Red scare facts for kids

The Red Scare was a time in United States history when many people were very worried about communism taking over. This fear happened mainly during two different periods. It was a time of great suspicion and worry about people who might be secretly working against the government or trying to spread communist ideas.

What Was the Red Scare?

The Red Scare was a period when people in the United States were very afraid that communism would spread and take over their country. Communism is a political and economic idea where the government controls everything, like businesses and land, and aims to make everyone equal. However, many people in the U.S. saw it as a threat to their freedom and way of life.

This fear led to people being very suspicious of others. Sometimes, people were accused of being communists even if they weren't. This caused a lot of tension and worry across the country.

The First Red Scare (1917-1920)

The first time the Red Scare happened was right after World War I. This was from about 1917 to 1920. It started because of the October Revolution in Russia in 1917. In Russia, a group called the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, took control and created the world's first communist country, the Soviet Union.

Why People Were Scared

People in the U.S. worried that similar revolutions could happen in their own country. There were also many labor strikes happening at the time, and some people thought these strikes were led by communists or anarchists (people who don't believe in any government).

In 1919, there were several bombings in the U.S. that made the fear even worse. One bomb badly damaged the home of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. These events made the government and many citizens believe there was a real threat.

Palmer Raids

Because of this fear, Attorney General Palmer ordered raids to arrest suspected radicals. These were known as the Palmer Raids. Thousands of people were arrested, often without proper warrants. Many of them were immigrants, and some were sent out of the country. This period showed how strong the fear of communism had become.

The Second Red Scare (1947-1957)

The second, and perhaps more famous, Red Scare happened after World War II. This was from about 1947 to 1957, at the beginning of the Cold War. The Cold War was a long period of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, but they never directly fought each other.

New Reasons for Fear

After World War II, the Soviet Union expanded its influence in Eastern Europe. Also, in 1949, China became a communist country. The Soviet Union also developed its own atomic bomb. These events made Americans even more worried about the spread of communism around the world.

People also worried about spies working for the Soviet Union inside the U.S. government or in important industries.

McCarthyism and Its Impact

A key figure during this time was Joseph McCarthy, a Senator from Wisconsin. He claimed that communists had secretly infiltrated the U.S. government and other important American institutions. His accusations led to a period known as McCarthyism.

During McCarthyism, many people were accused of being communists without strong evidence. People's lives and careers were often ruined. The government created committees, like the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), to investigate suspected communists.

Many people in Hollywood, like actors, writers, and directors, were "blacklisted." This meant they couldn't find work because they were suspected of having communist sympathies. Scientists, teachers, and government workers also faced similar accusations.

How It Ended

The Second Red Scare began to fade by the mid-1950s. Senator McCarthy's influence declined after he made accusations against the U.S. Army, which led to televised hearings that showed his aggressive tactics. People started to question the fairness of the accusations and the extreme fear that had taken over.

Legacy of the Red Scare

The Red Scares had a big impact on American society. They showed how fear can affect people's rights and freedoms. They also led to a long-lasting distrust of communism and a strong focus on national security. Even today, the Red Scare is remembered as a time when fear and suspicion sometimes went too far.

Images for kids

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  A political cartoon from 1919 depicting the October Revolution's impact on the Paris peace talks

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  A "European Anarchist" attempts to destroy the Statue of Liberty in this 1919 political cartoon.

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  A bomb blast badly damaged the residence of Attorney General Mitchell Palmer in the spring of 1919.

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  Senator Joseph McCarthy, namesake of McCarthyism

See also

In Spanish: Temor rojo para niños