Red Scare vs Bill of Rights Red Scare

Red Scare vs. Bill of Rights ►Red Scare: widespread fear and mistreatment of suspected socialists, communists and anarchists, thought to be plotting revolution in U. S. ►Definitions: § Anarchism: a rejection of government and corporate power Eugene Debs

Definitions ► Democratic Socialism: Govt. owns or controls many industries and uses them to benefit all citizens § private property is allowed § elected leaders; civil liberties § high taxes; free govt services § Examples: Norway, Sweden, Finland ► Authoritarian Socialism/Communism: Govt. owns or controls all economy § no private property § Government is not democratic; no real elections § Examples (USSR, Mao’s China)

Bill of Rights vs. National Security ► Goal to prevent national govt. from taking away individuals’ liberties ► Amt. I: free speech, right to peaceably assemble, right to petition govt. for redress of grievances ► Amt. V: right to be charged w/crime; can’t be deprived of life, liberty, property w/o due process of law ► Amt. VI: right to speedy & public trial by impartial jury; right to counsel & to be confronted by witnesses against him

Origins of the Red Scare ► Antiwar Stance of Radicals § Eugene Debs, Leader of Socialist party § Imprisoned (10 years) for antiwar speech ► Russian Revolution; Lenin’s policy ► Bombs mailed to government officials (Palmer) ► 1920 Palmer Raids: police arrested thousands of immigrants & J. Edgar Hoover, Buford to USSR! ► Palmer Raids ► http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=d 8 xabqm. TPp. A ► Most not charged with crimes nor given jury trials ► Hundreds deported ► ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) formed 1920 to defend freedoms guaranteed in Bill of Rights

Nativism & Isolationism ► Anti-Immigrant wave of sentiment to create isolation! ► Increased with Red Scare ► Emergency Quota Act of 1921, pg 622! (chart) § Set up quota system to limit immigration from certain countries ► National Origins Act of 1924 § Quota for each country no greater than 2% of that nationality in U. S. in 1890 § 1890 chosen because before new wave of immigration § 2 nd immigration law aimed at targeting certain groups § Question: Who would be limited the most?

Sacco and Vanzetti Trial ► Italian immigrants ► Both anarchists & draft dodgers ► Convicted for killing two men in holdup ► Witnesses: robbers “looked Italian” ► Little evidence ► Defended by ACLU ► Executed in 1927 Summary of S & V

Outcome of Infamous Sacco and Vanzetti Trial ► Despite many clamoring for justice (denied due to being immigrants and anarchists), Gov Fuller of MA sentenced them to die in the electric chair on 8/23/1927 ► 1961 – ballistics proved the gun found on Sacco did kill the factory paymaster, but it did not prove he pulled the trigger, poor Vanzetti? ► “Keep America for Americans” became the prevailing attitude – Native Americans?

KKK ► Claimed to be devoted to “ 100% Americanism” and by 19254 they had 4. 5 million members ► Wanted to keep “blacks in their place” but wanted all Jews, Catholics, and unions driven out of the US ► Though the Klan ran many southern state govts, by the end of the 1920 s their criminal activity decreased its power

Labor Unrest During the war labor didn’t protest poor working conditions, but in 1919 more than 3, 000 strikes occurred ► Employers, trying to stop strikes, manipulated fears of the Red Scare and called by claiming workers were communists (poor and communism) ► ► Know the following 3 Strikes: § The Boston Police Strike – § The Steel Mill Strike – § The Coal Miner’s Strike – John L. Lewis § Overall, labor movement hurt workers because…