Background Information The Crucible Background Information

Go Blue!!! Arthur Miller (1919-2005) Lived the luxurious Manhattan lifestyle until his family was hit by the Great Depression and he was forced to move to Brooklyn Dropped out of high school  Convinced University of Michigan to accept him as a student Wrote his first Broadway play, All My Sons, while a student 1949: Death of a Salesman 1953: The Crucible 1991: The Last Yankee

Lucky Man Miller married Marilyn Monroe in 1956; their marriage only lasted five years.

Not So Lucky… 1953: McCarthyism hits home In the 1950s Senator Joe McCarthy accused a number of entertainers, writers, and political leaders of being communists creating a “black list” in Hollywood Communists were feared for three major reasons: They criticized the American Government They were “different” Communism had led to the Soviet Union’s explosion of the first atomic bomb Through his fame and his writing, Miller “advocated principles of social justice and equality among the classes” Charged with contempt of Congress for refusing to discuss the actions and beliefs of his colleagues

Lucky Man Senator McCarthy’s accusations were based on no real evidence, and his claims were eventually exposed as false. Miller’s charge and sentence for contempt of Congress were reversed

Lucky Man The trials of the McCarthy Era paralleled a previous event in America’s history Good material for a play about social justice, hysteria, and personal integrity The Salem Witch Trials served as a historical base for his next play, The Crucible It is not an exact history of the trials, but “the fate of each character is exactly that of his historical model”

Not so lucky… 1692: The Salem Witch Trials really did happen 1643: The United Colonies of England were formed in America as a place of religious freedom The Puritans of Salem, Massachusetts were an extremely conservative group Lived in a theocracy: Rule by God through religious officials Moral laws and state laws are one and the same Sin and the status of one’s soul are public knowledge

Not so lucky… Harsh conditions and hardships hit the colonists 1660: Charles II took reign over England and interfered with the self governance promised to the colonies 1676: King Phillip’s War was fought between the European settlers and Native Americans over land These events led to feelings of unrest and fear among the Puritans in Salem

Not so lucky… The results: Witchcraft became a scapegoat for all problems 150 citizens were tried as witches 19 were executed Citizens were asked to “call out” their friends for involvement in witchcraft