Salem Witch Trials V. the McCarthy Hearings

The McCarthy Hearings are referred to as "witch-hunts" because of their

similarity to the Salem witch trials. The McCarthy hearings are trials in which Senator

Joe McCarthy accuses government employees of being Communists. He exaggerates and

exploits the evidence and ruins many reputations just as the girls do in the Salem witch

trials. The accused, in both cases, are used as scapegoats for society's problems and the

only way to escape direct punishment is to admit to guilt.

Joseph McCarthy and the girls from Salem begin to accuse people of being either

Communists or witches to obtain, something they crave, power. No one actually has hard

evidence to support these accusations, including the accusers. The more people they

accuse the bigger the lies get. The girls in Salem begin to cry out that these witches are

sending their spirits on them. The even go to the extent to start shivering, passing out, and

mocking the accused as they walk into the room. Abigail Williams also sabotages,

Elizabeth Proctor, one of the women she accuses of being a witch. When Abigail

witnesses