Red Scare America 1920 Essays - Anti-communism In The United States

Red Scare America 1920 annon World War I was finally over, however, there was a new threat to Americans. This threat was Communism, which was greatly feared by most U.S. citizens. Communism is a system of social and economic organization in which property is owned by the state or group, to be shared in common or to be distributed among members of the community equally or in proportion to their respective needs.* In 1919, no more than one-tenth of the adult American population belonged to the newly formed Communist movement, and even this small percentage were greatly persecuted. Although American Reds caught most of the fury of the raids, it was not just the Communists who had stirred national panic. Emotions that had been building since the turn of the century were brought out during World War I, and then burst into a xenophobic (fear and hatred of foreigners) repression. Late in the afternoon of Friday, January 2, 1920, agents from the Department of Justice raided a Communist headquarters and began arresting thousands of people in major American cities throughout the nation. They poured into private homes, clubs, pool halls and coffee shops, arresting citizens and aliens, Communists and non-Communists, tearing apart meeting halls and destroying property. The Agents put their victims in jail, held them without an attorney, and interrogated them. The prisoners who could demonstrate that they *As quoted from The Lincoln Library copyright 1961 were American citizens were released. Aliens were released a few days later unless they were members of the Communist Party or the Communist Labor Party. These were the two groups that were formed from the American Communist movement. In two days, nearly five thousand people were arrested, and nearly five thousand were seized in the cleaning up that followed during the next two weeks. The arrests were carried out with total disregard for the rights of the prisoners. There are some psychological views that might help to explain why the events of 1919 -1920 took place. Some Americans during this time were always on the verge of attacking. They were hostile toward minorities, extremely patriotic, and ready to rid their nation of any intruder that seemed to threaten them. The postwar effort for one hundred percent Americanism may have left our citizens with the desire to keep our country pure. The Russian Revolution in the fall of 1918 also contributed to America's unrest. In a violent outburst, the Communists took control of the Russian government and murdered the Tsar and his entire family along with thousands of nonconforming Russians. Communism was established on the political philosophy of Karl Marx, and was dedicated to establishing a society where there is no private ownership of property and where the government would control the making and distribution of all goods. Americans wondered: If it could happen in Russia, why couldn't ithappen here? No plot to overthrow the government was ever uncovered. Yet, it was the paranoid fear of Communists that drove many Americans to violence. From researching this topic, I have learned a number of things. First of all, America was caught in a web of fear and conspiracy. No one could trust his neighbor or his father for fear that he was involved in the Communist movement. Americans were not happy with their government at this time, but this didn't mean that they wanted Communism as an option. Americans no longer welcomed the huddled masses yearning to breathe free (The inscription on the Statue of Liberty). Hyphenated Americans were particularly suspected. I have also learned that although Communism might have caused a lot of panic, no plot of Communism was ever found to be true. However, just because nothing was found doesn't mean that there wasn't anything to be found. During the 1920's, America was extremely prejudiced toward anyone who wasn't a pure American. The Red Scare provided Americans with a scapegoat, now that we were no longer fighting the Germans. People really believed that Communists were everywhere and were plotting to overthrow the government. Americans were treated like the women who were accused of being witches in the Salem Witch Trials. It didn't matter if you were or were not a Communist if someone accused you of being one. You were branded for most of your life. Eventually, the Red Scare died down, but didn't go away completely. There are still Communist organizations to this day. We really don't need to fear Communism because our government is more stable than it was in the 1920's. Idealistically, it is the best form of government we have because it incorporates government regulations which better the community as

How to Use the Princeton Review Sample SAT Essay

How to Use the Princeton Review Sample SAT EssayThe Princeton Review sample SAT essay is an excellent resource for students who want to take the SAT with a strong academic background. Here are some of the things that you will learn about taking the SAT. These tips may help you with what to expect at the test. You may be surprised to learn what questions you will be asked on the SAT.Most people think the SAT will test your knowledge of certain subject areas, but you will be surprised to find out how many different types of topics you will be asked to examine. When it comes to writing, there is an essay section as well as critical reading and vocabulary sections. The SAT also has a science, social studies, math, and language section.The essay questions will all vary from one person to another, and you will be asked to read them through and answer them in your own words. Your time management skills will also be examined, as they are required to present your essay in just two and a half hours. To find the correct essay question to use, first determine what type of experience you have had with academics.If you have a lot of experience in higher education, then you may find that your essay will revolve around your college experiences. Another way to write about your experience may be to discuss events that occur during your time at college. Although the essay is generally done for academic credit, the professor may also want to know what makes you stand out.A student who has a lot of writing experience may find that the SAT writer's section requires writing for a particular purpose. You will be required to do research on a certain topic or provide some kind of context to an essay. You may also need to list the references to substantiate your argument, if you plan to use them at the end of the essay.If you have never taken the SAT before, you should keep in mind that you will also be required to write a short paragraph explaining why you took the exam. This is not req uired, however, so do not worry if you cannot come up with something suitable. You will be able to write your own explanation.Before you begin taking the SAT, it is important to get prepared. With the help of a good SAT guide, you will learn some of the most popular SAT practice questions, and you will be able to prepare for the test easily.