Chapter Summary: The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials were a gruesome part of our history in America. More than two hundred people were accused of witchcraft during years of 1692 through 1693. Historians believe that Ann Putnam Jr. and other accusers were badgered to accuse certain people. The parents (of the afflicted girls), Thomas Putnam and Reverend Samuel Parris told the afflicted girls to accuse others, were thought to be seeking out revenge for the accused. Most of the accused victims were either very wealthy or were social outcasts.

Bridget Bishop was the first witch hung. Eighteen other people followed Bishop and one hundred and fifty men, women, and children were accused through the following months. Though the Massachusetts General Court later cancelled guilty decisions against suspect witches and granted securities to their families, bitterness remained in the community, and the agonizing legacy of the Salem Witch Trials would suffer for centuries. Belief in the supernatural, more specifically in the devil, came into view in Europe around the early 14th century. As

First of all, jealousy was one of the causes of the Salem witch trials. In document B it shows a chart of the accused and it says that there were 134 people accused and 110 of them were female. It also shows that 76 out of those 110 women were married and were about the age between 41-60. It also shows a chart that shows the accusers and it states that a total of 29 women accused them and 23 of them were single and were about the age of 11-20 years old. They were young women who were seeking to find a husband.

In 1962, two cousins accused Bridget Bishop of being a witch. One of the cousins, Betty Paris, was the revenants daughter. Betty and Abigail accused two local white women and slave Tituba of being witches.Then the accused were sent off to jail in Boston. Tituba was the only one to confess of being a witch. In June 10, Bridget was hanged.

In Europe, many of the accused witches were executed by hanging. 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.

Although she was pardoned until the birth of her child, that same child perished in prison before her execution (Jobe). This case is one of the hundreds to occur during the time of the Witch Trials. Numerous accounts of torture and death are recorded in American history, with these heinous crimes being committed on the exact soil we walk on every day. Based on the evidence used against the supposed witches,

Many inmates were able to escape prisons due to shortage of staff, however. The average victim was a woman in her 40’s or older, many of which were in their 60’s (“Salem Witch Trials”). Almost all the men accused of witchcraft during the trials was related to a woman who had been accused prior. Accusations were usually directed towards colonists in the higher wealth class, in contrast to English witchcraft accusations which were directed towards the poor wealth class (Campbell). As well as humans, two dogs were shot and killed after being accused of witchcraft, showing that just about anything could be accused of witchcraft in Salem during the late seventeenth

Some of the trials and torture sessions have been recorded in full detail. The Bamberg Witch Trials has an estimated total of 300-600 executed victims. Accusations were not made public and the accused were not allowed any legal rights. The accused were forced to endure many forms of torture including thumb screws and vices, ice cold baths, scalding lime baths, whipping, sulphur burns, and iron spiked stocks. The torture continued even after they were condemned.

The most acknowledgeable dispute from the play was between the Putnam’s and the Nurse’s. Rebecca Nurse was blamed for the death of all of Ann Putnam’s children, except for one. The events also caused numerous people to be convicted of witchcraft, some of them being executed. Two of the most notable people convicted in the play were John Procter, condemned for adultery and later hung, and Tituba, who confessed, saving her own life.

It was a series of hearings before local magistrates, which led to county court trials to persecute people accused of witchcraft. Trials took place against the theocratic, Puritan British colony where the church ruled in civil matters. Women were believed more likely to side with the devil then men due to their lustful nature and obedience to men. The first 3 people to be accused of witchcraft was: Sarah Good(a beggar), Tituba(a native) and Sarah

John Hathorne was one of the main Judges in court, he believed fully in witchcraft and in the accusers, which is most likely why so many people lives were ended just from young girls acting up and accusing multiple adults. John’s great, great, grandson, author Nathaniel Hawthorne added a “w” in his name most likely to distance himself from Hathorne because of the role he played in the Salem Witch Trials. Samuel Sewall and William Stoughton were the two other judges involved in court. Deliverance Hobbs was one of the only witches that confessed without being forced. A warrant was issued for Deliverance on April 21, she was arrested two days later and committed to prison.

No one was safe from being accused. The witch trials in Salem began in 1692. It got brought up by a group of younger girls saying they were possessed by the devil. During this they accused many of being witches and use of witchcraft. Sarah Good was one of the more well known victims during this.

In 1962 the Salem Witchcraft Trials started. In Salem, Massachusetts there were puritans the had a lot of paranoia. Why did 20 people die of the Salem Witchcraft Trials? The Salem Witchcraft Trial was caused by poor young girls who acted possessed. Most of the accusers were under 20 years old.Little girls caused the Salem Witchcraft Trials by pretending to be possessed.

Among the groups labeled witches, most practitioners were women, and women were the primary leaders (The vulnerability of women to witchcraft Accusations- by Christian Day, 1992, n.d). Certain people to practice supernatural forces of evil that can hurt others with return - especially faith in the loyalty - had reached had appeared extensively in colonial New England in the 14th century Europe. In addition, the Salem Village (Massachusetts) War between France and England in the American colonies in the harsh realities including sequelae 1689 lives in rural Puritan society in recent smallpox epidemic, Native American tribes and Salem Village (Salem Witch Trials, n.d).

The Salem Witch trials were started in 1692. According to History.com, a group of girls claimed to be possessed with the devil and that they were practicing witchcraft. This event may have caused the trials to begin. With the mix of the belief of the underworld and witches, the rumors began and spread like wildfire. Many people believed the girls and demanded for the people who were “possessed” to be killed a the spirit removed from the body and let free.