Escaping Salem
In the history of America, Salem witch hunt of 1692 was among the most famous events. The number of individuals accused of witchcraft as well as those executed for the same crime exceeded the total number of those in New England across the whole seventeenth-century. Individuals who struggled to live though the condition were later improved from the beginning of the colonies.
Women in particular, had a hard time to fit in the society as they were seen to be inferior compared to men. They were associated with witchcraft and all negative activities in the society. During the colonial period of New England, women learnt to silence their voices as they were expected to maintain their proper role of time. A woman would be at a high risk of being associated with witchcraft if she went against a man's though (Godbeer, 2004). Religious leaders also considered women to be weaker and thus associated them with witchcraft.
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Kate Branch had developed strange visions and blood-chilling yelps of pain and frights (2004). The two victims were put on trial for conducting witchcraft. The people of Stamford were confused since no one knew whether the visions and pain that Kate Branch had were natural or supernatural. Witchcraft was a serious crime in Stamford since its sentence was death. The only challenge was how to present the witchcraft evidence to the court. After Mercy Disborough and Elizabeth Clawson were accused of bewitching Kate, men especially Daniel wanted them to be hanged for practicing witchcraft. This brought an argument between men and women to an extent of men accusing women of cursing children, livestock or themselves by witchcraft. The reason behind women being accused of witchcraft was that they had gone against men point of
The witch hunts of Scotland were said to have occurred for a plethora of reasons. In the reading entitled ‘The Devil and the Domestic: Witchcraft, Quarrels and Women’s Work in Scotland’ authored by Lauren Martin, Martin states that women were more like to be persecuted for committing the crime of witchcraft. She explains this by discussing the relationship between what was considered women’s work and the devil. Furthermore, Martin stipulates that this was a result of the quarrels that occurred between women over work. This led women to often be the accusers and accused (Martin, 74).
\The infamous Salem witch trials, you may have heard of them, but do you know about the famous event which many book, movies, and even its own T.V. show are revolved around. From June through September of 1692, nineteen men and women all been accused of witchcraft, were brought to Gallows Hill. Gallows Hills is also known as witch hill that is where they killed all the men and women accused. Now you may be thinking what they did that was so bad it’s just witchcraft, it was a common belief that people could pledge allegiance to Satan and become witches with supernatural power to harm others. The thing that made people start this witch hunt would be when nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams the daughter and niece
In 1692, a group of young girls from Massachusetts named Elizabeth and Abigail, believed they were being possessed by the devil and falsely accused several woman, men and children of witchcraft. Once the men and woman were accused they were ordered to attend multiple trials in which would be help in the Massachusetts general court. Once the men and woman were taken to trial they were proven guilty by the girls actions that proved the court these men and woman were apart of witchcraft. After the accuses were proven guilty in front of the court they were either held in prison and eventually died or hanged and died. There were multiple young girls who were apart of the witchcraft accusing other than just Elizabeth and Abigail.
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a dark time in American history. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria. Ever since those dark days ended, the trials have become synonymous with mass hysteria. The witchcraft hysteria in Salem is when a group of young girls, who later came to be known as the “afflicted girls,” fell ill after playing a fortune-tellingdancing in the woods game and began behaving strangely. During this time period, people feared that the Devil was constantly trying to find ways to infiltrate and destroy Christians and their communities.
In the Town of Salem, in Massachusetts, many people were being accused to be witches. Many accused, were lynched by the judge. Death's, day, by day. Girls, walking down the paths screaming that they are being tormented by witches, and cursing for no reason. Many innocent and guilty people were hung in the process.
Salem Witch Trial History Women were not seen as humans in history. The Salem Witch Trials occurred during the years of 1692 and 1693. The Salem Witch Trials had an impact on women because they were said to be more likely to sin than men. Some of the reasons why women were said to be witches more often than men is because that people had strong religious beliefs that put more responsibility on women, ergot and crop diseases plaguing the lands, and there was few activities to do.
In today’s society witches are usually linked with Halloween. Kids envision witches flying across a moonlit sky on broomsticks and having slinky black cats as pets. Evil cackling, pointy hats, bubbling cauldrons, and ugly physical appearances spring to mind. All of this is in good fun and people open their doors and give little witches candy and smiles. There is no fear.
What Caused The Salem Witch Trials? As we were sitting in the courtroom I could feel everyone staring at me like a was a serial killer about to be put away for life. However, what I was about to endure was much worse than that I was about to be hung for being a witch the worst crime to be accused of. As we were sitting there all I could think about was the 19 before me to be hung because of being accused of being witches
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.
Mostly woman were accused of witchcraft during this time period, however, men could be dragged into the accusations and sometimes persecuted as well. Citizens that were high in the community usually did not bother to believe those who were accused of being witches, however, if someone was accused of being a witch and they were not high up in the community, then they were usually accused and convicted. These types of cases were not fair to the slighted and was a major reason why the Puritan religion had some bad qualities behind
concluding that women were wicked by nature. The magistrate and confession were supposed to be credible witnesses and proof that women were involved in witchcraft. Women who associated themselves with monetary assets and obsession with greed were accused of witchcraft. The ones that were accused of witchcraft were put through trials until proven innocent but the trials were
Did you know that more women were accused of being a witch than men. People In Salem, Massachusetts were involved. There was a high number of people being accused of a witchcraft in 1692. Evidence suggests that the Salem Witch trials happened because single women were jealous that they didn't have a husband. Salem Witch Trial in Salem Massachusetts, 1692
As Whitney mentioned, the witch hunts occurred in the 17th century were due to the fears of women becoming “economically and psychological” independent, and threatening the male control of property and social order. Those women were viewed as “discontent” meaning the refusal of accepting their predetermined social status (Whitney 85). In contrast, men who had high authority and social status like the Putmans and Parris could purposely manipulate women and instigated the public resentment to falsely accuse, and cruelly eliminate their enemies such as Rebecca and other accused witches. Certainly, the girls and women in the Putman and Parris’s families who made the false accusations of witches and witchcraft were wielded by
After reading “Devil in the Shape of a Woman: The Economic Basis of Witchcraft “by Carol Karlsen I was intrigued by Karlsen’s interpretation, and upset about the ways women were treated. During these witch hunts women and men alike were accused of the crime, but the majority were women. I found it interesting that she related the commonly known Puritan beliefs, which lead to accusations of witchcraft, with gender roles. She ultimately says that Puritans feared these accused women because they symbolized female independence. I found it shocking that women, often the wealthier, had a greater chance of being let go of their accusations if they had a husband to spoke on their behalf.
Bridget Bishop, a resident of Salem, was the first person to be tried as a witch. Surprisingly, Bishop was accused of witch craft by the highest number of witneses. After Bishop, more than two hundred people were tried of practicing witchcraft and twenty were executed. Many of these accusations arose from jealous, lower class members of society, especially towards women who had come into a great deal of land or wealth. Three young children by the names of Elizabeth, Abigail, and Ann were the first three people to be “harmed” by the witches.