Causes of the Salem Witch Craft Trials - 2052 Words

Since there never was a spurned lover stirring things up in Salem Village, and there is no evidence from the time that Tituba practiced Caribbean black magic, yet these trials and executions actually still took place, how can you explain why they occurred? The Salem Witchcraft Trials began not as an act of revenge against an ex-lover, as they did in The Crucible, but as series of seemingly unlinked, complex events, which a paranoid and scared group of people incorrectly linked. And while there were countless other witchcraft trials, Salemîâ€" ¸ trials remain the best-known. In Salem, fears of witchcraft perpetuated by popular writings were personified when two girls were said to be bewitched. A hysteria overcame the people of Salem, whose†¦show more content†¦That Little Betty Parris was sick, and that the Dr. Griggs (who was too proud to say that he could not diagnose Little Bettyîâ€" ¸ illness) claimed she was bewitched (Richardson 7), were enough reasons for court authorities to suspect witchcraft was the cause of the illness. In addition, several young girls in the village had participated in Ã¥ ¼Å½lack magic?experiments ?harmless adolescent games ?in the company of Tituba, Reverend Parrisîâ€" ¸ slave. The restless youn g girls allegedly met in Parrisîâ€" ¸ shed, and created and listened to Titubaîâ€" ¸ incredible tales of sorcery and black arts, which were doubtless an outlet for their repressed feelings. Soon, faulty cause-and-effect relationships sparked delirium. When the girls had fits of hysteria ?seizures, trance-like states, and sacrilegious screaming ?Parris called upon his colleagues to exorcise the demons that possessed the girls. Ministers from nearby communities met in Salem Village 懀o lead a public day of fasting and prayer, and to question the afflicted girls about what had caused their disturbing behavior?(8). Occasionally, the girls went mute or blind, choked, had muscle spasms, and had visions of frightening spirits. They claimed that evil spirits ursued them, threatening, biting, pinching, pricking, and performing other bodily injuries?(8). After that, public concern became mass hysteria. Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne, were arrested and tried. Only Tituba confessed to signing the Devilîâ€" ¸ book.Show MoreRelatedSalem Witch Trials : A Part Of History1018 Words   |  5 PagesHistory 112 Dr. Patricia Hoskins May 20, 2016 Salem Witch Trials Like Slavery the Salem Witch Trials are a part of history that all would like to erase. In Salem Massachusetts the colonist were mostly made up of Puritans. Puritans were lead on the firm foundation that the Bible was, is and still the only word. This lead to the belief that this was the only way to convict, judge and execute those of a satanic faith, such as witch craft. The Salem Witch Trials were mostly conducted between the monthsRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of The Salem Witchcraft Trials1552 Words   |  7 Pages  Ã‚   The Massachusetts Salem witch craft trials, this was a complicated time in history.   With the conflict of the hangings, Salem didn’t have the best compromise. At a time in history when the government didn’t give Puritans religious rights, the Salem Massachusetts witch craft trials began. This conflict led to trails where the government convicted men and woman of practicing witch craft, thus being hanged. Though this compromise stopped the witch craft practicing, the government realized those menRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Era1004 Words   |  5 PagesThree centuries ago authorities in and around Salem, Massachusetts engaged in a witch- hunt. 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The main reason the Puritan’s came to Salem was for freedom of religion which they did not haveRead MoreThe Crucible Analysis621 Words   |  3 PagesThe Crucible takes place in Salem, Massachusetts during the time of the Salem witch trials. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses revenge as the main theme throughout the playwright. Revenge is the action of inflicting hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong done to someone else. Revenge is shown throughout the characters actions in the play. Witch craft is used to represent revenge. If someone didnt like another, they co uld accuse that person of witch craft and inflict harm on him or herRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1116 Words   |  5 PagesWhat the hell is going on in Salem? Everyday someone new is being accused of being a witch. No one is safe. Hide your kids; hide your wife, because they are accusing everyone around here. In the play, The Crucible, the Salem Witch Trials are taking place and many people are being falsely indicted of practicing witch craft. Thus, meaning many innocent individuals are being hanged because of the lies of four young girls. The Crucible, has many themes, but the most impactful one is hands down â€Å"PowerRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials1297 Words   |  6 PagesYou re a liar! I m no more a witch than you are a wizard! If you take my life away, God will give you blood to drink! (Sarah Good). To this day, there is still so much speculation on what was the actual cause of the hysteria that was the Salem Witch Trials. Were any of the women accused, like Sara h Good, actually practicing witchcraft? Or were the accusations placed on these women placed out of spite or jealousy? What caused these young women to have these strange symptoms in the first placeRead MoreThe Trials Of The Salem Witch Trials1635 Words   |  7 Pagesovercome was the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Trials occurred in 1692 and 1693 in colonial Massachusetts. â€Å"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. Why did the injustice of the Salam Witch Trials occur and whyRead MoreExecuted For Witchcraft In 1692: Fourteen Women, Five Men1695 Words   |  7 Pagesend of the witch hunt: 19 innocents would be hung, 4 would die in prison and one man pressed to death. The Salem Witch trials is an event referred to today as the time-period where witches were burnt on the stake. Today, witches are featured in films and television with little to no fear publicly shown. But the witch hunts of the 1600’s would be a result of not only fear, but the hopes of gaining the attention of the public eye. The three major factors that influenced the Salem Witch Trials were fearRead MoreIs Witch Trails A Thing Of The Past?923 Words   |  4 Pages Being that the Salem Witch Trails date back to over three hundred years, many people believe witch trails are a thing of the past. However, modern day witch trails are still extremely prevalent. Modern-day witch-hunts are reported to still be happening in Afr ica, the Pacific, Latin America, even in the U.S. and Europe. According to a New York Times article, within the last fifteen years alone, more than 2,000 Indians have been killed after being accused of witchcraft. Almost all of the accused have