Sarah van den Barselaar
Review of literature
Review of Literature
Source A:
Wilson, L. L. (1997). The Salem Witch Trials [p 27]. London: Lerner Publishing Group.
Summary:
Tituba confesses to being a witch. In her confession she makes reference to a lady in the Bible who used the same method to kill, this only further helps the ministers use religion to support the idea of witchcraft and start the salem witch trials.
Validity:
Reliability:
This source is an extract from Lori Lee Wilsons novel The Salem Witch Trials. Lori Lee Wilson is a historian who has studied the Salem witch trials for many years. The source shows how a Puritan ministers used a mere coincidence that has something to do with a religious reference to reinforce the idea of
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However it is an extract of the novel and therefore is only showing one cause and one part of her findings. It is not bias and is purely factual based on her findings. This makes it a reliable source.
Usefulness: this source helps answer the question to what extent did Christianity cause the Salem Witch Trials as it shows that it was due to the Puritans need to purify the community that the witch hunt began. It is a secondary source so it shows what this historina has discovered and concluded after her years of research.
Limitations: this source is an extract and therefore only shows one of her findings and we do not have the full context nor the other causes she has mentioned in her novel. It is a secondary source and therefore the author was not alive during the time and cannot give a first-hand account of what actually happened but only her historian perspective on the situation. This can be useful when comparing it to other
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Show MoreMary Beth Norton seems to have entered into a single-minded telling, trying to link the Indian wars as the sole answer to “Essex County Witch Trials”. The French and Indians were involved in an up rise of accusations, sure. But Norton’s reasoning behind how the Indian wars had not happened, maybe these trials would not have occurred, does not make sense. Norton tries to wiggle her out of it by stating that she does not believe that the Second Indian War caused these trials but that it “created the conditions that allowed the crisis to develop as rapidly and as extensively as it did.” As an example she uses “repeated spectral sightings of the black man” and “establishes a crucial connection” found throughout records on Salem, as a direct link
While the Puritans expressed their need of love and care for one another the exact opposite was show in Salem, Massachusetts. In June of 1692, Bridget Bishop was accused of bewitching and causing misery to the people in Salem. Her accusers blamed her for attending witch meetings, beating, choking, biting people, appearing to the people in a ghostly form, for odd behaviors in cattle, and the deteriorating health that caused deaths or fits among the children. It is obvious to see that the accusers used her as a scapegoat for the oddities they could not explain in their life. The judges accused Bridget of fabricating lies about her innocence in the trial when the accusers were quite painfully obvious of their deceit within their weak stories of
In Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible," Reverend John Hale is portrayed as a man of great faith who is called upon to investigate the mysterious occurrences in Salem, Massachusetts, during the witch trials of the late 17th century. Although Hale initially believes that he is doing God's work by rooting out the supposed witches in the community, he eventually comes to realize that the accusations are baseless and that innocent people are being condemned to death. In this essay, we will explore how Reverend Hale could have prevented the events in Salem by using his knowledge and authority to challenge the prevailing hysteria and superstition. Firstly, Reverend Hale could have used his knowledge of the Bible and his position as a respected member of the community to challenge the accusations of witchcraft.
I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil” (Miller, 1953, p.48). This quote proves how people were lying during the Salem Witch Trials to prevent themselves from being charged with witchcraft. It shows hysteria because people are going wild and arguments are being caused because they do not want to be charged with witchcraft. “We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law…” (Miller, 1953, p.77).
Introduction George Jacobs Sr. said, “You tax me for a wizard, you may as well tax me for a buzzard I have done no harm.” Although his words were true, many chose to either believe this hysteria or turn the other way. He died along with many other women and men. This was just the start of the many terrors of the Salem witch trials. Yet if you confessed to being a witch then you had a better chance of living, but if you denied you would automatically get hanged.
The reason that the Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony could condone the acts of genocide that occurred during the Salem Witch Trials is because, while they had set themselves up to be a utopian society, it had not yet happened. Various reasons could have led to their settlement towards not becoming a utopia. The main reason for this is the very origin or the greek word “utopia,” which originally meant “impossible.” Other factors included simpler human concepts such as greed, hatred, and lust. These emotions were all present in the town of Salem, but they were hidden from notice by the towns folks devoutness to their church.
For 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
REVIEW 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.
Salem was a town divided into two sides, the west side being poor, and the east side being where wealthy people stayed. Document E shows that the accusers were mainly on the west side, and the accused witches were mostly on the east side, this showing that the poor were the ones mainly accusing the rich and wealthy. Document E’s evidence is backing up the theory that another cause of the Salem witch `trial hysteria was Salem being divided, with one side accusing the other. “Although” statement where you agree there might be other contributing causes. It is true that other causes may help explain the hysteria.
In the book Crucible written by Arthur Miller took place in 1692. Some may believe that Reverend Hale is not to blame for all the deaths of innocent people in Salem. The only reason Reverend Hale is involved in this case, is because he is pushing his limits to get the truth. Also, to not let any guilty doers off the chain, for the reason that they will keep repeating their dirty crimes. There has been many witch trials taken place in salem, of which many people have been accused and persecuted.
Sarah never confessed but did indeed accuse another. During the trials, Good remained stern to the statement that she was “falsely accused.” Though her words said otherwise, Sarah was ordered to execution July 19, 1692. Tituba was the slave of the Parris family, and the first to be accused of influencing the girls to practice witchcraft. Tituba confessed to many activities practicing the use of black magic.
The book does not offer any new insights into the motivations or reasons that the Witch hysteria peaked as it did in Salem, the author does an excellent job at presenting the material in an easy to read and mentally digest
Much of what happens in Salem still resembles some things we see in society today. The word of one man can change people’s ideas and images of another without conclusive evidence. What people fear the most can sometimes bind us together, even if it is not
The girls of the Salem witch trials lie to the society as to not get in trouble. Abigail leads them all in their lies by telling Mercy, “...listen now;if they be questioning us, tell them we danced- I told him as much already... He knows Tituba conjured Ruth’s sisters to come out of the grave...” (Miller 174).
In his book, “A Modest Inquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft (1702),” clergyman John Hale comes forth to confront the recent events going on at the time. Initially, Hale alludes to the questionable actions and activities of the townspeople being accused of witchcrafts, and being imprisoned as punishment. In addition, he discloses how everyone suspicious will be accused, not even young children are safe from the hands of this fate. Hale’s purpose of publishing this book was to describe the incident of the Witch Trials, and to reveal his experience of the trials, since his own wife was accused. By employing a didactic tone, Hale relays the actions of the past that targeted the Puritans and those wrongly accused of witchcrafts, so this occurrence