The Red Scare Key Term

McCarthy's Famous List

Piece of paper he would hold in the air allegedly containing 205 communists.

Senator Joseph McCarthy + McCarthyism

Politicians who unscrupulously accused many citizens of being communists. His wild accusations led to an official naming of the practice after him.

Blacklist

A list of people or products viewed with suspicion or disapproval.

The Red Scare

A period in the United States history when everyone was so caught up in containment of communism, and investigated people within their community for communism. Even people in the government were suspected of being communist spies.

The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947

Act that restricted activities and power of labor unions.

The McCarran Act

Alleged members of communist organizations are regulated by the Federal Government.

Project Venona

American government effort to decode messages involving the Soviet Union.

Subversion

An attempt to transform the established social order.

The Rosenbergs

Couple, Julius and Ethel, were American citizens who were executed for conspiracy to commit espionage. Only Julius was found guilty afterwards.

J. Edgar Hoover

Direction of United States FBI during the Hollywood trials.

Alger Hiss

Government official accused of being a communist spy. He denied the charge.

The House Un-American Activities Committee

Organization created to investigate disloyalty and subversive organizations.

Fallout

Radioactive particles carried into the atmosphere after a nuclear explosion.

Censure

Severe disapproval in a formal statement.

The Loyalty Review Program

The first established loyalty program in the United States created to root out communism within the government. Created by President Truman.

The Hollywood Ten

The first systematic Hollywood blacklist.