House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
Definition
HUAC was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives that existed from 1938 to 1975. Its primary purpose was to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on part of private citizens, public employees, or organizations suspected of having Communist ties.
Analogy
Imagine your school has a group whose job is to find students who might be breaking rules or causing trouble - even if they're just suspected. That's what HUAC did but on a national level with communism as their focus.
Related terms
Blacklisting: The practice of denying employment to individuals because they are or are perceived to be associated with certain political beliefs or affiliations. In this context, it was often used against those suspected of being communists.
McCarthyism: As mentioned earlier, this term refers to the campaign against alleged communists in the US government and other institutions led by Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare.
First Amendment: The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prevents Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech.
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