The Salem Witch Trials are widely known in American History. My inquiry into the trials consists of a series of questions: What was the purpose of mainly targeting women? How did the trials overall affect future legislation? How did the trials change society then and now? This will introduce the misogyny behind the trials, the ages that were mainly affected, and why they were targeted. Why has it become so important to provide a jury and a fair trial to anyone falsely incarcerated, and how did the trials pave the way for fear to corrupt society and indulge in accusations like those of the Red Scare and the Salem Witch Trials?
The early English colonies and religious leaders indulged and were responsible for the murder of 20 Puritan women in
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Harmless playing repeatedly led to accusations of children practicing witchcraft and indulging in Satanic rituals. The colonies also felt that the maturing of women’s bodies fed the devilish desires of men, and could be tamed by trials and accusations of witchcraft. “However, strong ideologies also hold the capacity to alienate and even demonize those who fail to conform” (Hartley, 2002). A society of strong ideologies illustrates the power installed by the people and how quickly hysteria and fear can feed into a community. The detrimental effect of the witch trials introduced new ideologies when the Bill of Rights was constructed in …show more content…
The Salem Witch Trials do not directly correlate with the Bill of Rights but were used to highlight the importance of protecting individual rights and limiting the power of the government. The trials directly show how the government can abuse the power the people allow. The colonies were also under the control of the United Kingdom, making it so the government ran directly from the Church, which did not change until the United States separated from the UK altogether. The government was dictated by the Church of England, every witch that was accused and found guilty was not only fighting against the UK government but also the religious factor that was incorporated into the government. “...they had been deprived of the rights to which they should have been entitled under English common law” (Purdy, 2023). This statement was enhanced by the English Bill of Rights, which was passed in 1689. “Exactly 100 prior, 1689, Parliament brought an end to a time of great turmoil in England–the Glorious Revolution–with the English Bill of Rights” (Eskridge). Therefore, the colonies were living to their own form of government and stripping away the basic rights of the framed and accused
Life in Puritan Massachusetts was the eternal struggle against Satan, and when faced with the threat of the Devil’s agents working among them, they reacted with pious fear, with the trials acting as a means by which they demonstrated determination to stamp out the devil’s lies. Scottish Presbyterianism offered similarly a negative view of human nature and susceptibility to sin. Everything in life came from God or the devil and, as witchcraft came not from God, so it must be from Satan. Presbyterian preaching was zealous in its “glamorising,” of witchcraft, believed by Burton to have fuelled the Scottish enthusiasm for witch hunts. The hunts in the 1690s came at a time of moral panic, with ‘the identification and abolition of witchcraft… part of the new pattern of moral endeavour.’
Witch Hunts: Comparison of Salem in the 1690’s vs. America in 2018 Witch hunts in Salem during the 1690’s was a traumatic and horrifying experience that consisted of many trials to accomplish one goal - to get rid of witchcraft in Salem. Imagine being in Salem during the 1690’s, in a time where friends, family and people around in the community were being accused of witchcraft. Also they were possibly hung to death for something they didn’t do. It created a violent uproar in the town because it split people into two sides with a middle selection not being the option. Arthur Miller writes the dramatic story of The Crucible that is a fictional story based on the true events of the Salem Witch Trials.
Throughout history, women have continuously been the targets of oppression. One historical incident that exemplifies this trend was the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria. The Salem Witchcraft Hysteria resulted from various causes; it occurred in a specific historical, social, and economical context. In regards to the history of the Salem Witch Trials, it is particularly evident that the Puritan society regarded women as subservient to men. This notion can be drawn all the way back to the story of Eve.
During the late 1600’s, Salem Village, Massachusetts was swept up in a single-minded fervor as its inhabitants tried to rid the settlement of witches. Several months of wild accusations that pitted neighbor against neighbor resulted in 19 deaths and nearly 200 convictions, collectively called the Salem Witch Trials (Text 2). While there were many factors that led to the hysteria behind the Salem Witch Trials, the authoritative role of religion and the fear of punishment were most likely the greatest catalysts. Religion had constantly provided stability in the uncertainty of the New World, and therefore questioning religious agendas would undermine any sense of security that the settlers had. Furthermore, confessing and accusing others seemed to be the only way colonists could escape punishment, so they facilitated the trials out of fear.
As a result of the Salem Witch Trials, there were multiple improvements made to the court procedures. Because one could be sentenced by someone simply accusing them, with no viable proof, there were lots of random, petty accusations as aforementioned. The first of these corrections was the right to legal representation. When one was accused of witchcraft, there was no opportunity for their side of the story to be told or represented. Next: the right to cross-examine the accuser; before The Salem Witch Trials, the accuser had no responsibility or consequence to their accusation.
