The Puritans followed the Bible as closely as possible. The magistrates referred to one scripture in the Bible time and time again as to see how to deal with the accused witches, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Exodus 22:18). Since the Puritans followed the Bible so strictly, they believed all accused witches that had been proven guilty were to be hanged or burned at the stake. The Puritans also believed North America to be the Devils country. They began to fear anything new and anything that went against or made them question their beliefs. In 1620 a new era was on the rise, an era that would become more science based and had less church involvement. This made Puritans cling on to their beliefs and ways of the church. They continued…
The People of Salem The Salem witch trial was a period of time where the citizens of Salem (mostly women) were persecuted of witchcraft. The panic took place around February of 1692 to May of 1693. The occupants of Salem were mostly Purist, Protestants who left the Roman Catholic Church due to corruption during the reformation period. They were a group of hard working individuals who were heavily God fearing. During the trials 19 people were executed, from either hanging or body pressing. Among…
The Salem witch trials were the first and only witch hunt to result in numerous deaths and rely mainly on spectral evidence. Most importantly, Salem did not follow the standard set by previous possessions: to keep the accusations made by the possessed inside the household. The accusations were used for selfish and greedy reasons. Salem Village was dealing with land disputes within the village and trying to gain independence from Salem Town in 1692. Some of Salem’s residents moved from Maine due…
person was undoubtedly a witch. Last, the judges considered a confession from the accused. As the trials went on, it was obvious that sometimes this was the only way out (“Witchcraft in Salem”). The judges wanted to keep convicted witches in prison for as long as possible, in hopes that they would list other unknown witches (Meltzer 80). The verdict of each woman…
witches but men were also tired during this time. Many of the trials were unfair and almost all people accused were ultimately put to death. The trials ranged from beating some one until they falsely admitted to being a witch and then being killed to literally pulling some one apart limb by limb, but the tests for guilt will later be mentioned in this paper. The beginning of any epidemic is probably the most important;…
The Witch trials, Much like salem in the 1690s, came back strong during the Gay Rights movements in the 1960s-1990s. People were labeled immoral- set apart from the crowd of people around them and hated for it, much like young girls in The Crucible. Police were sent out as “Public Morals Squad” To take down queer folk around gay bars or establishments, and leading into the aids epidemic, it ended in a lot of deaths and societal outrage. People were labeled Immoral, and treated like dirt.…
Salem Witch Trials What is the cause of and the effects behind their actions during the Salem Witch Trials? Thesis The infamous “Salem Witch Trials” occurred during the turn of 17th century in Salem, Massachusetts in which many of the citizens were “17th Century Colonial American Puritans who were devoted to God and community” (King, Mixon 680). In this current state, the remaining citizens, non- Puritans were the ones condemned as a witch due to their rebellious attitude towards this Puritan…
terribly unjust. The Salem witch trials and their atrocities were made possible by a ‘perfect storm’ of factors, including a chaotic and danger-ridden…
The Salem Witch Trials The Salem witch trials took place between February of 1692 and May of 1693, by the end of the trials hundreds were accused of witchcraft, nineteen were executed and several more died while imprisoned awaiting either trial or execution. Some of the ‘symptoms’ associated with witchcraft could have included fever, contortions due to excessive pain, stress, asthma, guilt, boredom, child abuse, epilepsy, and delusional psychosis. One scientist did research and found that the…
Trial Of the Wicked Witch, written by Craig Sodaro and directed by Jane Purdy, focuses on the trial of the recognizable character of the Wicked Witch. The main twist of this play is that it breaks the fourth wall, a conceptual wall that serves as a barrier between a play and its audience, by allowing the audience to determine the outcome of the trial. The major theme of the play is that all people are innocent until proven guilty. This theme is expressed through a court case that enables the…