Final answer:
The Red Scare began in 1919, fueled by patriotism intertwined with nativism, resulting in widespread fear of leftist ideologies and a crackdown on immigrants and radicals by A. Mitchell Palmer's Palmer Raids, despite often violating civil liberties. The ACLU was formed in response, and public opinion eventually shifted against the extreme methods.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patriotism became a catalyst for the Red Scare that began in 1919 due to a fervent national sentiment determined to protect the United States from revolutionary ideologies spreading from Bolshevik Russia. The Red Scare was a period marked by extreme fear and paranoia about the potential threats posed by Communism and anarchism. This panic was further inflamed by incidents such as the discovery of letter bombs and the bombing of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer's residence. In response, Palmer orchestrated the controversial Palmer Raids, targeting perceived radicals and often violating individual civil liberties. Immigrants, particularly those with leftist sympathies, were subjected to suspicion, harassment, and deportation. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was created in 1920 as a direct consequence of the government’s actions to defend the rights of those targeted.
The fervor of patriotism intertwined with nativism, the idea that the United States should be for native-born citizens of northern European descent, exacerbated the crackdown on immigrants and those with radical political beliefs. This resulted in numerous instances where individual rights and due process were overlooked in the name of national security. Eventually, as no imminent communist take-over materialized, the public opinion turned against Palmer's tactics, marking the end of his political aspirations.