Red Scare vs. Bill of Rights ► Red Scare: widespread fear and mistreatment of suspected socialists, communists and anarchists, thought to be plotting revolution in U.S. ► Definitions:  Anarchism: a rejection of government and corporate power Eugene Debs

Definitions ► Democratic Socialism: Govt. owns or controls many industries and uses them to benefit all citizens  private property is allowed  elected leaders; civil liberties  high taxes; free govt services  Examples: Norway, Sweden ► Authoritarian Socialism (Communism): Government owns or controls all economy  no private property  Government is not democratic; no real elections  Examples: USSR, China

Bill of Rights vs. National Security ► Goal to prevent national govt. from taking away individuals’ liberties ► Amt. I: free speech, right to peaceably assemble, right to petition govt. for redress of grievances ► Amt. V: right to be charged w/crime; can’t be deprived of life, liberty, property w/o due process of law ► Amt. VI: right to speedy & public trial by impartial jury; right to counsel & to be confronted by witnesses against him

Origins of the Red Scare ► 1917 Russian Revolution & Lenin’s policy ► Antiwar Stance of Radicals  Eugene Debs, Leader of Socialist party  Imprisoned (10 years) for antiwar speech ► Bombs mailed to government officials (Palmer) ► 1920 Palmer Raids: police arrested thousands of immigrants ► Most not charged with crimes nor given jury trials ► Hundreds deported ► ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) formed 1920 to defend freedoms guaranteed in Bill of Rights

Nativism ► Anti-Immigrant wave of sentiment ► Increased with Red Scare ► Emergency Quota Act of 1921  Set up quota system to limit immigration ► National Origins Act of 1924  Quota for each country no greater than 2% of that nationality in U.S. in 1890  1890 chosen because before new wave of immigration  2 nd immigration law aimed at targeting certain groups  Question: Who would be limited the most?

Sacco and Vanzetti Trial ► Italian immigrants ► Both anarchists ► Convicted for killing two men in holdup ► Witnesses: robbers “looked Italian” ► Little evidence ► Defended by ACLU ► Executed in 1927

Discussion Questions ► Read excerpt from Deb’s speech ► What do you think frightened Americans so much about Deb’s speech? ► Do you believe that Deb’s speech merited the punishment? ► What punishment do you think Debs would get today? ► Rank the 3 Amendments and national security in order of importance. How would you prioritize the protection of each? Explain. ► What protections should be in place to guard against locking people up, simply because of their ethnicity or political affiliation?