thesis statements about the salem witch trials

• Suggestions on Salem Witch Trials Research Paper Topics

The Salem witch trials were prosecutions conducted of people indicted for witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people faced accusations of witchcraft. Thirty were found guilty, and nineteen of them were executed by hanging. Fourteen of the victims were women and five men, but an unknown number of innocents were injured as well.

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Therefore, Salem witch trials essay topics are so popular among students. This theme has many pitfalls to explore, and all researches concerning the Salem witch trials have unique historical value.

Read this list of topic suggestions on the Salem witch trials and find out why it is so important to study.

Essays on Salem Witch Trials

Salem witch trials essay topics and outline examples, essay title 1: the salem witch trials: an examination of mass hysteria and its consequences.

Thesis Statement: The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a tragic chapter in American history characterized by mass hysteria, social dynamics, and the persecution of innocent individuals, and this essay explores the factors that led to the witch trials and their enduring legacy.

• Introduction
• The Historical Context of Puritan New England
• The Outbreak of Accusations and the Role of Fear
• The Trials and Executions
• Analysis of Social and Psychological Factors
• The Legacy of the Salem Witch Trials

Essay Title 2: The Accused and the Accusers: Uncovering Motivations and Identities in the Salem Witch Trials

Thesis Statement: A closer examination of the accused witches and their accusers in the Salem Witch Trials reveals a complex interplay of personal grievances, social dynamics, and religious fervor that contributed to the tragedy.

• The Accused: Their Backgrounds and Vulnerabilities
• The Accusers: Motivations and Social Positions
• The Legal Proceedings and the Role of Spectral Evidence
• Repercussions on the Accused and the Accusers

Essay Title 3: Lessons from Salem: Examining the Salem Witch Trials in Historical Context

Thesis Statement: The Salem Witch Trials serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power, religious extremism, and the need for a fair and just legal system, and this essay explores the enduring relevance of the trials in contemporary society.

• Comparing the Salem Witch Trials to Other Historical Witch Hunts
• Exploring the Role of Religion and Superstition
• Lessons for Modern Justice Systems and Civil Liberties
• Preserving the Memory and Lessons of the Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials

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Salem Witch Trials Dbq

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Causes and Effects of The Salem Witch Trials

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How Cotton Mather’s Influence Caused The Salem Witch Trial Hysteria of 1692

The salem witch trials and the women victims, a research on what caused the salem witch trial hysteria of 1692, the salem witch trials and mccarthyism: a comparative analysis, depiction of the salem witch trials of 1692 in "the crucible" by arthur miller, tituba as the first woman accused of practicing witchcraft, the theories around what caused the salem witch trial hysteria of 1692, causes of witchcraft mass hysteria in salem, freedom for the people: the possible speech of mary warren, giles corey and the salem witchcraft trials, the sins of fear: arthur miller’s the crucible and the treatment of arab-americans after 9/11, social structure change as a root cause of the salem witch trial hysteria of 1692, escaping salem: how one person can make a difference, the arrest of sarah cloyce and elizabeth (bassett) proctor, reverend hale: a spiritual doctor, exploring the link between 'the lottery' and the witch trials, red scare: america’s fear of terrorism, tituba accused the salem witch trials, reverend hale's evolution in "the crucible" by arthur miller, the ethical journey of john proctor in the crucible as he tries fixing his mistakes.

May 1692 - October 1692

United States

The Salem witchcraft trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions that took place in colonial Massachusetts, specifically in the town of Salem, between 1692 and 1693. These trials were a dark chapter in American history, characterized by the mass hysteria and persecution of individuals accused of practicing witchcraft. The trials were sparked by the strange and unexplained behavior of several young girls, who claimed to be afflicted by witches. This led to a frenzy of accusations and trials, where numerous people, primarily women, were accused of consorting with the Devil and practicing witchcraft. During the trials, the accused individuals faced unfair and biased proceedings, often based on hearsay, spectral evidence, and superstitions. Many innocent people were wrongly convicted and subjected to harsh punishments, including imprisonment and even execution.

The Salem witch trials occurred in the late 17th century in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which was a Puritan society deeply rooted in religious beliefs and strict social hierarchies. The trials took place against the backdrop of a tense and uncertain period, marked by political, social, and religious upheaval. In the years leading up to the trials, the colony faced challenges such as territorial disputes, conflicts with Native American tribes, and economic instability. Additionally, the Puritan community was grappling with the concept of witchcraft, influenced by prevailing beliefs in Europe at the time. The prevailing religious ideology, which emphasized a strict interpretation of Christianity, fostered a climate of fear and suspicion. The Puritans believed that witchcraft was a serious offense and that the Devil could infiltrate their community. This mindset, combined with existing social tensions and personal rivalries, created fertile ground for the accusations and subsequent trials.

Reverend Samuel Parris: Parris was the minister of Salem Village and the father of one of the afflicted girls. His sermons and strict religious teachings contributed to the atmosphere of fear and suspicion. Tituba: Tituba was a slave belonging to Reverend Parris. She was the first person accused of witchcraft and her supposed confessions fueled the hysteria surrounding the trials. Cotton Mather: Mather was a prominent Puritan minister and writer who played a role in shaping public opinion during the trials. Although initially supportive, he later expressed doubts about the fairness of the proceedings. Judge William Stoughton: Stoughton was the chief justice of the special court established to hear the witchcraft cases. He was known for his strong belief in witchcraft and his harsh and biased approach to the trials. Rebecca Nurse: Nurse was an elderly woman known for her piety and respected standing in the community. Despite her innocence, she was accused and ultimately executed as a witch.

