First Red Scare

Definition

The First Red Scare was a period of intense anti-communist suspicion and fear that swept across the United States in the years following World War I. It was characterized by a widespread belief that communists and anarchists were plotting to overthrow the American government and social order.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The First Red Scare was fueled by the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917 and the perceived threat of communist ideology spreading to the United States.
2. The U.S. government, led by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, conducted a series of raids and deportations targeting suspected communists, anarchists, and labor organizers, known as the 'Palmer Raids.'
3. The Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 were used to prosecute and imprison individuals who were critical of the government or expressed support for socialist or communist ideas.
4. The First Red Scare led to the creation of the FBI and the expansion of its domestic surveillance capabilities to monitor and suppress perceived threats to national security.
5. The First Red Scare had a chilling effect on free speech and civil liberties, as individuals were often targeted and persecuted for their political beliefs or associations, rather than for any actual criminal activity.

Review Questions

• Explain the historical context and key events that led to the First Red Scare in the United States.
  • The First Red Scare was largely a response to the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917 and the perceived threat of communist ideology spreading to the United States. The U.S. government, led by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, conducted a series of raids and deportations targeting suspected communists, anarchists, and labor organizers, known as the 'Palmer Raids.' This crackdown on dissent was facilitated by the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918, which were used to prosecute and imprison individuals who were critical of the government or expressed support for socialist or communist ideas.
• Analyze the impact of the First Red Scare on civil liberties and the expansion of federal power in the United States.
  • The First Red Scare had a significant impact on civil liberties and the expansion of federal power in the United States. The government's aggressive tactics, such as the Palmer Raids, led to a chilling effect on free speech and political dissent, as individuals were often targeted and persecuted for their political beliefs or associations, rather than for any actual criminal activity. Additionally, the First Red Scare contributed to the creation of the FBI and the expansion of its domestic surveillance capabilities, allowing the federal government to monitor and suppress perceived threats to national security more effectively. This expansion of federal power and the erosion of civil liberties during the First Red Scare set a concerning precedent for the future.
• Evaluate the long-term consequences of the First Red Scare on American society and its impact on the relationship between the government and its citizens.
  • The long-term consequences of the First Red Scare had a lasting impact on American society and the relationship between the government and its citizens. The suppression of free speech and political dissent during this period eroded public trust in the government and its institutions, as citizens became increasingly wary of expressing their views or associating with certain political groups. This distrust and fear of government overreach would continue to shape the political landscape in the United States, contributing to the rise of McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare in the 1950s. The expansion of federal power and the use of surveillance and coercion against perceived threats to national security also set a precedent that would be revisited and expanded upon in subsequent eras, further straining the relationship between the government and its citizens. The legacy of the First Red Scare serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of sacrificing civil liberties in the name of national security.

Related terms

Anarchism: A political ideology that rejects all forms of government and promotes the abolition of the state in favor of a self-governed, decentralized society.

Bolshevism: The political movement and ideology led by Vladimir Lenin that resulted in the establishment of the Soviet Union after the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Espionage Act of 1917: A U.S. law that criminalized certain speech, including any criticism of the government's war efforts, and gave the federal government broad powers to censor and suppress dissent.