The Massachusetts Bay Experiment was a colony founded on extreme puritan principal. It was to be a community of “Visible Saints”, for all other religions to look upon, where they could practice their puritan beliefs freely. Whenever there was a problem within the colony the puritans always looked to the church for answers. Since this was such a theocratic society, one could see just how an event such as The Salem Witch Trials could occur. Many historians attribute the cause of the Salem witch trials to various different reasons, it is evident through the various trials and reactions of the people being tried, that the Salem witch trials occurred because of the extremist views of the puritans.
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a tragic and dark period in American history, marked by fear, misinformation, and the persecution of those deemed different or non-conforming to societal norms. One individual caught up in these trials was Martha Carrier, a woman from the town of Andover who was accused of practicing witchcraft and causing harm to others. My analysis of the case against Martha Carrier will examine the reasons for her prosecution, the evidence used to claim her guilt, and her defense against the charges. I will argue that Martha Carrier's story represents the larger pattern of women who were brought to trial during this period, highlighting the dangers of fear-mongering and the unjust consequences of misinformation. Through
The Salem Witch Trial caused great conflict among the people. Many would argue that the methods of detecting witchcraft were unlawful while others argued that it wasn’t, the whole innocent or guilty itself also caused conflicts. However, as the year of 1693 had started to roll in, the madness of witches lingering within the citizens had diminished, and the Massachusetts General Court later deemed the trials unlawful. Due to this event, the Justice System is now organized and fair. Every accused person has the right to tell their side of the incident and the judges aren’t biased to a certain
One main cause for the Salem Witch Trial was religious hysteria. Puritans believed that any sin should be punished. Witchcraft and magic were major sins that were considered the greatest crimes to commit. There was a constant fear
Let me just start by saying the Salem witch trials were brutal. Over 20 girls were hung and burned and 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft. It was in 1692 to 1693. The reason these women and occasionally men were tried was because the Salem witch trials were basically an era in American history where if we did not like someone all we had to do is claim them for witchcraft. Little girls would be in the church during the trials and start screaming and freaking out saying these women were sending their demons and satan’s helpers to attack them and that they were biting and scratching at their ankles and poking their eyes.
The Salem Witch Trials; Madness or Logic In Stacey Schiff’s, List of 5 Possible Causes of the Salem Witch Trials and Shah Faiza’s, THE WITCHES OF SALEM; Diabolical doings in a Puritan village, discuss in their articles what has been debated by so many historians for years, the causes of the Salem Witch trials. Schiff and the Faiza, purpose is to argue the possible religious, scientific, communal, and sociological reasons on why the trials occurred. All while making word by word in the writer’s testimony as if they were there through emotion and just stating simply the facts and theories. They adopt the hectic tone in order to convey to the readers the significance, tragedy, logic, loss, and possible madness behind these life changing events,
Over 300 years ago, more than 100 citizens of the colony of Massachusetts were accused of the crime of witchcraft, and many executed. Although this era in history, known as the Salem Witch Trials, lasted only mere months, its impact on the American criminal justice system has lasted until present day. Although both the trials in Salem and modern America are based on a similar justice system, there are vast differences, specifically in the rights of the defense, most notable in the separation of Church and State, the standards of evidence, and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The modern American criminal justice system, in comparison to that of the time of the Salem Witch Trials, has changed drastically. No longer is the rule of law based on
The Salem witch trial hysteria of 1692 may have been instigated by religious, social, geographic and even biological factors. During these trials, 134 people were condemned as witches and 19 were hanged. These statistics also include 5 more deaths that occurred prior to their execution date. It is interesting to look into the causes of this stain on American History, when as shown in document B, eight citizens were hanged in only one day.
The novel A Delusion of Satan written by Frances Hill describes the history of the Salem Witch Trials (“Salem”) in 1692, the causes and effects of the witch hysteria, and the biographies of major characters associated with the trials. In the novel, Hill started out explaining the Puritans’ beliefs and customs, the gender roles of men and women in Salem and why women were easily accused of being witches and practicing witchcraft in the 17th century. During that time, women were easily accused of practicing witchcraft because they were viewed as physically, politically and spiritually weaker than men. Men were perceived as the power, status, and worthy in the society, and they dominated women’s behavior and social status. In the 17th century,
Many practicing Christians, at the time, believed that the Devil could persuade people to use the powers that he gave them to harm others. The Salem Witch Trials occurred because of resource struggles, many women were accused and tortured, and in the end the Governor realized that it was a big mistake. (“Salem Witch Trials”, 1). In 1689, English rulers William and Mary started a war with France in the American colonies which sent many refugees into the Essex County and Salem Village.