The Salem witch trials, although a localized event in colonial America, have had a lasting influence on history. Here are some ways in which they have made an impact: Legal Reforms: The trials revealed the dangers of unchecked religious fervor and the flaws of the legal system at the time. This prompted reforms in evidence standards and legal procedures, ensuring fairer trials in the future. Religious Freedom: The trials highlighted the dangers of religious intolerance and the need for the separation of church and state. They contributed to the growing idea of religious freedom and the recognition of individual rights. Public Consciousness: The Salem witch trials serve as a cautionary tale about the consequences of mass hysteria, false accusations, and the power of fear. They continue to raise awareness about the dangers of scapegoating and the importance of critical thinking. Cultural Impact: The trials have become an enduring symbol of injustice and persecution. They have inspired numerous works of literature, art, and media, ensuring their place in popular culture and keeping the memory alive.

"The Crucible" by Arthur Miller: This renowned play, first performed in 1953, uses the trials as an allegory for McCarthyism and the Red Scare in the United States during the 1950s. It depicts the hysteria, false accusations, and the devastating consequences of mass paranoia. "The Witch" (2015): This horror film, set in the 17th century, portrays a family dealing with supernatural forces and suspicion of witchcraft. While not a direct adaptation of the Salem witch trials, it captures the atmosphere and fear prevalent during that time. "Salem" (2014-2017): This television series explores the trials within a supernatural context, depicting witches, magic, and historical figures. It weaves a fictional narrative with elements inspired by the events of the Salem witch trials. "I, Tituba: Black Witch of Salem" by Maryse Condé: This novel offers a fictionalized account from the perspective of Tituba, an enslaved woman accused of witchcraft during the trials. It examines the intersection of race, gender, and power dynamics in the context of the trials.

1. The trials resulted in the execution of 20 people, 14 of whom were women, and the imprisonment of many others. 2. The initial accusations began when young girls in Salem Village claimed to be afflicted by witchcraft. 3. The first person to be accused and executed was Bridget Bishop on June 10, 1692. 4. The trials were fueled by religious and social tensions, as well as economic disputes within the community. 5. The court relied heavily on spectral evidence, which was testimony of the accused appearing in the form of a specter or ghost. 6. The infamous Salem witch trials ended abruptly when Governor William Phips ordered the trials to stop in October 1692. 7. The aftermath of the trials led to a sense of shame and guilt within the community, with efforts made to compensate the families of the victims.

The topic of the Salem witch trials is important to write an essay about due to its profound historical significance and the valuable lessons it teaches us about human behavior, justice, and the dangers of mass hysteria. The trials serve as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the devastating consequences that can arise when fear, prejudice, and the suspension of rational judgment take hold. By examining the Salem witch trials, we gain insight into the complex social, religious, and political dynamics of colonial America. We explore the role of religion in shaping beliefs and attitudes, the power dynamics within communities, and the impact of external influences on society. Furthermore, the trials raise important questions about justice and the legal system. They highlight the importance of due process, the presumption of innocence, and the dangers of relying on unreliable evidence. The events of Salem also shed light on the long-lasting psychological, emotional, and social effects on both the accused and the accusers.

1. Baker, E. A. (2007). The devil of great island: Witchcraft and conflict in early New England. Palgrave Macmillan. 2. Boyer, P., & Nissenbaum, S. (1974). Salem possessed: The social origins of witchcraft. Harvard University Press. 3. Carlson, L. (2010). A fever in Salem: A new interpretation of the New England witch trials. Ivan R. Dee. 4. Demos, J. (1982). Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the culture of early New England. Oxford University Press. 5. Hoffer, P. C. (1997). The Salem witchcraft trials: A legal history. University Press of Kansas. 6. Karlsen, C. F. (1989). The devil in the shape of a woman: Witchcraft in colonial New England. W.W. Norton & Company. 7. Norton, M. B. (2003). In the devil's snare: The Salem witchcraft crisis of 1692. Vintage. 8. Reis, E. (1997). Damned women: Sinners and witches in Puritan New England. Cornell University Press. 9. Rosenthal, B. (2009). Salem story: Reading the witch trials of 1692. Cambridge University Press. 10. Upham, C. W. (1980). Salem witchcraft: With an account of Salem Village and a history of opinions on witchcraft and kindred subjects. Colonial Society of Massachusetts.

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Salem Witch Trials — the Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692

February 1692–May 1693

The Salem Witch Trials are a series of well-known investigations, court proceedings, and prosecutions that took place in Salem, Massachusetts over the course of 1692 and 1693.

This illustration by Howard Pyle depicts one of the accusers pointing at the accused and saying, “There is a flock of yellow birds around her head.” It is an example of the spectral evidence that was permitted at the trials. Image Source: New York Public Library Digital Collections .

Salem Witch Trials Summary

The Salem Witch Trials took place in colonial Massachusetts in 1692 and 1693 when people living in and around the town of Salem, Massachusetts were accused of practicing witchcraft or dealing with the Devil. The accusations were initially made by two young girls in the early part of the year.

By May, William Phips had been named Governor of Massachusetts and a new charter had been implemented. Initially, Phips responded to the accusations by setting up a special court — the Court of Oyer and Terminer — to hear the cases and to determine the fate of the accused.

Unfortunately, the court was controversial because they allowed “spectral” evidence — visions of ghosts, demons, and the Devil — to be entered into the proceedings. It seemed to fuel the hysteria, which was likely elevated by King William’s War, which was going on in New England at the same time.

By the fall, 19 men and women had been convicted and hanged, and another was pressed to death . Another man died from having heavy stones placed on him. Somewhere between 150 and 200 were in prison or had spent time in prison.

