The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 were the largest outbreak of witch hunting in colonial New England up to that time. Although it was the largest outbreak, it was not something that was new. Witch-hunting had been a part of colonial New England since the formation of the colonies. Between the years 1648 to 1663, approximately 15 witches were executed. During the winter of 1692 to February of 1693, approximately 150 citizens were accused of being witches and about 25 of those died, either by
be used against an accused witch. Venetian tribunals authorized to deal with witchcraft on any scope, this meant that the Inquisitors had total autonomy when it came to prosecuting suspected witches. The holy office had just jurisdiction over the magic only if heretical beliefs of devil worship were involved (Seitz, p. 35). Between the two “branches,” everything pertaining to anything even remotely considered witchcraft or heresy fell under their purview. Although the categories for determining
and soon residents were placing blame on one another and accusing each other of witchcraft. In a fifteen month period between 1691 and 1692 nearly twelve dozen people were accused of witchcraft in or near Salem (Norton, p8). Although witch trials were not uncommon in Puritanical New England, none had reached such epidemic proportions as Salem. In 1691 the mass hysteria began when several young girls dabbled in witchcraft and began acting strange. When villagers took notice the girls were seriously
Year 1692, Hundreds of people, accused with the conviction of witchcraft, stoned to death, or in confinement with no justice trials. “From June through September of 1692, nineteen men and women, all having been convicted of witchcraft, were carted to Gallows Hill, a barren slope near Salem Village, for hanging” (The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692) What caused the mass hysteria and disaster of Salem; for, the answer is unknown. Yet, many events and factors had contributed to the accusations, the
Witchcraft trials were prevalent throughout medieval history, especially throughout the continents of North America and Europe. The propose of these witchcraft trials was to identify those that appeared to be practicing witchcraft, place them on trial, and ultimately punish them for their alleged heretical beliefs and behaviors. These hunts and trials were often sanctioned by high ranking members of the church. One such high ranking supporter was Pope Innocent VIII, who not only acted as the
attend college. They were expected to have an educational background in order to pass on knowledge to their children at an early on. In the Puritan society women had no rights compared to the opportunities that are available today. The Salem Witchcraft Trials took place in colonial Massachusetts in the period of 1692 to 1693. During the seventh century, women were expected to follow
Salem Witchcraft Trials in The Crucible by Arthur Miller Throughout society and throughout literature, vulnerable communities under certain conditions can be easily taken advantage of by a person or group of people presumed innocent. In the play, “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, there are three main factors that allowed the girls fallacious stories to be believed: Salem’s flawed court system, its lack of diversity in beliefs and religion, and the lack of a strong leader in the town. Although Abigail
C. One strong way to defend themselves was having others sign a petition claiming he/ she was innocent (Uschan pg. 21). One famous line used was “I have nothing to do with the witchcraft or the Devil and would never harm a soul.” This usually never worked. Another common lie from women to be “I am a mother and would never harm another child.” (Reis). It would cause the judge to think about them hurting someone else's child, but it also usually never worked. A really famous claim used by a lot
During the time of the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692, more than twenty people died an innocent death. All of those innocent people were accused of one thing, witchcraft. During 1692, in the small town of Salem, Massachusetts many terrible events happened. A group of Puritans lived in Salem during this time. They had come from England, where they were prosecuted because of their religious beliefs. They chose to come live in America and choose their own way to live. They were very strict people,
Consequently, the evolution to witchcraft phenomenon began when two young girls began to experience fits and mysterious maladies in a small Puritan community. A doctor concluded that the children were suffering from the effect of witchcrafts. Under the compulsion of the doctor, the girls began to name the allegedly responsible for their suffering. After the allegedly of the girls, three women became the first Salem residents to be charged with the capital crime of witchcraft. Later on, only one of them
