Salem Witch Trials Dbq

These events will provide varying reasons for the outbreak that overran Salem’s Village, and how it has effected the view of women and religion. The beginning of all this misfortune started when the niece and daughter of Reverend Samuel Parris, Elizabeth Parris, Abigail Williams, along with Ann Putnam, were caught conducting a

The largest outbreak of witchcraft in America took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. A group of girls, including the Parris’s Indian slave Tituba, gathered in the Salem village and were attempting to see the future by decoding “messages”. Shortly after this gathering the girls started showing signs of the possessed (pg. 73). To this day people all over America are still amazed with the events that took place in this time. But why is that? The fear of the village fell heavily onto the judicial system, which later made people focus on the proper separation of government and religious beliefs. Mass hysteria broke out amongst the village and many people were being accused, therefore leading to many innocent deaths. Although there could be many theories as to the reason the witch trials in Salem began, there are two points of view that are very commonly shared amongst people. Some believe that the Salem witch trials were women unconsciously searching for power, whereas others believe it was an encephalitis epidemic.

The Salem Witch Trials were a series of accusations, trials, and executions based on the supposed outbreak of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. The trials began during the spring of 1692, and the last of them ended in 1693. It all started when two young girls, Abigail and Betty Parris, began experiencing violent convulsions and outbursts, which were thought to be brought about by witchcraft. Whether they were faking these symptoms, were afflicted with an actual sickness, or were experiencing them because of some sort of psychological reason is widely debated, though it is known that the sisters accused their maid, Tituba, of forcing them to participate in witchcraft with her. Some who theorize about the causes of the trials dismiss the Parris girls involvement in the beginning and instead attribute the outbreak of accusations to judgement upon the members of society who break social or religious rules, or who struck the upright members of society as ‘strange’ and ‘suspicious’, such as the homeless, the poor, and old or widowed women. The cause of the hysteria that went on in Salem after this is what is speculated by so many. There are probably hundreds of theories out there, but a few in particular are more widely known, accepted, and supported than others.

The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 were a dark time in American history. There were many possible causes of the Salem Witch Trials. A few major causes that led to the Salem Witch Trials were religion, reputations, and lack of laws.

The witch trials of Salem are often thought to be a hysteria that can be categorized as fake and sometimes “crazy”. The trials started by the belief of the supernatural and the practice of the devil’s ability to grant people the ability to hurt others. Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams are the two young ladies that began the stereotypical beliefs in witchery. Williams and Parris started having hysterical fits and “uncontrollable” tantrums filled with screaming and crazy-like seizures. The result of all the insane opinions and conclusions to society were nineteen hangings, and one pressing. The Salem witch trials were a result of hasty decisions and the fear of God’s anger on the people of society. Today, the trials would be seen as crazy or fictional.

In the Salem Witch Trails 20 people were hung because the people in town (mainly woman) would accuse others of being a witch. More than 20 people were accused, it all ended when the mayors wife was accused of being a witch. So what caused the hysteria surrounding the Salem Witch Trials? The Salem Witch Trials In the Salem Witch Trails 20 people were hung because the people in town (mainly woman) would accuse others of being a witch. More than 20 people were accused, it all ended when the mayors wife was accused of being a witch. So what caused the hysteria surrounding the Salem Witch Trials? The Salem Witch Trial hysteria of 1692 was caused by the fear of being accused and hung for a witch the beleife people could be a witch, the belief people could be a witch, and the parranoia of being a witch.

A large part of people were only accusing because they were jealous of them and wanted something of them or they did really think they were a witch and accused them. In my opinion the Salem witch trials ended because to many people were getting accused and the economy was getting lower every month because of the people that were accused.

The Salem Witch Trial is famous for its sudden outbreak, widespread influence, and mass accusations. The traditional story of the witchcraft hysteria starts from the strange illness that was experienced by the local minister’s daughter and niece, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, who claimed

In the year of 1692, Salem Village, Massachusetts went through an event known as the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. This odd occurrence all started whenever 2 young village girls encountered a West Indian Slave woman to learn about thier futures. One of the girls claimed to see a coffin by looking into a glass with egg white in it. In the months following this incident, one of the girls father, Reverend Samuel Parris reported the girls suspicious behavior. He reported that they had been crawling in holes, under chairs and stools, and mumbling ridiculous phrases. Reverend Parris later found out about these girls meeting with the indian woman and professed that the girls were not sick, but rather possessed. This “possession” spread rapidly and the witch hunt began.

The Salem village had a very vibrant history before the now world renowned witch trials. Throughout history it has not been known as a mainstay of stillness within New England, and was known for habitations between townsfolk that were for the most part not peaceful. The main reason was because Salem was fairly large for this time period and had over 600 inhabitants and these 600 or so people were divided into two main sects. There were those who wanted to separate from Salem, the town and its townspeople, and there were also those who did not and wanted to continue being associated with the town. The residents who wanted to separate from Salem Town were farming families located in the western part of Salem Village. Those who wanted to remain a part of Salem Town were for the most part located on the opposite side of the town from the residents who wished

Though the Puritans left excellent records, these witch trials are still shrouded in mystery, and to this day historians debate why they happened. One explanation is that the Puritan philosophy of denying oneself any luxury left the young girls who started the Witch Hunt feeling starved for attention, causing them to act out. Whatever the reason is the fact remains that in February of 1692 two young girls began experiencing “fits” and blamed satanic rituals performed by some of the women of Salem. Massive hysteria erupted, and the trials resulted in the death of twenty-two people.

In Document C there is evidence that the afflicted girls are acting. When the witch would walk in the courtroom the afflicted girls would fall into fits. No one would act like is unless they were acting In Document D, historian, Charles Upham, says that the hysteria was caused by acting.

When Betty’s father, Reverend Samuel Parris, asked the girls about the behavior they had recently showed, the girls claimed it was witches who lived in the village. These now evident lies grew, and grew until the girls need to act their parts in order for their lies to stay hidden. And this is how it all started. The Salem Witch Hysteria of 1692 was caused by

In Witches The Absolutely True Tale Of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer, it talks about how many Puritans believed that there were witches in Salem, which led to the massacre of accused people and hangings. Leading to the people in Salem confessing that the people they accused were innocent. The Salem Witch Trials were caused by accusing for sport because they thought the more they accused the more popular you were, the witches and the trials have occurred because of a widespread disease because a that time they had no actually helpful medicine, and hysteria because in the book it says that the idea of a mental illness could of made the afflicted and the witches act this way.

The religious beliefs and authority of the witch trials was one of the three causes of the witch trials. Firstly, the puritans feared the devil. Puritans of Salem had a “fear of the devil because a commonly accepted belief was that he could give witches the power to hurt people as a reward for their loyalty” (Brooks, 2011). They also were afraid because they had to abide by rules that the church