Governor Phips ended the special court in October after accusations were made against well-respected members of the community. In January 1693, the trials resumed, but under the Supreme Court of Judicature. Spectral evidence was not allowed, and most of the accused were found innocent of the witchcraft charges and released.

A handful of the people accused of witchcraft were convicted, but Governor Phips intervened in May 1693 and agreed to release them as long as they paid a fine. By the time the proceedings ended, it was the largest outbreak of witchcraft in Colonial America .

Salem Witch Trials Facts

Facts about the accusers in the salem witch trials.

Two young girls, Elizabeth Paris and Abigail Williams started to act in a strange manner, which included making strange noises and hiding from their parents and other adults.

Elizabeth Paris, known as Betty, was 9 years old. Her father was the Reverend Samuel Paris.

Abigail Williams was 11 years old. Reverend Paris was her uncle.

More young girls in Salem Village started to show similar symptoms, including 12-year-old Anne Putnam and 17-year-old Elizabeth Hubbard.

Facts About the Accused in the Salem Witch Trials

The first people accused of witchcraft were Tituba, an enslaved woman, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne.

Dorothy Good was the youngest person to be accused of witchcraft. She was 4 years old.

Facts About the Role and Testimony of Tituba in the Salem Witch Trials

Tituba is believed to be an enslaved woman from Central America, possibly from Barbados.

She lived in the home of Reverend Paris and had been taken to Massachusetts by Paris in 1680.

Tituba confessed to using witchcraft.

She testified that four women, including Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good, along with a man, had told her to hurt the children.

Her testimony convinced the people of Salem Village that witchcraft was rampant in the town.

Facts About People Convicted and Executed During the Salem Witch Trials

The first person to be executed was Bridget Bishop.

Over the course of the Salem Witch Trials, 19 people were hanged at Proctor’s Ledge, near Gallows Hill.

Another one of the accused, Giles Corey, refused to enter a plea before the court and was ordered to be pressed to death. He was laid down on the ground and had heavy boards placed on top of him. Then heavy rocks were set on the boards until he was crushed by the weight.

The charges against all victims of the Salem Witch Trials were eventually cleared.

The Special Court

The Court of Oyer and Terminer was the special court ordered to oversee the trials, as ordered by Governor William Phips.

Salem Witch Trials Significance

The Salem Witch Trials were important because they showed how quickly accusations and hysteria could spread through Colonial America. At the time, the Witch Trials also threatened the authority and stability of the new charter and government of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, while King William’s War raged across New England and Acadia .

Salem Witch Trials APUSH — Notes and Study Guide

Use the following links and videos to study the Salem Witch Trials, King Willilam’s War, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony for the AP US History Exam. Also, be sure to look at our Guide to the AP US History Exam .

Salem Witch Trials APUSH Definition

The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions that occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. The trials were a dark chapter in American history, characterized by mass hysteria and accusations of witchcraft. Numerous individuals, predominantly women, were accused of practicing witchcraft, leading to the execution of 20 people — 13 women and 7 men. The trials were fueled by social, religious, and political factors, partially driven by King William’s War, resulting in tragic consequences for the victims and their families.

Salem Witch Trials Video for APUSH Notes

This video from the Daily Bellringer provides a detailed look at the Salem Witch Trials.

Salem Witch Trials APUSH Terms and Definitions

William Phips — William Phips was the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Salem Witch Trials. He played a significant role in bringing an end to the trials by dissolving the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which was responsible for the majority of the convictions. Phips was concerned about the growing public skepticism and criticism surrounding the trials, prompting him to take decisive action and promote a more rational approach to handling alleged witches. He was also worried about the public perception the trials had, during a time of war.

Court of Oyer and Terminer — The Court of Oyer and Terminer was a special court established in 1692 to handle the cases of alleged witches in Salem and surrounding areas. The court was led by several judges, including William Stoughton, and it operated under a unique legal process that allowed spectral evidence, or testimonies of dreams and visions, to be admitted as valid evidence. This, along with other factors, contributed to a biased and unjust environment during the trials.

William Stoughton — William Stoughton was a prominent judge and the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. He presided over the Court of Oyer and Terminer during the Salem Witch Trials. He played a pivotal role in the harsh convictions and sentencing of numerous accused individuals. His unwavering support for spectral evidence and his lack of leniency exacerbated the severity of the trials’ outcomes. After Phips dismissed the cases, Stoughton worked to have him removed as Governor.

Samuel Paris — Reverend Samuel Paris was the minister of Salem Village and one of the central figures in the initial events that sparked the witch trials. He was the father of Elizabeth Paris and the uncle of Abigail Williams, two young girls who experienced mysterious fits and claimed to be afflicted by witchcraft. His role as a religious authority and his support for the accusations fueled the hysteria, contributing to the escalation of the trials.

Elizabeth Paris — Elizabeth Paris was the nine-year-old daughter of Samuel Paris and one of the first accusers in the Salem Witch Trials. With her cousin Abigail Williams, she exhibited peculiar behaviors, including seizures and strange utterances, which were attributed to witchcraft. Their accusations against various individuals, especially Tituba, were instrumental in initiating the investigations and subsequent arrests.

Abigail Williams — Abigail Williams, the eleven-year-old cousin of Elizabeth Paris, was another crucial accuser during the Salem Witch Trials. Like her cousin, she displayed symptoms of bewitchment and was among the first to accuse others, leading to a chain reaction of allegations.

