factor; it is a mass chaos shared by the common people. Firstly, McCarthy had a major impact in our history because it caused widespread panic, which was unnecessary.
A very realistic cause that influenced this was the United States feeling overwhelmed from a fear of communism, arising in both China and Eastern Europe. After Joseph McCarthy made accusations he changed the view of “the communists’ party room an unpopular political group into a perceived threat to the American way of life” (Ellen Checkers). This implies a close relation to “The Crucible” because they were both two societies that feared to have their peace corrupted by outside influences. The negative outside influences can be emphasized through both the communist accusations and those accusing others of witchcraft.
The outbursts of McCarthy can be recognized as “a popular movement, but it was not a populist one” (Ellen Checkers). Thus meaning, although it was widely known and much talked about it was infamous rather than famous. It neither interested nor promoted ordinary people, their lives, or their interests. This supports the occurrences the in “The Crucible” as well. Many townsfolk spoke about the persecutions, however; they did not wish to take part in those events if it was not a necessity to save their family, loved ones or themselves.
While McCarthy can easily be connected to “The Crucible” it can also be connected to the Boston desegregation of public schools. Also, the integration in Boston played an important role in American history because it was the last major city in the United States to formally achieve roundly living between the Whites and African Americans, however; it can be related to McCarthy because it was a long process during which many people had doubts and they became very distraught.
A major factor that led to this was the harsh stereotypes and the skeptics who did not believe it could work. Many were nervous to attempt achieving integration after being told that “school segregation in Boston is a natural by-product of segregated neighborhoods” (School Desegregation of Boston 1974). This demonstrates the same ideals of “The Crucible” because after living with fellow people for so Eng and treating their neighbors with respect they were forced to change their lifestyle and wander into the unknown alone.
It can be perceived as frightening to leave a routine tattoo grew up with and embedded into your life and all of a sudden have to change the way you daily go about your day. In addition, not just the people experiencing this dramatic change were uncomfortable. The court also had suggested and administrated methods that were “awkward, inconvenient and even bizarre to achieve integration” (Lisa Cozens). Just like McCarthy the citizens felt this decision to be an odd interference to their city. The majority of the individuals involved did not understand the exact details they did not know what to think of these measures.
It was difficult for them to comprehend why someone would need to make such changes in their society and strongly convinced themselves they were being corrupted by mere opinions. The sequence of these two events indicates the strong similarity they share with the witch hunt, the fear of having your normal life uprooted and replaced by something that is atypical. Fear contributes to these three occurrences in American history because the widespread chaos grows into something much more. It morphs into unfamiliarity. With our lives being so conformed to society we can not grasp the idea of being different.