Classwork for Tuesday, 4/21/2009

Do Whatcha Know!
Someone in this class stole my hard drive yesterday. Please write down any information you know about its whereabouts.
(This is a set-up for discussion. I accuse a student of taking it, and refuse to say who pointed the finger at them. I then accuse their closest classmate of being an accomplice.)
Discussion Questions: How did the accused person feel? How did the blind accusation make the rest of the class feel? Is this kind of justice OK? Why?

Review of Old Material
communism - a political/economic system in which the state controls the economy and a single party holds power, with the goal of creating a classless society
Red Scare - widespread fears of Communist influence on U.S. society and Communist infiltration of the U.S. government.
-This happens first during WWI, when communists and socialists are jailed for opposing the war

Intro to New Material
McCarthyism - a period of intense anti-Communism in the United States, primarily from 1948 to 1954
Joseph McCarthy, Senator from WI, 1947-57
-Claimed to have a list of Communist spies in federal gov’t
-"While I cannot take the time to name all the men in the State Department who have been named as members of the Communist Party and members of a spy ring, I have here in my hand a list of 205.“ -Wheeling Speech, 2/9/1950

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
-Used to uncover communist spies in gov’t
-“Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?" Did find some real spies
-Alger Hiss, Julius Rosenberg
Most charges were bogus
-Ethel Rosenberg
-“Hollywood Ten” are blacklisted

Guided Practice
Answer the following questions about Joseph McCarthy's telegram to President Truman and Truman's response.
1. Summarize McCarthy’s telegram.
2. How does he speak to the President?
3. Summarize Truman’s reply.
4. How does he speak to McCarthy?
5. What inferences can you make about their relationship, based on this exchange?

Independent Practice
In class, we watched some of the film Good Night, and Good Luck.
As we watched, we took notes on how
A) the CBS newsroom
B) the American military
C) Senator Joe McCarthy
reacted to and were affected by fears of communism.

Learning Log: Homework
1. How were Americans’ freedoms affected by McCarthy’s charges?
2. Do you think that Senator McCarthy’s actions were justified? Explain.
3. Why do you think George Clooney would decide to make this film in 2005, at the height of the war in Iraq?