13. McCarthyism (feb 1, 1950 – dec 2, 1957)

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The term McCarthyism was coined by the political cartoonist Herb Block, who first used the phrase to mock the junior senator Joseph R. McCarthy and other political figures like him. It is defined as 'the political practice of publicizing accusations of disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence or the use of methods of investigation and accusation regarded as unfair, in order to suppress opposition'.

Joseph R. McCarthy began as a junior senator from Wisconsin when, in February of 1950, he claimed to possess a list of 205 card-carrying communists employed in the U.S. Department of State. From then on, McCarthy became a tireless enemy of Communism. McCarthy consistently accused the United States federal government, universities, film industries, and elsewhere that there were communist and Soviet spies and sympathizers within their ranks. McCarthy caused mass panic in the public because people believed McCarthy and the people he was accusing as communists.

McCarthy's reign of terror came to an end when he accused the United States Army and specific members of the administration itself. This led to his downfall as he was quickly discredited and accused of abuse of power. In early December 1954, McCarthy was officially censured by the U.S. Senate.

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