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Final Project: Most Significant Events

October 3, 2010

By: Stephanie Stratton

Many Americans in the last past century have witnessed many changes that have impacted the way our country runs and also the quality of how human lives exist. There are many growing changes that are due to either national or global factors that still remain with us today.

1950’s- McCarthyism

Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin attracted national attention as he served as head of many senate committees. These committees investigated communism influence in education, defense industries, government and other fields. The term “McCarthyism” came from the tactics McCarthy used in his hunt for communists. Senator McCarthy led U.S. senate hearings that stirred widespread fears of communist influence in the United States. McCarthy announced that one day he would be revealing infiltrators in a particular agency the following day; this was his way of receiving press coverage. This announcement received headlines and a lot of media attention the following day. On this day he would signal a printed list and he declared that it enclosed names of numerous communist that were in the State Department. However, although McCarthy waved the list around, he would not release it. This would allow him to receive additional media attention. When this list was released, it may contain some twenty odd names, but still receive top priority coverage. (“McCarthyism” n.d.). McCarthy’s supporters praised him for protecting America against communist’s subversion. McCarthy’s opponents criticized him for conducting a so called “witch hunt” for creating an atmosphere of hysteria, and also for making irresponsible accusations that harmed the reputations of many loyal Americans. () In the early 1950’s “McCarthyism” stirred up a lot of conteversy, because it was a communist’s scare, that publicly ruined certain individuals lives by wrongful accusing. Eventually McCarthy targeted the U.S. army of...