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=Welcome to The Crucible Webquest!!!=

= All students are //cheaters--// Never trust them with anything =

Angry? Offended? Thinking that that comment is ridiculous and unfair?

Good. Have you ever been falsely accused? It doesn't feel very good.

Now that I've gotten your attention, y ou will begin to read Arthur Miller's play, //The Crucible//. Plays like //The Crucible// are much more enjoyable when you know the story behind what inspired them and understand the impact they had. Arthur Miller's //The Crucible,// in the context of the historical Salem Witch Trials, shows many innocent people being accused of crimes/sins they did not commit. Throughout history, society has been blinded to similar occurrences, or "witch hunts." Indeed, Miller wrote //The Crucible//in response to one of those "witch hunts" that took place in his time period--McCarthyism.

= __**Task**__ =

First we will research the Puritan religion and lifestyle to understand the time period in which this story takes place. We will also take a journey through the Salem witch trials to get a feel for what actually happened. Lastly, we will discover some interesting facts about Joe McCarthy and McCarthyism. You will ultimately have to compare the information you found as well as make some modern day connections.

Before you begin, g o through this Salem Virtual Witch Hunt. You will be experiencing what it was like to have been accused of witchcraft in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials. Your job is to experience the emotions and feelings of being falsely accused.

*__Write one page about your experience, what it felt like, and what you learned__.

= __**Process**__ =

Use the websites below to answer the questions and learn more about Puritan Life, the Witch Trials of 1692 and McCarthyism. __Puritan Life in Salem Village:__ > Answer the next 8 questions below using this site: Puritan Life in Salem Village > 1. Why did the Puritan's leave England and venture to a new land? > 2. Explain how the Puritan's felt about freedom of religion. > 3. How important is the church in Puritan society? Explain > 4. What is excommunication? > 5. Why were church leaders so influential/powerful in Puritan communities? > 6. How does religion today compare to the Puritan's idea of religion? > 7. Why was witchcraft often the explanation for illness? > 8. What scientific explanation was given by Caporeal as to the cause of the mysterious behavior in Salem? > > > __Salem Witch Trials - 1692 Salem:__ > Answer the next 9 questions using this link: [|Salem Witch Trials - 1692 Salem] > Read the short article, 'Life in Salem 1692.' Once your've reached the bottom of the page, click on Religion and Witchcraft, Economic and Social Divisions, and Puritan Children. > > __Puritan Children__ > 9. Describe the life of a Puritan Child. > > __Religion and Witchcraft__ > 10. Describe a Puritan church service. > 11. What did the Puritan's believe about God and their church? > 12. What do you think was the main message the Puritan's tried to convey to its parishioners? > 13. Why was everone so fearful? What were they afraid of? > 14. How did the Puritans feel about individuality? > > __Economic and Social Divisions__ > 15. Differentiate between Salem Town and Salem Village. > 16. Explain the reason for the friction between Salem Town and Salem Village. > 17. What role did the new minister, Reverend Parris, play in the Salem witch trials? > > > __McCarthyism__ > Answer the next 3 questions using this link: [|McCarthyism] > 18. Who was Joseph McCarthy? > 19. What feelings of the American psyche or events of the time allowed for McCarthyism to become such a prominent movement in the 1950s? > 20. What effect did McCarthyism have on artists and entertainers? > > //You have learned about the Puritans, their life and the time period in which they lived as well as the witch-hunts of 1950 that 'The Crucible' write, Arthur Miller was a victim of. Now you will be able to understand and discuss important events and themes in the story, 'The Crucible' and relate what happened during the 1950s to the events in the play.//

Conclusion > > Compare Arthur Miller's personal experience to the Salem Witch Trials. Are there witch-hunts today? Do you think the media or politics in American culture promote fear?