Question

Senator Joseph McCarthy created the media frenzy that began his anti-Communist witch hunt by

A. claiming he had a list of Communists employed by the U.S. State Department.
B. accusing Alger Hiss of becoming a Soviet Spy.
C. saying that there were spies in the U.S. Army.
D. urging the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to hold hearings.

Answer 1

The correct answer is A.

The origins of McCarthyism lie in a speech given by Joe McCarthy in Wheel West Virginia in 1950. In this speech he claimed to have a list of 207 names of individuals working for the US government that were communist or had ties to the Soviet Union. This claim shook the nation, as it increased a sense of paranoia and fear that the American government may be filled with communists.