History has shown a tendency to repeat itself. There is a common thread of fear, accusation, and ultimately loss and distress when people feel threatened by change. Dating back from the colonial times to even present day, humans have shown a habit of trying to solve a problem the same way, time after time. By not learning from history, events recur in different forms, but are caused by the same actions and accusations. Unfortunately, there are almost always people persecuted as a result, who end up experiencing misery for, in this case, such irrational and biased beliefs. It seems inevitable for humans to break into hysterics once they feel intimidation. Nonetheless, history finds its way back to the present. Fear is timeless, and as stated in Source A, “The Salem witch trials of the 1690’s were all about the fear of women and their independence, seen by many in the community as a threat to Puritan values.” This proves that even from the establishment of America, people have felt fear and intimidation when change was foreseen. Similar events develop in later times as Source B confirms, “During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the prospect of communist subversion at home and abroad seemed …show more content…
There are multiple recurrences in history with these type of events however, the most heartbreaking of them all is of those who are persecuted. In the Salem witch trials Source A claims 19 people were put to death by state. During the 1950’s Source B states that “Despite a lack of any proof of subversion, more than 2,000 government employees lost their jobs as a result of McCarthy’s investigations.” As for Muslim Americans of today, Source C reports that “In August alone, heinous attacks were reported against mosques in three different states: Arizona, Connecticut and California.” Whether the loss is a life, a job, or sense of security, what history has shown time and time again is a group of persecuted