What event inspired Arthur Miller to write this play?

Arthur Miller was inspired to write "The Crucible" primarily as a response to the McCarthy Hearings and the Red Scare of the 1950s. During this time, intense paranoia about communism led to widespread accusations and government actions against individuals suspected of communist affiliations. Miller drew parallels between the witch hunts of Salem in 1692 and the witch hunts of his own time, where fear and suspicion led to the persecuting of innocent people. By using the Salem witch trials as an allegory, he highlighted the dangers of hysteria and the consequences of allowing fear to override justice and reason. The narrative illustrates how individuals can become scapegoats during times of crisis, a theme directly influenced by the events of the McCarthy era. This connection to contemporary societal issues is what solidifies the significance of this particular historical context for Miller’s writing.