Palmer Raids and the Red Scare

The Palmer Raids, conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, targeted radicals, communists, and immigrants in the United States. The raids were led by General A. Mitchell Palmer in response to social unrest and fear in American society after World War I. Several thousand people were arrested, accused of crimes, and sometimes deported. Those considered to be anarchists, communists, or anti-government were targeted. Often times the government went after labor unions and intellectuals in American society. The raids represent a reaction derived from fear and often led to the attack of innocent people for simply disagreeing with democratic or American ideals. The Palmer Raids are situated within the 1920s Red Scare epidemic in the United States. After WWI, due to unemployment and inflation, workers began to strike. Racism against African Americans and immigrants often led to riots and violent acts. With American society unstable, the U.S. government and ordinary citizens feared a communist takeover. The successful 1917 Bolshevik revolution in Russia fueled the idea that a communist revolt could indeed happen anywhere. The Palmer Raids and other attacks on immigrants was an increased attempt to rid America of communists and radicals.

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 
  • Students will compare and contrast communism and capitalism.
  • Students will explain the causes of the Red Scare.
  • Students will analyze American society after WWI.
  • Students will analyze primary sources to evaluate what took place during the Palmer Raids.
Essential and guiding questions: 

How are the Palmer Raids representative of American society after World War I? How do they fit into American conflicts with communism?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding
Extension suggestions: 

This lesson provides a great opportunity for creative extension ideas. For example, teachers could:

  • Have students explore the case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti and explain how their arrest and treatment fits into the larger context of the Red Scare.
  • Show students political cartoons from the Red Scare of the 1950s and have students compare and contrast it to the Red Scare of the 1920s.
  • Have students read about the founding of the American Civil Liberties Union and investigate the aims of the organization after the hysteria that followed World War I.
  • Allow students to listen to the Stuff You Missed in History Podcast surrounding the Palmer Raids. How do we view the Palmer Raids and treatment of “radicals” almost a 100 years later? Do we see the same sort of fear lingering or developing in America today?

Helpful Hints

Materials:

  • Projector
  • Computer/ Laptop for PPT