The CrucibleThe Crucible

BackgroundBackground

LA 3LA 3

Mrs. TrippyMrs. Trippy

PuritansPuritans• Fled England to the New World

to be able to practice their religion– Persecuted others in the New

World for not having the same religion.

• The New England Primer New England Primer video

– The text used to teach children to read and write, about religion, and about morals.

– Used in New England until the 1800s

Persecuted- mistreated, victimized

The Salem Witch The Salem Witch Trials of 1692Trials of 1692

• Because of the harsh conditions the Puritans endured, there was safety in numbers.

• This caused a fear of anything different than the common belief

• The causes included politics, religion, family feuds, economics, and the imaginations and fears of the people.

• Causes of the Salem Witch Trials

Arthur Miller the Arthur Miller the PlaywrightPlaywright • Wrote such famous plays as

The Death of a Salesman and The Misfits

• Wrote The Crucible in 1953• Earned many honors and

awards including: The Pulitzer Prize (writing award) and 7 Tony awards (theater honor)!

Arthur Miller the Arthur Miller the Communist? Communist?

• In 1956 and 1957, Miller was subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee and was convicted of contempt of Congress – Miller refused to identify

writers believed to hold Communist sympathies.

– In 1958 Court of Appeals overturned his conviction

Subpoenaed- to be called by the court to defend accusations

Convicted- to be found guilty of a crime

The Witch Hunt of the 1950sThe Witch Hunt of the 1950s•Senator John McCarthy headed a department called the House Un-American Activities Committee•He claimed that he had a list of “members of the Communist party and members of a spy ring” •His reign of terror was a modern day “Witch Hunt” known as the “Red Scare” or “McCarthyism”•McCarthy "Witch hunts"

The Witch Hunt of the 1950sThe Witch Hunt of the 1950s

• Comprehend- In your groups, first read your assigned article(s) and then answer the questions in complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper.

• Mix it up! Share your information with another group with a different topic and discuss the answers to the questions

• Record- As each group shares answers and information on their topic, write down the answers on your paper.

CommunistCommunist Connection to Connection to Salem Salem Witch TrialsWitch Trials

•Miller saw a parallel between his experience with the “Red Scare” of the 1950s and the witch hunts and trials of Salem, Mass in 1692

Parallel- comparison, similarity

The Big Questions!The Big Questions!1. What are the similarities

between the Salem Witch Trials and the Trials of the Red Scare?

2. What was the author’s purpose of writing this play?

3. How did the Puritan culture provoke the witch trials?

4. How do the characters’ motives affect the plot?