The Puritan Beliefs: The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem witch trials was one of the most famous witch hunt in history. More than 200 accused witched occupied the local jail. 19 people executed, were hanged, one pressed with rocks to death and few more died in jail within a year from 1692-1693. It happened in Salem Village, New England in Massachusetts, now known as Danvers. Witchcraft was second among the hierarchy of crimes which was above blasphemy, murder and poisoning in the Puritan Code of 1641.

The Salem Witch Trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693, it affected the entire town of Salem, but personally affected approximately 150 accused witches (women) and warlocks (men), about 30 of which were executed. When one was convicted of witchcraft it was believed that they had supernatural powers that were given by the devil (in return for being loyal to him), to harm innocent people. As a wave of hysteria spread throughout Massachusetts, a special court was assembled to hear the cases. The first person, Bridget Bishop, was accused in and executed (by hanging) in June 1692. The local justice system was overwhelmed, in some cases, the judge sentenced them to drowning, in this method, they would throw the alleged witch into a deep pond or lake and if they drowned they were pure and not a witch, if they floated, they were a witch and would be burned at the stake.

Nineteen men and women hung from the tree of destruction, for they were the ornaments of hysteria. New England was supposed to be a land of opportunity for the puritans. During the summer of 1692, Salem Village proved to be a wretched example of this, twenty people were falsely accused of witchcraft, and were accordingly jailed and executed. Salem’s infamy has bewildered many, for nobody knows in entirety what caused the mystery of the Salem witch trials of 1692. The answers as to how it came to be is shrouded in an ever-growing cloak.

The Salem witch trials were a large and well known part of our history. Beginning in 1692, three girls were accused of being possessed by the devil. There were many theories to the cause of the Salem witch trials, but there were three main reasons. The belief that the devil had taken over society, the belief that the devil was recruiting witches to work for him, and the belief that a disease caused by eating infected rye caused hallucinations. These were the main reasons for the cause of the Salem witch trials.

“I am no more a witch than you are a wizard. If you take my life away, God will give you blood to drink” was quoted by Sarah Good, one of the first witches of the Salem Witch Trials that was speculated to have bewitched Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Parris. This was a common theme in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. There are many theories against Good and her speculated practice of witchcraft. Good was considerably lower in economic status that most of her neighbors and a lot of people accused her of being a witch because of her cited jealousy and envy (something often associated with a witches’ discontent and anger).

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.

Nearly anyone from the New England has heard of the famous Salem Witch Trials. A year of persecution, leading to the accusation of nearly 200 citizens of all ages. No one was safe; men, women, children, even pets stood trial and 20 were hung for the supposed crime of witchcraft (Blumberg). 1692 was a year of witch hunting. Most today blame the trials on hysteria, or perhaps a bad case of paranoia.

The witchcraft of Salem, Massachusetts was an example of mass hysteria, it resulted in the hangings and deaths of many people from being charged with relations with the devil. The people who convicted the innocent were actually the ones who themselves had relations with the devil. The reasons the convictions happened were because of the young girls who got caught dancing around a fire in the moonlight and doing other practices, they didn’t want to get accused of the witchcraft so they ended up blaming other people who they were jealous of. Innocent people were accused and convicted on witchcraft making it the most unjustifiable testimonies in Salem.

The Salem Witch Trials took place in Salem Massachusetts in the year 1692. Salem was part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was under British rule. There was no charter to in force laws and the colony was waiting for a new governor. Salem was split into two distinct settlements, which was Salem Town and Salem Village. Salem Town was very prosperous because of the commerce, fishing, shipbuilding and other activities involving trading and an urban area.

Review of Literature The religiously motivated Salem witch trials of 1692 left a permanent stain on Massachusetts’ history, but one overlooked factor could have sparked the tragic ordeal. The trials are best summarized as an inexplicable and unforeseen frenzy of accusations, aimed at the social pariahs of the community, that led to multiple deaths in a previously tranquil place. An intense type of food poisoning known as convulsive ergotism provides a seemingly simple, yet understandably deceptive to the ignorant, explanation. Due to optimum conditions for the disease, the correlation between the bewitched and the expected symptoms, and the religious fanaticism of the time, one can conclude ergotism was an influence on the Salem witch trials.