Arthur Miller begins his article with background of the years in which he wrote the story; years full of Communism, fear spread by Senator Joseph McCarthy, and Fascism. He wrote his play The Crucible in very politically charged years, which had a lot to do with why he wrote it. Miller began comparing the search for Communists in the 1950's with the search for witches in the late 1600's. He then began researching the trials, and later visited Salem in 1952.

When he learned more about the history, he started to add fictional details to the story, and relate it to his own life. He read so many accounts and books on the topic that it almost became a part of him. Again and again, information overlapped between the witch hunts and the search for Communists. It almost frightened Miller because as he says, "I could easily be accused...