Salem Witch Trials And Religious Superstition - 1411 Words

During the period of late seventeenth century in colonial Salem, Massachusetts, two girls began acting in an uncanny manner. These girls then accused two woman and a slave for being witches; which caused the town of Salem to emerge into a period of witch cleansing. Mostly, the people of Salem were Puritans who found many different reasons to accuse one of being a witch. The start of the witch trials began in 1692 and ended in 1693 by Governor Phips; whose wife was prosecuted as a witch. These Salem Witch Trials began by religious superstition, the appearance of the perceived witch, and through torture and forced confessions. Mainly, the motivation of the Salem Witch Trials were due to strong Puritan religion in Massachusetts. At the time†¦show more content†¦This enforced a panic within the New England colonies in order to discover the supposed magicians. Few years before the Salem Witch Trials in 1692, the credible Cotton Mather began to notice that there were supposed evil spirits in the Puritan households. In Mather’s document, Memorable Providences relating to Witchcraft and Possessions, written in 1989 explains that Christians encounter malicious entities within his or her home(Doc C). Explicitly, the document indicates that followers of the Christian the faith can be exposed to such demonic quintessences. Directly, Mather’s addresses the Christians of New England and the Puritan colonies about the existence of evil spirits. Due to many Christians at the time concluded that they were safe from hateful souls through faith, began to condemn others of a different practice of faith to torture or death. With the realization that religious zeal will not protect one from the dangers of demons, the Puritans frenzied for telltale signs of witches. Throughout history, discrimination has occurred against the one’s physical and personality characteristics; especially towards women during the Salem Witch Trials because of superstitious bel iefs. Abnormal physical appearances, such as freckles or deformities, at the time were a cause for the people to be accused for being a sorcerer.Show MoreRelatedThe Witch Hunt : The Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials952 Words   |  4 PagesSalem Village is located on the northeast coast of Massachusetts. The settlements first title was Naumkeag but was changed to Salem, meaning peace, because it was preferred. Salem was founded in 1626, and is best remembered for the witch hysteria beginning in 1692. A few girls started acting deranged and crazed. A doctor diagnosed them as bewitched, leading to trials and hunts for accused witches. These witch trials and hunts caused nineteen people to be hung and caused one person to be pressedRead MoreThe Witch Trials Are The Perfect Tool926 Words   |  4 PagesThe Salem witch trials occurred in a period of severe unrest in the early United States, which in turn feed into the hysteria and paranoia of the time, that resulted in unnecessary and avoidable deaths of women. They re deaths were brought on by the rampant focus on religion and superstition, which at the time was used to oppose reason and logic. The multiple events that occurred that made up the Salem Witch Trials all stem from the notion of isolationism, that America was going through, whereinRead MoreSuperstition, Panic, And Rumor1042 Words   |  5 PagesSuperstition, panic and rumor make for a deadly concoction, especially when spurred by religious zeal. While the actual trials may have only lasted for less than a year, Salem was indeed previously entrapped in a dangerous illusion of their own making for decades. 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In the past, whole cities such as Plymouth and Salem were created to allow those with the same faith to live near oneRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Of 16921281 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials were a sequence of hearings, prosecutions, and hangings of people who were thought to be involved in witchcraft in Massachusetts. These trials occurred between February 1692 and May 1693(The Salem Witch Trials, 1692. ). The Trials resulted in the execution of twenty people, in fact, most of them were women. The first of the trials began in several towns in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, such as Sa lem Village (currently known as Danvers), Salem Town, Ipswich, and Andover(SalemRead MoreThe Heretic s Daughter By Kathleen Kent1430 Words   |  6 PagesKathleen Kent is an evocative tale which tells a fictional story about the first hangings in the Salem witch trials. The book is written through the eyes of Sarah Carrier who was a child during the time of the Salem witch trials. 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Political, localRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials : An Outbreak Of Hysteria1794 Words   |  8 PagesIn 1692, Salem village in Massachusetts saw an outbreak of hysteria, most commonly known today as the Salem witch trials. Over a period of several months, more than 200 people found themselves facing suspicions from those around them of witchcraft, with 19 executed, 14 arrested and many others who pleaded guilty pardoned but made social outcasts. Typically, the majority of those living in Salem were Puritans, who regarded all other activity excluding common Puritan practice as sinful distractionsRead MoreThe Aftermath Of The Salem Witch Trials1233 Words   |  5 Pages In the aftermath of the Salem witch trials, the American colonies were shaken to their core. The events were captivating, horrifying and fascinating. In the aftermath, the country looked towards a brighter future, one free of demons and hysteria. America was on the path to modernization, keen on putting aside such old w orld ideas as witches. In his wide spanning book, America Bewitched, Owen Davies follows America’s life after Salem, recounting the country’s fascination with witchcraft. ThroughRead MoreSummary Of Three Sovereigns For Sarah912 Words   |  4 Pagesaccused of being a witch, but luckily lives long enough to confront her accusers. Three Sovereigns for Sarah has many contributing factors as to why â€Å"witchcraft† was believed and used as a genuine reason to murder citizens of the thirteen colonies such factors that lead to these absurd and ridiculous decisions and actions are likely to be based off the early sexist concepts of gender roles that took place in the colonies, the strong pull to uniform religious beliefs, and a superstition that terrified