Anne Putnam — Anne Putnam was a teenage girl from Salem Village who actively participated in the trials as an accuser. She made numerous accusations against various individuals, contributing to the mounting hysteria. Her motivations for involvement remain a topic of historical debate, with some suggesting that personal grievances and religious fervor influenced her actions.

Tituba — Tituba was an enslaved woman from the Caribbean who worked in the household of Reverend Samuel Paris. She became one of the first individuals accused of practicing witchcraft after Elizabeth and Abigail accused her of bewitching them. Tituba’s origin and cultural differences contributed to her status as an outsider in Salem, making her an easy target for accusations. Under pressure, she confessed to being a witch and provided testimonies that increased the intensity of the trials.

Bridget Bishop — Bridget Bishop was the first person to be tried and executed during the Salem Witch Trials. She was known for her unconventional lifestyle and had been accused of witchcraft once before.

John Proctor — John Proctor was a respected farmer in Salem Village and one of the central figures in Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible,” which was based on the events of the witch trials. Proctor was accused of witchcraft after he spoke out against the proceedings, expressing skepticism about the legitimacy of the trials. His refusal to falsely confess and his unwavering integrity ultimately led to his tragic execution.

Giles Corey — Giles Corey was an elderly farmer who became entangled in the witch trials when his wife, Martha Corey, was accused of witchcraft. In a notable act of protest against the unjust proceedings, Corey refused to enter a plea in court, leading to a brutal form of punishment known as pressing. Corey died during the punishment.

King William’s War — King William’s War was a conflict between England and France that occurred from 1689 to 1697, overlapping with the time of the Salem Witch Trials. The war was part of a larger conflict known as the Nine Years’ War or the War of the Grand Alliance. Its impact on the region, including heightened tensions and security concerns, likely contributed to the climate of fear and paranoia in Salem, potentially influencing the outbreak of the witch trials.

Salem Witch Trials — Primary and Secondary Sources

• The Witchcraft Delusion of 1692 by Thomas Hutchinson , William Frederick Poole, and Richard Frothingham
• The Wonders of the Invisible World : Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England by Cotton Mather
• Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men, Witchcrafts, Infallible Proofs of Guilt in Such as are Accused with the Crime  by Increase Mather
• Written by Randal Rust

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Salem Witch Trials: What Caused the Hysteria?

By: Elizabeth Yuko

Published: September 26, 2023

Though the Salem witch trials were far from the only persecutions over witchcraft in 17th-century colonial America, they loom the largest in public consciousness and popular culture today. Over the course of several months in 1692, a total of between 144 and 185 women, children and men were accused of witchcraft, and 19 were executed after local courts found them guilty.

As the witch panic spread throughout the region that year, increasing numbers of people became involved with the trials—as accusers, the accused, local government officials, clergymen, and members of the courts. 

What was happening in late 17th-century Massachusetts that prompted widespread community participation, and set the stage for the trials? Here are five factors behind how accusations of witchcraft escalated to the point of mass hysteria, resulting in the Salem witch trials.

1. Idea of Witchcraft as a Threat Was Brought From England

By the time the Salem witch trials began in 1692, the legal tradition of trying people suspected of practicing witchcraft had been well-established in Europe, where the persecution of witches took place from roughly the 15th through 17th centuries.

“Salem came at the tail end of a period of witch persecutions in Europe , just as the Enlightenment took hold,” says Lucile Scott , journalist and author of An American Covenant: A Story of Women, Mysticism and the Making of Modern America . “The English colonists imported these ideas of a witch to America with them, and prior to the events in Salem , [many] people had been indicted for witchcraft in [other parts of] New England .”

The accusations in Salem began in early 1692, when two girls , ages nine and 11, came down with a mysterious illness. “They were sick for about a month before their parents brought in a doctor, who concluded that it looked like witchcraft,” says Rachel Christ-Doane, the director of education at the Salem Witch Museum .

Looking back from the 21st century, it may seem unthinkable that a doctor would point to witchcraft as the cause of a patient’s illness, but Scott says that it was considered a legitimate diagnosis at the time. 

“It’s hard for us to understand how real the devil and witches and the threat they posed were to the Puritans—or how important,” she explains. “Witchcraft was the second capital crime listed in the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s criminal code .” 

2. Puritan Worldview Was Mainstream

When the Puritans founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, the first governor, John Winthrop, delivered a sermon famously proclaiming the colony “a Citty [sic] upon a Hill” —in this case, meaning a model Christian society with no separation of church and state. But as growing numbers of Quakers and Christians of other denominations arrived in Massachusetts, it became more religiously diverse .

“By the 1690s, God-fearing Puritans represented a smaller proportion of the population of New England than at any point in the 17th century,” says Kathleen M. Brown, a professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Good Wives, Nasty Wenches and Anxious Patriarchs: Gender, Race, and Power in Colonial Virginia . “Even though percentage-wise, the Puritan influence was weaker than it had been earlier in the century, it was still leaving a big imprint on society.”

This included mainstream acceptance of Providence: the Puritans’ belief that the events of everyday life on Earth happened in accordance with God’s will. 

“This was particularly true when they were talking about the fate of colonial settlements in the land grab, or disease epidemics that would sweep through and kill people, or a terrible storm,” Brown explains. “Providence, along with the notion that there was evil at work through Satan—[including] through the activities of witches who might turn to the devil to exert supernatural power—informed the way Puritans understood the natural world and the spiritual world.” 

Similarly, despite their waning power, the Puritans’ societal structure remained firmly in place when the Salem witch trials began. “The Puritan colony was a very patriarchal and hierarchical place,” Scott says, noting that this included the view that people, particularly women, who stepped outside of their prescribed roles in society were looked upon with suspicion. 

