Wicca Salem Witch Hunt

What I Know

Before beginning the research process, my knowledge on witchcraft, Wicca, and Paganism was very limited. I gathered that Wiccans practice witchcraft and that Wicca falls under the umbrella of Paganism.

I had no knowledge on witchcraft at all. I struggled to discern fact from fiction regarding the practice of witchcraft. Familiar only with caricatures and fictional portrayals of witches and wizards like Hocus Pocus and Harry Potter, I knew not to rely on the inaccurate representations of the practices. I also observed that throughout history, people have ostracized and persecuted women accused of witchcraft. People burned any person suspect of being a witch at the stake during the Salem Witch Trials. I found this stigma regarding

I also found the topic much broader than anticipated. Despite the daunting task of covering such a vast array of topics, I enthusiastically shared my research and findings with whoever would listen. Most people had some insight on the topic, which I recorded in my journal. For example, my sociology teacher talked about All Hallows’ Eve, which reminded me of my main question for research. I asked for her opinion on the topic, and gained general knowledge on the conversion of holidays from pagan to Christian from classmates as well as Ms. Norman. My third interviewee was Jared Lewis. He did not know much about witchcraft or Wicca, but shared some of his extensive knowledge on history. He explained the decline of Paganism over time, and the oppression of pagans. Unfortunately, the file for our thirty minute interview was lost in Google

There are eight Wiccan holidays in total.

Wicca has less structure than most world religions. There are two deities: a goddess and a god. Many Wiccan denominations only worship the goddess, and practice witchcraft and magic. (Zhao). The religion lacks a holy book, but provides basic guidelines on life. The Rede equates to the Golden Rule in Abrahamic religions. It insists that Wiccans should not harm anyone using magic. The Three-fold Law, or the Rule of Three, gives the same idea.

Pagan traditions and ideas have greatly influenced modern society before becoming obscure; however, the practices seem to make a comeback. The lack of patriarchal ideas and the love and acceptance of Wicca appeals to young women in this age. More and more teenagers and young adults have shown interest and the religion has grown over