The Crucible
The Crucible
Salem Witch Trials & Puritanism
Jury Apology in the Salem Witch Trials
The Secrets of the Dead - Salem Witch Trials
- Examination of a scientific explanation of the hysteria behind the Salem witch trials. From PBS.
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Puritanism
Puritans - Student Resources in Context
A Delusion Of Satan by Frances Hill (pgs. 4-10)
The Crucible
About the book - Bloom's Literature
The Crucible examines the witch hunts that took place in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts. When he wrote it, Arthur Miller was already a successful playwright. The play also subtly refers to the 'communist witch hunts' in the USA in the 1950s.
The context of 'The Crucible'
During the 17th century in Salem, Massachusetts, there really were witch hunts very much like those depicted in this play. Early settlers in North America had fled from religious persecution in England and other European countries but this did not make them more tolerant. They were very intense about religious purity. By modern standards we might call them religious fanatics. They were very intolerant of 'alternative viewpoints.' (Source: BBC GCSE Bite-Size)
Videos: Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Salem Witch Trials, McCarthyism
McCarthyism & 1950s Anti-Communism
- An overview of the events in the 1950s
- Primary source documents compiled by the Eisenhower Presidential Library
The Red Scare
The Red Menace: A Striking Gallery of Anti-Communist Posters, Ads, Comic Books, Magazines & Films
Pointing Their Pens: Herblock and Fellow Cartoonists Confront the Issues