A Test of Our Liberty: Communism in Eisenhower's America
By James Gutowski

This unit focuses specifically on the fear of communism that pervaded much of the United States in the 1950s.  Intended for grades 10 through 12, the lesson begins with students learning about the philosophy of communism; this enables them to see why some Americans found it attractive and why others perceived it to be so dangerous.  Students then begin individual or team research into people who are noted for their roles in anti-communism activities.  Student groups report their findings back to the class to create a timeline of pertinent events.  The class concludes this unit either by interviewing people who lived through the era, or by inviting such a person into the classroom.

Objectives

Students will:

• Identify major characters and events in the anti-communism scare of the 1940s-50s
• Trace the roots of American anti-communism movement
• Explain how political figures (including Richard Nixon) used the fear of communism to advance their political careers
• Describe the genuine fear that communism would overthrow democracy, and how it died with the dissolution of the USSR
• Analyze the importance of public opinion as a guiding force in American life

Materials Needed

• "The Heroic Posture" video from The American President series
• The American President website biographies on Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon
• Biographical materials about the people listed in the procedures section
• Presentation materials (may be brought by the students as needed)

1. Introduction to communism: Students should have some background on the philosophy of communism.  A teacher named Larry Nickell has posted a lesson plan on the website of the Organization for Community Networks which offers a very nice introduction.  Incorporating excerpts from the Declaration of Independence and the Communist Manifesto, the lesson challenges students to determine which document provided each excerpt.  This gives students the opportunity to see some particular elements of communist theory.  The web address for this lesson is: http://www.ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/soc/cecsst/cecsst162.html .
    
2. Learning the facts: Assign students, either individually or in pairs, to research one of the following topics: House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), Sen. Joseph McCarthy, Roy Cohn, J. Edgar Hoover, Richard Nixon, Julius Rosenberg, Ethel Rosenberg, Alger Hiss, Whittaker Chambers, Dalton Trumbo, Ring Lardner, Jr., Gordon Kahn, Bertold Brecht, The Hollywood Ten, Arthur Miller, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and A. Mitchell Palmer.
   
   The American President website biographies will help students with facts on the presidents they are researching.  Also, viewing the Eisenhower section of "The Heroic Posture" episode of The American President may also help students gain further insight into the Cold War. 
   
   After their research, have students prepare a short presentation explaining the role their subject had in the anti-Communism movement of the late 1940s and 1950s.  For example, the student assigned to A. Mitchell Palmer should focus Palmer's work as U.S. attorney general just after the Russian Revolution.  Palmer spearheaded the "Red Scare" just after World War I, and his actions provided a precedent for similar events after World War II.
    
3. Timelines: As students listen to each other's presentations, they should construct a timeline of events pertaining to anti-Communist activities.  Students can classify events into three categories: politics, technology, and entertainment.   
    
4. Identifier quiz: Once students make their presentations, you may want to give them a small quiz to make certain that they understand the role of each figure.
    
5. Culminating exercise: An oral history of the fear of communism or a classroom speaker.
   
   Option A:  Oral History

1. Introduce students to the art of collecting oral history.  Explain to students that they can learn more about this era by interviewing people who lived through it.  Several websites explain how oral history is done.
2. Have small groups of students generate a list of questions about the fear of communism based on what they have learned so far.  Post the lists on the board and invite peer review.  Edit the lists into one set that students can use for their own interviews. Assign students to interview someone who lived through that era.  I recommend allowing the students to work in pairs. 
3. They should choose to interview someone who was alive and can remember the era after World War II.  Students should record the interview, but you should specify what medium they use to make the recording.  Be sure they choose a medium that can be technologically supported in your classroom, since the recording must be played back in an oral presentation.  I learned from hard experience the varieties of videotaping options that are available in today's media market!
4. Once the interview is completed, the interviewer(s) should select a segment of the interview that, for them, was especially significant or informative.  The student(s) should cue the recording to that point and prepare a short introduction, oral or written, explaining the context and significance of the segment.  These segments and introductions can then be shared with the rest of the class.
   
   Option B: Classroom Speaker
    
5. Invite one or more people who lived through that era into your classroom to share their memories and impressions of the time. You may have students generate questions before the speaker(s) come to help guide the presentation.

A good site for historical information on the 1950s:  http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/home.html

Offers some lesson plans related to The Crucible: http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/cruc/cructg.html

This site allows you to create computer-generated word searches, crossword puzzles, and other games for classroom use:  http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com

Interdisciplinary Connections

Arthur Miller's The Crucible can be assigned to English classes.  As the history classes are working through their presentations and timelines, classes in American literature or English could be following this plan that examines The Crucible as a political statement in allegory:

1. Explanation of the purpose of allegory: Explain to students how an allegory works and why it may be more useful for making a point than actually explaining the event.  In the case of The Crucible, Miller was able to criticize the activities of the "commie hunters" without falling victim to them himself.
2. Writing an allegory: Have students write their own allegory.  Either assign or let pairs of students choose an event with which all are familiar, and have students create a story that explains the event in allegorical form.  If kept short, these could be presented in dramatic readings to the class.
3. Drawing comparisons: Once students understand how allegory works, let them return to the topic they researched and presented above, and find comparisons with the characters and events portrayed in the play.  The teacher can assign an essay or lead a class discussion.  The class discussion format will give students the opportunity to share ideas with each other.  An essay will allow for better assessment of student understanding.

James Gutowski teaches American history at Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills, Ohio.