Unit 2 New Nation and
Unit 8 Post War United States
"Old Hundred" and "Get that Communist, Joe"
by Michelle Hathorne and Tammy Jones
Songs:
“Old Hundred,” a psalm from the Bay Psalm Book, will be used to build a foundation for understanding Puritan America during the time of the Salem Witch Trials.
“Get That Communist, Joe,” a song originating from the Cold War Era, will be used to build a foundation for understanding the idea of propaganda-driven persecution during both the Salem Witch Trials and the era of McCarthyism.
Objective:
To create a foundation through song for looking at Arthur Miller’s The Crucible both in its late 17th century historical context and in the time period in which is was written. Students will study various aspects of The Crucible in English class while paralleling both the Salem Witch Trails and McCarthyism in social studies class.
Length:
This is a multi-day lesson to cover the background of the The Crucible in English and review Puritans in Social Studies to supplement the Witch Hunt Chart.
Materials:
English-The Crucible, “Old Hundred”, background to Arthur Miller; Social Studies
Background for the salem witch hunts, the Red Scare of the 1950s, A&E Biography of Joseph McCarthy.
Lyrics to “Old Hundred,” a Puritan psalm
“Old Hundred” from the Bay Psalm Book, the first book published in the English-speaking colonies. Please refer to source list to find site that houses song.
All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Him serve with mirth, His praise forth tell;
Come ye before Him and rejoice.
The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His folk, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.
O enter then His gates with praise;
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His Name always,
For it is seemly so to do.
For why? the Lord our God is good;
His mercy is forever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.
English-related Questions
My suggestion is to introduce this song after offering the students some background on the Puritan lifestyle.
1. Look at the form of this psalm.
a) What types of stanzas are used? quatrains
b) What is the rhyme scheme? abab
c) How many syllables are used per line? eight
d) With this information, what do you think was the intent of the psalmist? Intended to make it simple and uniform, both for the sounds to please God and to create uniformity among the Congregationalists. This style also reflects the nature of Puritanism in that it strips all elegance from the music—no instrumentation; no variation in tone.
2. Explain, in 2-3 COMPLETE AND DETAILED SENTENCES, how the lyrics of “Old Hundred” reflect the Puritan beliefs. Use at least two lines/words/phrases to support your explanation.
The song lyrics are wholly directed toward the worship of God. They advise the listener to “serve with fear,” and they do this, ironically, even when Puritans believed that one’s fate was pre-determined. They also advise others to “praise laud and bless his name all ways.” Note that this is not spelled “always” but rather “all ways.” This reaffirms the Puritanical idea that one’s purpose was to live FOR God above all else and to keep him in one’s heart regardless of endeavor.
3. Compare this to “Go Down, Moses” (or any other spiritual). Identify a difference between the two songs and explain what might be the reason for the difference.
Possible answers might include:
- Puritan: more formulaic; God-centered rather than prophecy/bible story-centered (psalm vs hymn); less emotional; formally written
- Spiritual: less formulaic (wider range/melody); reports/reflects on a bible story; more emotional; spontaneously made
4. It is reported that the later generations of colonists became so familiar with the psalm tunes that the psalters began to fall into disuse. This eventually led to a decline in psalm singing in the late 1600’s. This raised controversy between those who favored the old way of singing—strictly orally—and those who felt that the psalms should follow the printed music.
a) What argument do you think those who favored oral singing made? They thought congregations should use their individual styles to express their worship.
b) What argument do you think those who favored adherence to print music made? They felt congregations should be uniform so that the songs would be pleasing to God
**This last question can lead to the idea of the split between beliefs of Salem town and Salem village (God’s needs versus individual needs)
Sources
The following site explains the economic and social divisions of Salem during the late 17th century. It also provides links to teacher resources and other information regarding the Puritan lifestyle:
“Salem Witch Trials: The Story Behind the Hysteria.” 2006. Discovery Education.
The following site provides information on the role of the Bay Psalm Book in Puritan society. An excerpt and link are provided.
“The Bay Psalm Book and The New England Primer were, next to the Bible, the most commonly owned books in seventeenth-century New England. Together, they served to disseminate Puritan values for over a hundred years. Designed to be inexpensive and easily portable . . .”
Lauter, Paul (ed.). “The Bay Psalm Book (1640); The New England Primer (1683?).”
The Heath Anthology of American Literature, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin
“The Old Hundred (Psalm C.) at St. James.” 2004. Columbia County Historical and Genealogical Society 10 July 2006
Social Studies Lesson:
Use primary source documents, maps, charts of Salem to investigate the Salem Witch Trials and Puritans, and then use the comparison chart to discuss the parallels with McCarthyism. Use the song “Get that Communist, Joe” by the Kavaliers and A&E Biography on Joseph McCarthy to highlight the McCarthy Era.
Questions:
- How does this song reflect McCarthyism?
- What specific lines could be used to show contempt/support for “5th Amendment” Communist?
- What specific lines indicate the “witch hunt mentality”?
- What is the meaning of the words “Comrade,” “red”?
- In what ways is this representation of propaganda?
Sources:
- A site with primary source documents relating to the Salem Witch Trails with maps and charts of accused witches and accusers. Has a chart to compare the two time periods.
- A site dedicated to cold war culture. You will find lyric source for “Get That Communist, Joe” by the Kavaliers, as well as many other cold war songs including support for and against McCarthy.
Videos:
- Atomic Café: Video with government produced primary sources documenting the cold war. The DVD is now available. The soundtrack is no longer in print.
- Biography: Joseph McCarthy: A&E Biography of Joseph McCarthy follows his rise to power and the growth of McCarthyism.
Salem |
FEARS |
Red Scare |
King Phillips War (Satan’s Children) |
A History of Violence |
Holocaust (Fascism) |
Losing one’s soul |
Fear of the Individual |
Losing one’s liberty |
Invisible World By Cotton Mather |
Fear Made Official |
Truman Doctrine (containment) |
Predestination vs. Materialism Agrarian vs. Mercantilism |
Overwhelming Politics |
Americanism vs. Communism |
Economic Uncertainty, Land Crunch |
Daily Uncertainty |
Cold War, Nuclear War |
Communal vs. Individualism |
Cultural Conflicts Tradition vs. New Ways |
Technological Revolution Changing Values |
Tituba (witchcraft practiced) |
A Touch of Reality |
A. Hiss – Rosenbergs (spies) |
Samuel Parris (the oligarchy) |
Someone To Exploit It / Maintaining Power |
Joseph McCarthy (The Senate) |
Individualists |
Social Dissenters Would Be Victims |
Liberals |
Merchants/Profiteers Affluence - Arrogance |
Sinners A Reason To Hate |
Hollywood - Politicians Affluence - Arrogance |
Public Court Room Public Punishment |
The Public Forum Mass Hysteria |
TV Hearings “blacklisted” |
Spectral Evidence Association - Suspicion |
Guilt By |
Innuendo – Suspicion -Association |