pages 21 - 22 of USA A5 booklet (Red Scare + Sacco and Vancetti) Flashcards
What was the Red Scare?
It was when many Americans were scared that recent immigrants to America were bringing radical political beliefs with them such as Communism/ Bolshevism or Anarchism.
What evidence was there of the Red Scare?
- 400 000 workers went on strike, even the police in Boston. Looters and thieves roamed the streets.
- There was a wave of disturbances - there were race riots in 25 cities.
What do historians think about the evidence for the Red Scare?
That the strikes were due to economic hardship and not Communism. Wartime production levels had fallen and less demand meant workers were sacked. Some workers were immigrants and complaining of low pay and long hours combined with terrible working conditions.
Who were most scared of the Red Scare?
Republicans and the big business friends were scared.
What did the Anarchists do that contributed to the Red Scare?
Anarchists published pamphlets and posters calling for the overthrow of Government.
How many people died in a Milwaukee church? When did it happen?
19 people died from a bomb in a Milwaukee church in April 1919.
In May, how many letter bombs were posted to prominent Americans?
36 letter bombs were posted to prominent Americans.
What happened to those with radical political beliefs? Who was responsible for this?
Flimsy evidence was used to round them up, they were nearly always immigrants.
J Edgar Hoover, a young clerk appointed by Palmer was responsible for this.
How many files did J Edgar Hoover build up? What was the outcome of this?
Hoover built up files on 60 000 suspects. In 1919 there were 10 000 people told they were going to be deported from the USA.
How did Palmer try to build up support to run for President?
Palmer tried to use fear to build up his own support to run for president.
When did Palmer predict there would be a Red Revolution? What was the outcome of this?
He predicted a Red Revolution would begin in May 1920. When it didn’t he looked stupid and papers and politicians began to undermine him.
What did Louis Post find when examining the 60 000 files built up by Hoover?
Louis Post found that only 556 files out of the 60 000 had any basis of truth.
Who were 2 high profile victims of the Red Scare?
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti.
When were Sacco and Vanzetti arrested?
They were arrested in 1920 on suspicion of armed robbery and murder. It quickly emerged that they were self-confessed anarchists
What did the judge at the trial say about Vanzetti?
The judge at the trial said that although Vanzetti “may not actually have committed the crime attributed to him he is nevertheless morally culpable [to blame] because he is the enemy of our existing institutions.”