3. Accusations Didn’t Follow the Usual Patterns

Though accusations of witchcraft themselves weren’t out of the ordinary in colonial New England, those made in Salem in 1692 stood out, likely contributing to the panic that spread throughout the community. 

“Witchcraft accusations normally happened quite sporadically and in some isolation,” Brown explains. “They rarely snowballed into a mass accusation with increasing numbers of people accusing and being accused.” 

“If you look at the larger history of witchcraft, not just in North America, but in England and Scotland, usually men are the accusers of witches, especially in an outbreak,” says Brown, whose latest book Undoing Slavery: Bodies, Race, and Rights in the Age of Abolition was published in February 2023. “You don't really ever get girls and young women doing the accusations: that's actually anomalous for Salem.” 

Though theories abound, there is still no consensus as to why girls and young women became the central accusers , she notes.

When a rare witchcraft outbreak did occur, Brown says that it broadened the scope of who might qualify as a potential witch. “More people would fall into the category of ‘accused witch,’ and more people jumped on the bandwagon of accusation,” she notes. 

As the trials wore on, no one was exempt from suspicion. “At a certain point, accusations in Salem flew so freely, anyone, no matter their Puritan purity, might find themselves facing the gallows,” Scott says. 

HISTORY Vault: Salem Witch Trials

Experts, historians, authors, and behavioral psychologists offer an in-depth examination of the facts and the mysteries surrounding the court room trials of suspected witches in Salem Village, Massachusetts in 1692.

4. Decades of Ongoing Violence Had Taken a Toll

When the Salem witch trials began in 1692, King Philip’s War , also known as Metacom’s Rebellion, was still fresh in the minds of the colonial settlers. The Native Americans’ last-ditch attempt to stop English colonization of their land officially concluded in 1676 , but the violent conflict and bloodshed had never ended on the northern border of the Massachusetts colony. 

“The colonial settlers were still encroaching on land that had been in the hands of Native Americans for thousands of years, and Native peoples were hitting back,” Brown explains. “It wasn’t hard for Massachusetts Puritans to think about the devil embodied in what the Native Americans were doing, because they're not Christian, they’re in a mortal combat with Puritan Christianity and the whole colonial settler enterprise, and the Massachusetts Puritans really believed in their own divine mission.” 

Along the same lines, when the colony’s leaders reflected on the poor job they had done defending its northern boundary, Brown says that it’s not much of a stretch to think that they understood it all to mean that God was trying to tell them something, and “doesn't seem to be very happy.”

5. Accusations Came at Time of Political Uncertainty

It would have been one thing for the Puritans to view the contagion of both the mysterious illness spreading amongst the young women of Salem, and the subsequent accusations of witchcraft, as a sign that God is angry and the devil is at work. However, as Brown points out, in order for those accusations to gain the kind of traction they had in Salem—making it to trial, and, eventually, imprisoning and executing people—there had to be widespread buy-in from public officials. 

“You need ministers saying, ‘Yes, these are signs of the devil in our midst,’” Brown explains. “You need magistrates doing interrogations and deciding to lock people up in jail and put them on trial. You need judges who are willing to believe the spectral evidence. You need all of the official apparatus of government and of justice to be on board with it to produce the kind of outcome you get at Salem.”

According to some scholars, most notably, historian Mary Beth Norton , local leaders in Salem were so receptive to the accusations of witchcraft, and on board with implementing draconian laws and policies in part because of the precariousness of the Massachusetts colonial settlement at that time.

High-ranking Puritans were concerned about their church’s dwindling numbers. “By the time [the Salem witch trials] take place, the Puritans are less dominant politically, religiously [and] culturally,” Brown explains.

The final decades of the 17th century were a time of political uncertainty in Salem as well. In 1684, King Charles II of England revoked the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s charter . Seven years later, the new ruling monarchs, King William III and Queen Mary II, issued a new charter establishing the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and, at the urging of influential Puritan clergyman Increase Mather , appointed Maine-born William Phips governor of the colony.

By the time Mather and Phips returned to Massachusetts with the new charter in May 1692, Salem’s jails were already filled with people accused of practicing witchcraft. 

“You can make the argument that the legal system [in place prior to May 1692 ] made it possible for the witch trials to happen,” says Christ-Doane. “They [didn’t] have a charter, and their courts were dysfunctional, and that allows them to make unusual procedural decisions that lead to so many people being convicted of witchcraft.” 

This included relying heavily, and sometimes exclusively, on spectral evidence —or, testimony from witnesses claiming that the accused person appeared to them and caused them harm in a vision or dream—even though it was widely considered unacceptable in legal practice at the time.

According to Brown, the legal situation didn’t improve when Phips took over. “Phipps, as governor, was a gatekeeper for certain judicial processes,” she explains. This included establishing the Court of Oyer and Terminer on May 27, 1692, specifically to try people accused of witchcraft. “That was the beginning of the convictions and the executions ,” Brown adds. 

On June 2, Bridget Bishop became the first person convicted of practicing witchcraft during the Salem witch trials; eight days later, she was the first to be executed .

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The Salem Witch Trials in American History Term Paper

The Salem Witch Trials certainly made a mark on American lives. It would be safe to assume that every American knows what had transpired during that period, more than any other events throughout America’s history. Thus far, several scholars and non-scholars have become intrigued with this and made what seems like veritable accounts and analyses.

