Both the red scare of the 1920s and the red scare of the 1950s were characterized by fear and suspicion of communist activity within the United States. In both cases, there was widespread concern about the potential threat posed by communist ideologies and the perceived infiltration of communist ideas into American society. As a result, both red scares saw the rise of anti-communist sentiment and the persecution of individuals suspected of being communists or sympathizing with communist ideas. This included government investigations, blacklisting, and other forms of discrimination. Therefore, both red scares were similar in that they were fueled by fear of communist infiltration and led to the persecution of individuals suspected of being associated with communism.