Dbq Salem Witch Trials

In colonial New England and Europe, belief in the supernatural, specifically in the devil’s procedure of giving some humans –witches –the power to impair others in return for their faith, was unfolded in the early 14th century. People who were thought to be different were accused of witchcraft and apprehended for trials. One of the first trials of Salem was in January 1962, when one of Reverend Samuels Parris’s slaves, called Tituba, would gather a bunch of teenage girls every day. Later in spring, the townspeople were shocked at the girls’ behaviors. It was believed that they danced a black magic dance in nearby woods, and some girls would fall on the floor and hysterically scream. Shortly after that, these actions started to allot all over Salem. Ministers came to Salem trying to find who is responsible for this crisis.

The Puritans believed that to become bewitched, a witch must draw a person under a spell. The young girls of Salem could not have brought this situation onto themselves, so they were questioned and forced to name their torturers. Three

The first was passing a test, like delivering the Lord’s prayer. Although this seems simple, some of the girls would start screaming halfway through their recital. The second was any physical evidence. If a person had warts, birthmarks, moles, or any blemishes, they believed that it could be a port to Satan. Witnesses were another way of consideration. Anyone who can ascribe their misfortune to a “sorcerer” would help with the conviction. Fourth, puritans believed that Satan cannot take the form of an unwilling person. This is spectral evidence. Thus, of a person saw a ghost in the form of the accused, then the accused must be a witch. Finally, this fifth type of evidence is confessing. Confession might seem imprudent to a suspect who is sure of his own innocence. In many cases, the confessor would mourn in tears for the court and town’s