The facts, of course, are as simple as these. When two girls began acting strangely in Salem Village and a local doctor can not understand what caused their oddities, they were diagnosed to be suffering from an evil hand, and that they were bewitched. At that time, people were sure that witches exist but are not allowed to live. These girls caused even more panic when they went screaming and contorting in a public hearing conducted by the magistrates and began pointing left and right at the perpetrators. Other girls joined in with their accusations and soon they were mayhem. Later on, a specialized witches’ court was established to try these accused. That period saw numerous people being sentenced to hang, counting to more than two hundred (Detweiler, p. 597).

With such figures, it is no wonder that it is characterized to be one of the biggest and most important outbreaks of witchcraft in British America. The conundrum that people had been analyzing ever since is who was behind this outbreak. Blame ranges from the devil initially to puritan ministers encouraging the witch mania to bring support for the Church, and to the ideology of Puritanism itself, a strong belief that everything strange is the work of the devil, such that all the things they do not understand were categorized as witchery. Some modern scholars see Massachusetts as a place with stifling norms, full of repressions and inhibitions, a suppression of independent thought and uniqueness that ultimately resulted in the said witch trials and deaths (Detweiler, p. 598).

The Salem witch trials were also said to be the result of children having the adult world at their fingertips. That is, they were practicing conscious fraud, deliberately wielding their power over the adults through feigning their attacks and then accusing certain people of witches. In this case, the two girls were just attention-seeking and therefore the ones to blame (Detweiler, p. 599). Or there really could have been witches.

Using today’s technology though to examine what happened with the two girls who started it all, their symptoms were found out to be the ones associated in modern times with hysteria. Unfortunately, in the 17 th century, they still don’t have the means of deciding what ails a person and any sort of deviant observed was considered demon-driven.

Though there are too many accounts of who was precisely behind this phenomenon, it is not more important than knowing why the allegations of witchcraft were taken in easily and acted upon fervently by the people of Massachusetts. What was about the place and the people that make it all so believable? Suffice to say, if a person would be told he had been bewitched today, you’ll probably laugh your head off. So what was different then?

More than two hundred people sentenced to hang as a result of young people crying “witch” is quite astounding. Therefore more significant than just equating the incident as a fraud committed by someone, and more than just knowing who started it is finding out why these accusations and these prosecutions transpired in such magnitude. (Detweiler, p. 601)

The studying of the Salem Witch trials brings about different sides to the story and in different aspects. First, through it, we had a clearer understanding of the Massachusetts society in 1692. We can not judge their society with our standards, that is when they do not dismiss witchcraft as nonsense even if different from the mainstream. The fact that they had believed in witches carries with it significant meaning. As said, every incident especially the misfortunate ones in a society should have a reason behind it. Those that cannot be explained are categorized as bewitchery. Even more applicable to Massachusetts since it is a society that believes wholeheartedly that witches exist. This belief makes the ‘witches did it’s more believable and logical. After all, having an explanation for everything is a relief (Detweiler, p. 601). Misfortunate events can cover incidents from just sickness to the bad welfare of the economy.

The belief that witches existed at that time and the fact that they were the reasons for every misfortunate thing in one’s life serves many purposes. First off, as we said, it is a fallback explanation for the things one cannot understand happened in his life, or we could say, it is a direct one can blame on. Second, witchcraft functions as a check on anti-social conduct. The fear of being called a witch, let alone being punished as one toe the line for all the people in the society to act accordingly with all the behavioral rules in their place (Detweiler, p. 602). There is no room for uniqueness, independent thought, and eccentricity.

Another study resonates that these types of behaviors and beliefs with a structural conflict inherent to the lives within that community. This is suggested from the pattern that teenage girls are crying ‘witch’ while middle-aged women are called witches. As the fact that the accused are known to be quite independent in their thinking and actions, different from the social norms.

The issue of sex roles may inadvertently exist at that time, as women are often the accused, and therefore insinuates that women must be the traditional and conformists in a society (Detweiler, p. 604).

In times of insecurity, and adjustment, there could also be witnessed the increasing rate of people accused of witchcraft and people said to be bewitched. In particular, in the late 1680s and the 1690s, Massachusetts was a nation in general unrest, with Puritanism in decline and religion in decay. People were commonly in fear of dealing with God’s wrath and afraid of the penetration of the devil into their lives. Along with such, Massachusetts also lost so much of its self-determination when the whole of New England was united under one government. Institutions, political well as economic systems all lose their credibility and power till the outbreak of civil war. Still, that period marked the start of many indecisive behaviors, and political uncertainties (Detweiler, 606). The result of course was the witch episodes we are discussed now. These accounts are mostly from anthropologists, focusing their research on the social systems.

In general, the witch craze crystallized during the 14 th Century, with Pope John XXII encouraging it. He was a believer in magic and its power, and he encouraged all Dominicans and the Inquisitors to pursue all alleged sorcerers, magicians, and heretics to stop the spread of witchcraft practices. The damage that this and subsequently authorized witch hunts wrought was somewhere between 200,000 and half a million people burned, beheaded, drowned, changes, and other forms of execution (Ben-Yehuda, p. 378). Conversely, the executed were mostly women.

In the field of psychology and psychiatry, the explanations for these witch crazes delved more into the individual aspects. Analyzing the victim’s behavior, (the executed), it was construed that they are mentally ill. Yet because of medieval technological deficiency, the only means of analyzing queer behaviors was by attributing it to a supernatural phenomenon that they believed in. This assumption did not go unchallenged of course (Ben-Yehuda, p. 329).

The witch hunters, on the other hand, it was found that they have emotional problems and uses the alleged witches as scapegoats.

Science of course has different explanations. For this area of study, the lure of witchcraft and hunting coincides with the emerging scientific revolution. The craft resembles science experiments.

Generally, though, social scientists see the advent of witch-hunting as a gender issue. They manifest the inequality in gender identity and gender roles, and the political and economic struggle of the different groups in society (Ben-Yehuda, p. 330).

