Were the Accused Witches Really Witches?

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The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were one of the worst events in pre-US history. Hundreds of people were imprisoned, and 20-40 people died. The girls who accused the people were ruthless and lied in court. The accused witches had no way to be declared innocent. I believe the accused witches were innocent. When Tituba told Betty Parris and Abigail Williams stories and showed them voodoo tricks, things started to go haywire. As Betty and Abigail told some other girls about Tituba’s stories, the girls came over and Tituba showed them tricks. Pretty soon, the girls couldn’t listen in church, they had to cover their ears, and they would interrupt. Betty, Abigail, and the other girls had fits, contorted themselves into strange shapes, and had visible wounds on their arms and legs. Dr. Griggs concluded that the girls were bewitched! Reverend Parris questioned the girls about who bewitched them. The girls named three: Sarah Osborne, Sarah Good, and Tituba. Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good proclaimed their innocence. Tituba at first, claimed she was innocent, but then later, she completely changed her mind and said she was guilty. Tituba said a man from Boston told her to sign the Devil’s book, or he would hurt Betty and Abigail. Tituba said she did, and saw nine other names, which included Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good. Tituba’s confession sparked a massive, hysterical, witch hunt in which at least 22 people were killed, in which nineteen people were hanged, between four to thirteen people who died in prison, and one person who was pressed to death. What is astounding is that although Betty and Abigail were the ones that were possibly sick, many others played along and accused people. Together, they accused almost 100 people of be... ... middle of paper ... ...eria witch hunt, which killed at least 22 people and damaged so many other families. When the English’s got back, all of their ships were abandoned, their stuff in their house were gone, and they were ruined. Also, the prison areas were cramped, so diseases were rampant. Worst of all, children were forced to accuse their parents. Although the witch hunt lasted about a year, it did a bunch of damage that won’t be forgotten. Works Cited "List of People of the Salem Witch Trials." List of People of the Salem Witch Trials. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014. . "Salem Witch Museum." Salem Witch Museum: Salem's Most Visited Museum. Salem Witch Museum, n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014. . Schanzer, Rosalyn. N.p.: National Geographic, 2011. Print.

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