What does mccarthyism have to do with The Crucible?

During the 1940s and 1950s communism was a huge concern in
the United States. McCarthyism refers to the obsessive search for communists that took
place during this same time. Like the unfounded accusations presented during the Salem
Witch Trials depicted in The Crucible, people were accusing anyone
and everyone of being communists. Accusations were particularly common among
entertainers and writers. Arthur Miller was actually questioned by the HUAC (House
Un-American Activities Committee) and convicted of being in contempt of Congress for not
cooperating. McCarthyism provided the inspiration for Arthur Miller's The
Crucible.