Interestingly, we have an account of who was the first confessor in the Salem Witch Trials. Her name is Tituba, a slave from the West Indies, and presumed to be practicing hoodoo. She had confessed to night rides on a pole and participation in satanic ceremonies. The puritan authorities banished her away, for fear being in her presence would mean separation from God. She was also black, and by her skin color, she was deemed to be a condemned being of God (Tuker, p. 624).

Her jail fees were not paid by Reverend Parris, the one responsible for bringing her to Salem Village for fear of being in her diabolical presence. She was rescued by an unknown man 13 months later. Regrettably, when many of the accusers and executers publicly repented, she was not given the honor of receiving redress. Properties of the convicted witches were returned to their families, yet no one claimed Tubita’s. And when restitutions were given, or the cost of being imprisoned was given back, no one claimed hers (Tuker, p. 625).

Far from being removed from the witch craze history, Tubita’s name becomes embroiled into it, in which a shroud of mystery remains surrounding her sullied name. Up until now, reasons for quickly believing her testimonies and executing her ardently remain a puzzle.

Modern speculations revolved around her being a woman, a slave, and an African-Indian. The fact that she was seen as a dual race brings her resemblance closer to the Devil itself, who was referred to as a black man first and later tawny (African to Indian) (Tuker, p. 627)

Frankly, all that one can deduce from the phenomenon is again, like everything that hounded America’s history, the inherent presence of discrimination, with accordance to gender, identity, and race. The fact that the nation had believed in witchcraft cushioned these discriminating tendencies and blew them out of proportion.

Truly another side then to the story is the economic aspect of it. Although not quite as evident, the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts still created enough for economic interpretation to hold.

The economic angle here involves the workings of the medieval Catholoc Church. The studies put forward that the Church had supplied a monopoly. Specifically, the church made use of the Salem witch hunts as the conditions of salvation. The witchcraft episode in Salem draws the picture that the ministers use Puritan religious doctrine regarding witches and witchcraft to maintain the Church’s or strengthen its monopoly and authority, as well as increase church membership. They intend to expand their wealth through augmented church membership (Mixon, p. 179).

As we’re discussing ministers, Reverend Samuel Parris, the one conferred a while ago briefly about Tubita’s case, will be talked about more in detail. He and his daughter, Betty and niece came into Salem Village in 1689 to take up a position in the Parish. He was treated rather rubbish and was even denied the simplest of courtesy (Mixon, p. 180).

Matters went bad to worse when the village experienced dismal winters, smallpox outbreaks and Indian raids. Parishioners started to look for reasons why these unfortunate events were happening. At that time, Reverend Parris’s daughter and niece picked up that moment to seek entertainment outside their Calvinist upbringing. They become close to Tituba, their house’s slave and spent many nights with her and along with the village girls learning voodoo, magic, fortune telling and making od witch cakes (Mixon, p. 180).

The following events would be the reiteration of the Salem witch trials facts mentioned early in this paper and which everyone quite knows. Betty and Alice got sick with an unfamiliar disease, as well as other village girls that were once pupils of Tituba. Unknown to the physician, the disease was then described to be the work of the evil hand. Being that case, the reponsibility of finding the solution to the crisis was left in the hands of the ministry (Mixon, p. 180).

The ministry took on the role rather earnestly and aggesively. Reverend Parris articulated that God must be angry with them and sending forth His destroyers in the form of witches. He and other ministers therefore rebuke and rebuff anyone who had doubts in hunting for witches. Vague evidence was admitted in court by the ministers. They served as counsel and jurists on the same court later on. The outcome of course was the terrible losses of lives in an extent. The thing is, the affliction the girls suffered could now be explained in concrete trms by modern research. They have had actually only bread poisoning called ergotism (Mixon, pp. 180-181).

Revernd Pariss reactions and actions as well as his peers and the church at that time points to us the economic interpretation of the events. The Puritan Church of that period holds monopoly on rights to interpret the spectral evidence, biblical interpretations of witchcraft, and the fate of these alleged witches. This let us see the political and economic power the Puritan theologians had at that time and let us surmiss on how they wield the power. They had become the experts on the subject of witchcraft that one cannot fully understand what the Salem witch trials are without associating it with Puritanist ideologies. The fact that they allowed in spectral evidences to be interpreted in their own volition is quite presumptous of the bias incorporated here (Mixon, p. 181).

When the trials were halted, many ministers agreed that this type of trial lead to the demise of innocent people. The evidences for the capture and ultimate punishment of death were rather unreliable. Of course, these new ministers though not agreeable with how the hunt was managed, still believed that demons could penetrate their lives through the use of innocent people. Confessions and other types of evidence aside from spectral hence were given credibility and used as grounds to execute witches (Mixon, pp. 181-182).

Several studies contended that the group of Parris took advantage of accusers or the girls for their personal gain. Parris had been having difficulty in filling up his weekly worship so that he used the girls’ allegations to instill fear in the villagers and persuade them to turn to him for guidance and attendance. Ministerial services became the rage at that time (Mixon, p. 183).

Puritanism, a religion that is not unyielding in terms of doctrine, can easily be used or manipulated to fetter several results like in this case, to increase church membership and increase personal wealth. This is of course their intention, yet they did not forsee the extent of these manipulations, more or less 20 dead and hundred more sentenced to be (Mixon, p. 183).

Therefore, the Salem witch trial is famous as it is for raising several issues at once; the issue of the existence of witchcraft, the issue of gender discrimination, race discrimination and the issue of Church manipulation. Yet, there is still no concrete way of analyzing what truly happened during 1692, starting from when two girls fell sick simultaneously.

