Identification And Evaluation Of Source: The Connecticut Witch Trials
Section 1: Identification and Evaluation of Sources This investigation will attempt to answer the question “How did the causes of the 1647 Connecticut witch trials differ from those of the 1692 Salem witch trials?” Two sources that were crucial to this investigation, and will be evaluated, are Cynthia Wolfe Boynton’s Connecticut Witch Trials: The First Panic in the New World and Chadwick Hansen’s Witchcraft at Salem. Boynton’s Connecticut Witch Trials was the first source written that solely focuses on the witch trials of Connecticut, beginning in 1647. For this reason it is valuable because it is the most in-depth resource available that concentrates on the Hartford witch trials. Additionally, Boynton originated from Milford, Connecticut, …show more content…
The recent origin of this book is constricting because it has not been widely accredited by historians who study seventeenth century witch trials. Furthermore, Boynton is not an expert in this topic: her field of study in school was medicine and science, not history. In her introduction, Boynton stated her biased viewpoint that the Connecticut witch trials were much more deadly than those of Salem. This bias may have caused her to exaggerate some of the details of the witch trials and thus inaccurately portray the content she analyzes. In contrast to Boynton’s work, Chadwick Hansen’s Witchcraft at Salem concentrates only on the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts. It is a valuable source due to the fact that Hansen earned a Ph.D. American History from Yale and the University of Minnesota, giving him a wealth of knowledge in the subject that this source focuses on. Additionally, the content is rich with insight as well as with primary sources such as transcripts from the trials, copies of the town’s historical documents, and drawings from Salem during the …show more content…
The death of 8-year-old Elizabeth Kelly in 1662 and her autopsy provided more fuel for the witch-hunt hysteria (Klein p.2). According to Boynton, “those who attended the examination of Elizabeth’s body may not have been familiar with the physical changes that occur after death, including the time frame for rigor mortis […] and the occurrence of livor mortis,” (Boynton 38). Bryan Rossiter, the doctor who performed the autopsy, noted strange “preternatural” findings on her body that were in fact “natural occurrences for an almost week-old corpse,” (Boynton 39). The findings that Rossiter published were gruesome, including large red spots on her cheek, black and blue arms, a terrible stench, and stiffness of the body (Boynton 39). This report highly distraught the citizens of Connecticut and stirred further unrest and more prosecutions of witches (Klein
Analytical Essay: The Bridget Byshop Trial
795 Words | 4 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials were a series of court trials in Salem, Massachusetts from 1692 to 1693 alleging the practice of witchcraft and murder by a number of women and men. With Massachusetts descent from a Puritan England, these accusations were serious, and they developed into mass panic. Among those accused was Bridget Byshop who was the first to be executed after she was found guilty. The document, “The Examination of Bridget Byshop at Salem Village 19. April.1692 by John Hauthorn & Jonath: Corwin Esq’rs” was handwritten by Samuel Parris, and recorded the lawyers examination against Bridget Byshop.
The Testimon Young Women In Salem Possessed
1418 Words | 6 PagesThe witch panic started in Salem, Massachusetts hanged 19 people and inspired a wide-swept fear of the Devil and witchcraft that lasted for over a year. Historians have discussed why this panic occurred for years, producing a slew of opinions on what caused one small community to erupt into such fear. Two such historians, Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum, attempted to understand the 1692 Salem witch trials by analyzing Salem Village’s social and economic tensions dividing the community in the book Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft. Yet the two historians ignore the largest group of participants in the witch trials: women. When looking at the documents recording the events of 1692, however, a historian cannot escape the importance of the young girls who were first afflicted and started the accusations.
Sarah Osborne's Life In The Salem Witch Trials
562 Words | 3 PagesIn the late 1600s, the small town of Salem, Massachusetts was engulfed by a dark cloud of mass hysteria during the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Innocent women were unjustly accused, condemned, and subjected to torturous deaths for the alleged crime of witchcraft. Amongst the chaos and fear, lived a young woman named Sarah Osborne. This narrative essay delves into the life of Sarah, exploring her experiences before and after being accused, and sheds light on the devastating consequences that arise when mass hysteria drives people to make irrational choices. Sarah Osborne, a spirited and determined young woman, lived a modest life in the close-knit community of Salem.
