The Controversy Of The Salem Witch Trials Essay

Colonial Massachusetts in the late 1600s was very complex. The small colony consisted of mainly puritans, who had come to escape from the Church of England. Puritans believed that those chosen by God to be saved — the elect — would experience "conversion." In this process, God would reveal to the individual His grace, and the person would know he was saved. One of the many issues within the society was religion. A very big problem that would cause a lot of tension and problems later on was witchcraft. The Salem witchcraft hysteria started because of personal jealousies, it targeted those who went against puritan beliefs, and it was an explanation of all the weird things happening.

The well-known Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a set of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed

Throughout our nation 's history, Americans have survived times of struggle by remaining strong and brave despite their fears. Disease, natural disasters, and starvation are just a few of the trials our country has faced. While these are certainly dangerous, perhaps the most frightening of all is when you fear those closest to you. This is what happened during the horrific frenzy labeled as the Salem Witch Trials. Nobody truly knows why they occurred, although there are several plausible theories. It all originated in seventeenth century New England, in a tiny place called Salem Village (History.com).

Accusations of witchcraft ran rampant in the 17th century colonial settlements in the United States. The individuals accused, mostly women, were put on trial and punished, if found guilty. The most well-known of such cases on public record are the Salem Witch Trials. Between February, 1692 and May, 1693, hearings and prosecutions were set up to deal with those accused of dabbling in the dark arts in the cities of Andover, Salem, and Ipswich, all in Massachusetts Bay. These trials came to commonly be referred to as the Salem Witch Trials because some of the most notorious cases were heard in the Oyer and Terminer courts in Salem. At the time, practicing witchcraft was considered a serious crime, and was

In 1692, a small town, by the name of Salem, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony was riveted by events that would be a significant part of our history today. Those events would be known as the Salem Witch Trials. As Americans, we should be knowledgeable about this time in our history; what caused it, what happened, and what the outcome was.

The witch trials of the late 1600's were full of controversy and uncertainty. The Puritan town of Salem was home to most of these trials, and became the center of much attention in 1692. More than a hundred innocent people were found guilty of practicing witchcraft during these times, and our American government forced over a dozen to pay with their lives. The main reasons why the witch trials occurred were conflicts dealing with politics, religion, family, economics, and fears of the citizens.

The Salem Witch Trials, taking place between February 1692 and May 1693, arose from a period of mass hysteria regarding witchcraft. The puritanical society of New England emphasized a need for a Bible-based society, which caused a fear of the supernatural and gave rise to the false accusations of “witches.” With testimonies of witches rooted in the Old Testament, the idea of witchcraft eventually made its way into the superstitious and everyday Puritan life, and was fueled by the rejection of the group during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

During the early winter of 1692 two young girls became inexplicably ill and started having fits of convulsion, screaming, and hallucinations. Unable to find any medical reason for their condition the village doctor declared that there must be supernatural forces of witchcraft at work. This began an outbreak of hysteria that would result in the arrest of over one hundred-fifty people and execution of twenty women and men. The madness continued for over four months.

Although many people have their assumptions as to what specifically caused the Salem Witch Trials, no one has a definite account. One must use logic and prior knowledge to come to the conclusion and realize that multiple factors play a key role in causing the trials. The Salem Witch Trials were caused by religion, politics, teenage boredom, family feuds, economic conditions, and fears of the people. The overall effect of the trials was a major part in American history, not only was it a learning experience for but also present day America. The country can learn how to prevent future outbreaks due to fear and how to cope with loss.

The events that transpired in Salem, Massachusetts occurred between the years of 1688 and 1693 constituted the most significant witchcraft outbreak in the history of the New England colonies. The entire event was quickly labeled as “colossal mistake” by the government after they had passed.(Ray, 2010) With this in mind the question remains; how did it get started and how did it get out of hand so quickly?

The Salem Witch Trials was a series of investigations and persecutions that led to nineteen so called “witches” to be convicted and hung and others to be imprisoned. It started June of 1692 and lasted until May 1693, in a Salem village in the Massachusetts bay colony which is now known as Danvers, Massachusetts. It involved the Puritan community of the Salem village, the nine-year-old daughter of the Reverend Samuel Parris her name was Elizabeth Parris, his eleven-year-old niece Abigail Williams, a friend of the girls eleven year old Ann Putnam, Parris’s slave Tituba, a homeless lady named Sarah Good, and an elderly lady name Sarah Osborn, the trial occurred when Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams fell sick and started having unusual spells that consisted of them yelling, throwing things, making strange noises and bending their bodies in strange positing and regular medicine could not cure them of these spells. They called a local minister to come and observe the young girls while they were having these unusual spells and he later diagnosed them will being “bewitched”. The Salem witch trials were a long year of trials, where there were three ladies being accused of witch craft, many accusations were made during the trial and ended with many people being convicted and hung while others were imprisoned. So, what exactly happened during the trial?

Salem the mysterious town of witches now as a tourist attraction although what happened in Salem in 1692 to make it a tourist attraction. In 1692 a new world emerged that had yet been fully educated in the town of Salem, witches were believed to be the Servants of the devil. Which we're here to make you pay for your sins. If you are not careful you might be accused of being a witch yourself.The Witches accused in The Witch Trials May or not may not be real but with all the hysteria and spectral evidence would be hard not to believe.

Before 1692, the supernatural was a part of people’s everyday normal life. This is so as people strongly believed that Satan was present and active on earth. Men and women in Salem Village believed that all the misfortunes that befell them were the work of the devil. For example, when things like infant death, crop failures or friction among the congregation occurred, people were quick to blame the supernatural. This concept first emerged in Europe around the fifteenth century and then spread to Colonial America. Formerly, peasants heavily relied on particular charms for farming and agriculture. But, over time, white magic transformed into dark magic and it became associated with evil. Even though the people of Salem believed that Satan

In the spring of 1692, an outbreak of hysteria began in Salem, Massachusetts. Beginning with eight young girls accused of being possessed with the devil, marked the beginning of the Salem Witch Trials. The vast majority of those who were accused of witch craft were people who attempted to turn against Puritan teachings, cultural and economic way of life. The hysteria was the effect of the strict teachings of the puritan lifestyle many were no longer following. The Salem witch trials were ultimately a matter to purge the city of possible dissident and bring people back to the Puritan Church.

The Salem Witch Trials were a big controversy over what people believed to be true as to what actually happened. Researchers and many people are still very interested in this hysteria today. Between 1692 and 1693 the town of Salem, Massachusetts feared for their lives. Practicing