Devin Martin Mrs. Wolfe English III January 15, 2017 "Sinners of Salem" In 1692, the witchcraft trials occurred in the small town of Salem. The events started when John Proctor started to have an affair on his wife Elizabeth with Abigail. This started chaos because Abigail started to have love for Proctor. Proctor didn't want a relationship because he still loved his wife Elizabeth. John frustrated with the situation, he began to notice Abigail wanting to kill his wife so they could be together
1962 the penalty of witchcraft was to be hung or smashed. There was a big outburst of witchcraft and spells that were going around among the people of Massachusetts in 1962. Some of the women of Salem began the witchcraft many people started to catch on and fallow them. A lot of these people were hung do to what the bible said about the wrongs of witchcraft. When these women of Salem Massachusetts started to do witchcraft and pass it on to other people they were put on trial for their actions,
During the 1690s, the Salem Witchcraft Trials occurred. However, they did not start in Salem, they occurred first in Danver (Starkey vii). This atrocity of an event was first started because of the fantasies of very little girls. These girl’s accusations created the largest example of witch hysteria on record (Starkey viii). During this time, the authorities had arrested over 150 people from more than two different towns (Gragg ix). Salem however, was not the only town that had girls saying there
What really happened in Salem that ignited the spark of the Witchcraft Trials? Was it out of boredom? Did the girls come down with a case of Schizophrenia, encephalitis, or Huntington’s chorea? (Vogel 1). These are all possibilities, but there is still one theory that could reveal the truth behind the Salem Witch Trials. According to the research by psychologist Linda Caporael, of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, New York, the poisoning of ergot originally created the hysteria. (Vogel 1
In “Witchcraft or Mycotoxin? The Salem Witch Trials” the discussion is held trying to determine the real underlying issue that caused the mass hysteria in the village that resulted in the loss of so many lives. One interesting theory that is presented is the possibility of the rye that was grown and used as a daily staple of food for the Puritans was tainted. The possibility of a cold harsh winter and moist humid spring and summer sets up a perfect petri dish for the fungus to grow uncontrollably
The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts can be considered a horrendous period in American history, yet is also viewed as the turning point in what was considered acceptable in a contemporary society. In a documentation of a trial against a woman named Sarah Good, the reader is able to see the way in which such an accusation was treated and how society as a whole reacted to such a claim. Sarah Good fell victim to the witchcraft hysteria because she was different, and that fear
the center of attention when the Salem Witch trials are in discussion. In fact, the only time she seems to ever be mentioned is to state that she is the link between witchcraft and the adolescent girls of Salem (Breslaw. Xx). Witchcraft is defined, by Webster’s dictionary, as the “magical things that are done by witches: the use of magical powers obtained especially from evil spirits”. Although words are known to change throughout the years, witchcraft, for the most part, has remained the same, but
Comparing the Salem Witch Trials, European Witchcraft Craze and the McCarthy Hearings The evidence of witchcraft and related works has been around for many centuries. Gradually, though, a mixture a religious, economical, and political reasons instigated different periods of fear and uncertainty among society. Witchcraft was thought of as a connection to the devil that made the victim do evil and strange deeds. (Sutter par. 1) In the sixteenth, seventeenth, and twentieth century, the hysteria over
extent did the Inquisition impact witchcraft trials in the region of Central Europe from 1199 to 1580? This investigations seeks to evaluate the Inquisition in full but not limited to the effect on heresy, heretics, witches, and witchcraft. The sources used for this research investigation are the three written sources with secondary and primary material, which are listed as follows, Witchcraft by Robert Hart, Witches and Witchcraft Jeremy Kingston, and Witchcraft in Europe 400-1700 by Alan Charles
It was there that he lived a poverty-stricken childhood without the financial support of a father, because he had passed away in 1808. Hawthorne was raised strictly Puritan, his great-grandfather had even been one of the judges in the Puritan witchcraft trials during the 1600s. This and Hawthorne’s destitute upbringing advanced his understanding of human nature and distress felt by social, religious, and economic inequities. Hawthorne was a private individual who fancied solitude with family friends