House UnAmerican Activites Comittee
Austin Sharkey Trevor Hicks
3D Presentation Activity
Define
A committee of the US House of Representatives (HUAC) established in 1938 to investigate "troublemakers". It became notorious for its "vigorous" investigations of alleged communists, particularly in the late 1940s, although it was originally intended to pursue Fascists also.
Detail
Cause
- The committee was originally created to uncover American citizens with Nazi ties in 1938.
- However, it became better known for its role in investigating disloyal and subversive citizens with communities ties.
Characteristics
- Looked for many people that had possible ties to communist Russia such as the Hollywood Ten, Elia Kazan, Pete Seeger, Bertolt Brecht, and Arthur Miller.
- Richard Nixon was an active member of the committee in the late 1940s.
- Highly controversial for its tactics, it was criticized for violating First Amendment rights.
- It's influence had waned by the 1960s and in 1969 it was renamed the Internal Security Committee.
- In 1975 the committee was dissolved.
Significance
- This committee violated some of the rights of citizens.
- The committee was said to have broken no laws but targeted citizens, such as Alger Hiss, for their political beliefs or for exercising their right of free speech.