• Ben-Yehuda, Nachman. “ Problems Inherent in Socio-Historical Approaches to the European Witch Craze .” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion . 20:4 (1981). Web.
• Detweiler, Robert. “ Shifting Perspectives on the Salem Witches .” The History Teacher . 8:4 (1975). Web.
• Mixon Jr, Franklin G. “ Homo Economicus and the Salem Witch Trials .” The Journal of Economic Education . 31: 2. (2000). Web.
• Tuker, Veta Smith. “ Purloined Identity: The Racial Metamorphosis of Tituba of Salem Village .” Journal of Black Studies . 30: 4 (2000). Web.
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IvyPanda. (2021, September 8). The Salem Witch Trials in American History. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-salem-witch-trials-in-american-history/

"The Salem Witch Trials in American History." IvyPanda , 8 Sept. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/the-salem-witch-trials-in-american-history/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'The Salem Witch Trials in American History'. 8 September.

IvyPanda . 2021. "The Salem Witch Trials in American History." September 8, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-salem-witch-trials-in-american-history/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Salem Witch Trials in American History." September 8, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-salem-witch-trials-in-american-history/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Salem Witch Trials in American History." September 8, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-salem-witch-trials-in-american-history/.

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Haunted America: The Salem Witch Trials

Mass hysteria and bloodbaths have left a stain on Salem, Massachusetts.

"It's crazy the stories that came out of that. People having out-of -body spirits visiting them," Pam Krahmer, a descendant of a convicted Salem witch, said. 

Now, over three centuries later, the ramifications of the Salem Witch Trials can still be felt on the banks of Massachusetts Bay.  

"Any place that has had a mass killing or murder usually becomes very haunted," witch and clairsentient Danielle Tracey said.

"What happened in Salem had nothing to do with witchcraft," Salem witch Leanne Marrama said. "I am a witch, and I am a practicing witch. I'm a priestess. I run a coven, which we come together, we celebrate the seasons, we celebrate our successes, we work magic."

Between 1692 and 1693, the Salem Witch Trials found at least 19 people guilty of crimes relating to witchcraft. The punishment was death by hanging. 

In total, over 200 people were accused of being a witch. 

Krahmer is a descendant of two women who were publicly hanged after being accused of practicing witchcraft. 

"Sarah Wildes is one," she said. "She is my ninth great aunt, and Ann Pudeator, she's my ninth great grandmother."

For the very first time, Krahmer visited the site where her ancestors died.

"These were Puritan women. Some of them started acting out of character ... and they said let's blame it on these other people," she said.

Marrama admits she's a witch, which is a statement akin to a death sentence back in 1692. 

"Witchcraft has been associated long with women that hag, the one who curses, the one who seduces a man," she said. "That's — once again — the patriarchy, the male superior trying to put down woman's natural gifts."

AXEL TURCIOS:  "What is witchcraft?"

LEANNE MARRAMA:  "Witchcraft is an old religion made new. It is also a practice many people do. We are people of the old gods, and we connect with nature on a regular basis. We are the ones who bring light and magic to almost like a dim, sad world."

TURCIOS:  "Do you cast spells?"

MARRAMA:  "Yes, of course, I cast spells. I love casting spells. Spells are another form of prayer."

Tracey says she is a witch with special gifts. 

"I am a clairsentient," she said. "So, I feel things. I'm an empath and I'm also a claircognizant."

Tracey believes that the bloodstained Salem grounds are a fulcrum of the paranormal.

She said, "Salem is definitely one of the most haunted places in the United States, I'd say."

The Old Burying Point is one of the oldest cemeteries in the U.S. and the oldest in the city of Salem. And it's where Judge John Hawthorne — one of the most influential, hated and unrepented judges involved in the Salem Witch Trials — is buried. 

At that time, the bodies of some of the people who were convicted of witchcraft were dumped around the cemetery because it was believed to be unlucky to touch them and it was also unlawful, so they never received a proper burial.

"Other judges, like Judge Saul, were saying that they were sorry for what they had done because they realized the victims were all innocent. Judge Hawthorne, the hanging judge, never apologized," Kara McLaughlin, the executive director of The House of the Seven Gables, said.

McLaughlin says The House of the Seven Gables has a direct attachment to the Salem Witch Trials. 

The house rose to fame after Salem-born Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote his novel with the same name. 

"Hawthorne felt this burden of guilt. His great-great-grandfather had been one of the judges in the Salem Witch Trials," McLaughlin said.

A house with a dark past, believed by many to be haunted, but McLaughlin thinks otherwise. 

"I do not believe it's haunted," she said. "I've spent a lot of time in that house and I've never had any experiences. I mean there are some people that have said they have felt things, but there's really no evidence of it being haunted."

The Proctor's Ledge Memorial is dedicated to at least 19 people who were executed — men and women — after being convicted of witchcraft. It's the site where scholars have concluded those executions happened in 1692. And in the woods nearby is where they were hanged in what's been described as one of the first miscarriages of justice in American history.

"What happened here in Salem is what created the path to our modern legal system," McLaughlin said. "Innocent people being convicted and killed for crimes they didn't commit. That's a big deal."  

History has revealed the persecutions were all about money, land and power. 

"Powerful people wanting something that other people had. And then it became a hysteria," McLaughlin said. "They were looking to the people that were powerful at the time. I think that they believed those people. If they're the ones saying it, then it must be true, you know, they didn't question authority."

A town wrapped up in greed and misunderstanding. Perhaps the truth is more frightening than the legend. 

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