The Historical Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials, also know as the Salem Witchcraft Trials were legal proceedings which took place of course in the Salem Village of Massachusetts. These trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in the village, claimed to be possessed by the devil accusing several local women of practicing the craft. Victims were prosecuted and executed for reputedly practicing witchcraft, when little to no evidence of the act itself existed. This historical period resulted in twenty people, mostly women, being hung for black magic conspiracies. Neighbors accused neighbors; even church members accused other church members of witchcraft. Others were accused, but fled the area before they could be arrested. During this time

Living as we do in the 20th century, the charges imposed on people throughout New England during the 1680s and 1690s seem preposterous. Any behavior regarded as strange by fellow citizens was sufficient to hold a trial with a sentence of death. Though such scenarios seem unfathomable in our modern culture, it was a reality for hundreds of New England settlers. The causes of the famous outbreak of witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts are rooted in social, economic, and political aspects of the late 17th century Salem community.

The Salem witch trials of 1692 was a key turning point in Western civilization as it permanently altered the way society perceives the supernatural. It was thought by Americans that the Salem residents were very foolish for believing witches were plaguing their village. Which consequently caused the desire to look for more logical and scientific explanations for life’s mysteries. These trials enforced western society as a whole to step away from blind faith and instead search for a greater comprehension of the incomprehensible.

The Salem Witch Trials occurred in 1692 and 1693 in colonial Massachusetts. “More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft – the Devil’s magic – and 20 were executed” as detailed by Jess Blumberg on the web article A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials (Blumberg 2007). The trials had a major impact on the American society and the effects could be seen in colonial America as well as today.

The Salem Witch Trials began after a group of young girls claimed to be possessed by the devil during the spring of 1692. Abigail Williams, the 11-year-old niece of Reverend Samuel Parris Was, along with her 9-year old cousin Betty were the first afflicted. On February 29,

In January 1692 a group of young girls in Salem Village in Massachusetts became consumed by disturbing fits, seizures, violent actions and really loud screams. A doctor in the village diagnosed the girls as being victims of black magic. A few months later the infamous salem witch trials began in February of 1692 and ended May of 1693 in Massachusetts. More than 200 people were wrongly accused of witchcraft and 20 of them were executed. 19 of the executed where hung and one of them was crushed to death. Some of the judges during the witch trials where Samuel sewall, william stoughton and Jonathan corwin. The most notorious of them was Jonathan corwin he was a very

the accused behalves were frequently in turn accused of being a witch. The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials began in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts (Salem Witch Trials 1). Three girls were accused of witchcraft, and then proceed to blame the whole town of witchcraft (Salem Witch Trials 1). Bridget Bishop was the first woman hanged in June (Salem Witch Trials 1). Many people denied witchcraft in Salem (Salem Witch Trials 1). 40,000 to 60,000 people were executed for being accused of witchcraft (Salem Witch Trials 2). General Court declared a day of fasting for the tragedy (Salem Witch Trials 1). “Thought the respected Minister Cotton Mather had warned of the dubious value of spectral evidence, his concerns went largely unheeded during the Salem Witch Trials,” (Salem Witch Trials 1).

Although Tituba and the other women were accused first, they were not the first to be executed. Bridget Bishop was the first to be hanged (Wallenfeldt). Bishop was the first execution of the witch trials; however, this was not the first time she was accused. Twelve years earlier she was accused but found innocent. Salem had few ways of executing people for the trials. Three ways of execution hanging, death in prison, and pressing (Lewis). Those were the three ways of executions 19 men and women were hung, one was pressed to death by heavy stones,and many more died in prison.Throughout the witch trials, there were four dates specifically for the executions. There were four hanging dates for the executions.( The 1692). There were four total dates of execution starting with June 10, July 19, August 19, and ending with September 22.Throughout all four dates, nineteen women and one man were killed.

The Salem witch trials were start after several young girls said they were possessed and blamed several local women for witchcraft in Salem Village, Massachusetts (2011). During the Salem Witch Trials a lot of people were wrongly accused of practicing witchcraft and some of them were hanged or put in jail. During the Salem Witch Trials eight people were hanged and seven of them

An infamous episode in American history, Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, and lasted through April, 1693 (Home of the National History Education Clearinghouse). It started after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. These trials are widely known as one of the most infamous cases of mass hysteria in American history (Home of the National History Education Clearinghouse). The case has been used as an example throughout popular literature to portray the potential dangers of false accusations, isolationism, McCarthyism, and religious extremism. Thus meaning these trials have been highly influential in past American history (US

Life in the New England colonies during the 1600’s proved to be harsh with the constant fear of Native American attacks, scarce food, freezing winters, and conflicting opinions about religion. From this perpetual state of distress, the Salem Witch Trials were birthed, causing a wave of hysteria in Salem Village and Salem Town. Though the exact day and month is uncertain, historians can claim that the trials emerged in early 1692 and came to a close in 1693. The Salem Witch Trials started in 1692 with more than one hundred fifty people being accused of practicing witchcraft, and the trials finally ended with the courts declaring there was no evidence in the cases being tried, and the Governor stopped the trials because his wife was accused.

The Salem Witch Trials officially started in February of 1692 and ended in May of 1693. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft, which was considered the Devil’s work. The total executed was 20 (Currie 4).The citizens of Salem suffered more than ever to rebuild the town and out of all the girls who were responsible for making false accusations only one of them apologized (Blumberg). The town of Salem was occupied by Puritans, unlike Pilgrims who wanted to be rid of religious laws, Puritans wanted to stay true to those doctrines (Macbain 4). With strong religious beliefs, the officials of the town were clouded in their judgement, which played a large role when the afflicted girls started to make accusations. The accusations started when the girls accused 3 women of bewitching them, even though the adults were in disbelief,

Before plunging into the deep ordeal of the Salem Witch Trials, let’s take a look at how it all started. One quiet evening in the rectory, a group of small girls gathered around an old woman. The old woman’s name was Tituba, and she was a slave. She was told to watch the girls and entertain them. She did the latter by weaving

The Salem witch trials were a series of different court trials. They occurred after a group of young girls were claimed to be possessed by the devil. These individuals experienced hallucinations. Some of the suspects explained the attacks as if bugs were crawling under their skin. When the outbreak began to spread, the government proceeded to accuse multiple people in the colony of witchcraft. This is how the Salem witch trials came to be. The trials took place in colonial Massachusetts. According to the History channel, “They begun during the spring of 1692,” in a town called Salem (History.com staff,1). During this series of hearings, many people, women specifically, were accused of witchcraft. These people and their families were