Year 11 - History
The Red Scare in 1920s America
America 1920–1973, Opportunity and inequality
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils undergo a period study that provides an unfolding narrative which tells a story about a period that shaped the world we live in today. They look at the key events, developments, people and stories that defined the chosen period.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain what the Red Scare was and its impact on Americans.
Key Notes
- There was an increase in anti-immigrant feeling in the 1920s.
- Some Americans were frightened of a communist revolution.
- Strikes in 1919 led to fear of a revolution.
- The Palmer Raids targeted suspected communists and anarchists.
- Trade unionism declined significantly after the Red Scare.
Vocabulary To Learn
- paranoid: somebody may be described as paranoid if they are unreasonably or excessively scared of something
- communist: a communist is a person who believes in sharing wealth equally
- anarchist: an anarchist is a person who believes that countries should not be ruled by organised governments
- deported: if a foreign person is legally forced to leave a country they have been deported
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- There were well-developed plans for anarchists and communists to stage a revolution in the USA.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
There was an increase in anti-immigrant feeling in the 1920s. Some Americans were frightened of a communist revolution.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'paranoid'
somebody may be described as paranoid if they are unreasonably or excessively scared of something.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: There were well-developed plans for anarchists and communists to stage a revolution in the USA. Correction: Although the fear of 'Reds' was widespread, the failure of the Palmer Raids revealed that there were no real plans in place for a revolution which could threaten the USA.
More Lessons In This Unit
- 1930s American popular culture Study Guide
- American people and the 'boom' in the 1920s Study Guide
- American recovery from the Great Depression Study Guide
- American society in the 1920s Study Guide
- Black Power and the Civil Rights Movement Study Guide
- Causes of the 'boom' Study Guide
- Change in Post-War America Study Guide
- Civil rights legislation in the 1960s Study Guide
- Direct action and the Civil Rights Movement Study Guide
- Effects of the Great Depression on American society Study Guide
- Losers of the 'boom' in 1920s America Study Guide
- Martin Luther King and peaceful protest Study Guide
- McCarthyism and the second Red Scare Study Guide
- Opposition to the New Deal Study Guide
- Post-war American popular culture Study Guide
- President Hoover and the 1932 presidential election Study Guide
- Racial tension in early 20th century America Study Guide
- Roosevelt's New Deal Study Guide
- Segregation in the USA Study Guide
- Social and civil progress in the USA, c.1950-1973 Study Guide
- The American Dream in the 1940s and 1950s Study Guide
- The Great Depression Study Guide
- The New Frontier and Great Society Study Guide
- The role of Henry Ford in the 'boom' Study Guide
- The US Feminist Movement in the 1960s and 1970s Study Guide
- The Wall Street Crash Study Guide
- Women and the 'boom' in 1920s America Study Guide
- World War Two and the US economy Study Guide
- World War Two and US society Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 11 History guide library.