Who Is Abigail Williams Influence In The Crucible
426 Words | 2 PagesIn the small Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts during the 1690s, hysteria and fear run rampant as accusations of witchcraft spread like wildfire, tearing families and communities apart. But as the trial proceedings heat up, the true motivations behind each character's actions become clearer, revealing a tale not just of witchcraft, but of power, jealousy, and the corrupting influence of fear. Although many readers would argue that Thomas Danforth is the judge and the head of the law and religion, it can be argued that Abigail Williams, a young Puritan girl, has more power and significant influence over the society as she accuses many innocents of witchcraft and questions Danforth’s authority. During the heated argument between Danforth and Abigail in the court,
Four Memorable People During The Salem Witch Trials
649 Words | 3 PagesIn conclusion, this essay was about several famous people in the Salem Witch Trials. They confessed to survive and didn’t confess because their fates were already decided. I also described how their backgrounds affected their roles, and I described what happened to them after the trials. I even described what to do or not do when you are accused of witchcraft during those
American Witch Dbq
992 Words | 4 PagesIn the seventeenth century, the belief in witchcraft was spread among Europe and the colonies. According to the textbook, America a Narrative History, “Prior to the dramatic episode in Salem, almost 300 New Englanders had been accused of practicing witchcraft, and more than 30 had been hanged.” This outbreak of witches ruined Massachusetts Puritan utopia. This paper will discuss the settlers of Massachusetts prior to this calamity, what happened during, and the outcome.
Salem Witch Trials Dbq Analysis
712 Words | 3 PagesFor example, Annika L of the Salem Times states, “A fourth theory is that the girls behavior was caused by physical illness.” Despite the fact that such points could be defended with some logic, most of the support would be weak and loose. On the other hand, it can be concluded that the claim made by this essay is more logical and well supported if anything. All in all, it can be determined that the cause of the Salem Witch Trials was the attempt of Salem citizens to either defend or create family ties and enter or sustain continued community safety within the
Chapter Summary: The Salem Witch Trials
1223 Words | 5 PagesREVIEW OF LITRATURE A.) SUMMARY SOURCE A Although the whole book had information on the Salem witch trials. The introduction, chapter 1 and 2 and the conclusion had information regarding the research needed • Introduction: states what the Salem witch trials where and who they accused.
How Did The Cause Of The Salem Witch Trials
748 Words | 3 PagesHow would it feel to be accused of and punished for something you didn’t do? In Massachusetts in the 17th century, many people were accused of witchcraft and suffered punishments for crimes they didn’t commit. These people were often unfairly tested and then killed if they performed the test the way a “witch” would. This essay will describe how the Salem Witch Trials had a strong impact on society’s view of witches, showing what can happen when people make opinionated decisions and spread rumors. Salem was a village that was secluded from surrounding towns, and its residents were very religious.
Mass Hysteria During The Salem Witch Trials
1116 Words | 5 PagesNowadays, witches are often regarded to be figments of vivid imaginations or ideas for Halloween costumes. However, in the late 17th century, the utterance of the word would create a deep anxiety in the hearts of many. This frenzy was especially prevalent in Salem, Massachusetts. Here, the infamous Salem Witch Trials swept through the area like an angel of death. The time period was quite tumultuous, as it created a clear divide within the community, forming two different sides: the accusers and the accused.
Summary Of The Witches: Salem 1692
527 Words | 3 PagesIn the book, The Witches: Salem 1692, the author Stacy Schiff attempts to condense a large volume of research into a cohesive narrative that tries to avoid to much speculation. There is some contention that the book does speculate into the motives of primary accusers that some reviewers have intimated are bordering on fiction. However, the author defends her arguments logically, and her inferences do seem to bridge the gaps effectively. One of the items that causes some confusion, to both the historically curious, and to the researcher is that the author has created a list of dramatis personae in which the historical figures are labeled as a cast of characters which might make the book seem fictional.
Carol Karlsen The Devil In The Shape Of A Woman Analysis
1059 Words | 5 PagesCarol Karlsen 's The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England provides a sociological and anthropological examination of the witchcraft trends in early New England. By examining the records, Karlsen has created what she suggests was the clichéd 'witch ' based on income, age, marital status, etc. She argues that women who had inherited or stood to inherit fairly large amounts of property or land were at particular risk, as they "stood in the way of the orderly transmission of property from one generation of males to the next." These women, Karlsen suggests, were targeted largely because they refused to accept "their place" in colonial society.
Salem Witch Trials Rhetorical Analysis
1066 Words | 5 PagesThe 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,
Tituba's Rights: The Salem Witch Trials Of 1692
2485 Words | 10 PagesINTRODUCTION: During the late 17th century, there were many accusations of witchcraft within the thirteen colonies. Many men and women of all ages and authority were accused of witchcraft. When the British were colonizing North America, the traditions of witchcraft were supposedly taken to the new land with the colonists. The Salem Witch Trials taught people that they shouldn’t believe everything they are told and that people shouldn’t assume something without having specific research that can prove it.
Salem Witch Trials Dbq Essay
745 Words | 3 PagesThe 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.
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