The Plague Of Witch Trials Essay - 1667 Words

New England in the seventeenth century was a difficult place to live. The raging winds of winter, the ravaging Indian tribes and the many diseases that killed both livestock and family members often had inhabitants believing that they were being punished by God for their sins, or that their afflictions were caused by something much more sinister. Anyone who threatened traditional gender and societal roles was seen as a potential threat to both themselves and the rest of the community. The outbreaks of witch accusations that occurred throughout New England during this time reflected how unsettled the settlers really felt about their lives. This is reflected in both the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials and the Stamford, Connecticut witch trials even if these trials had different results. The trouble in Salem began in January, 1692 when Tituba, a slave from the West Indies was talking to Elizabeth Parris, daughter of the Reverend Samuel Parris, and his niece, Abigail Williams about the ir futures. After telling them their futures, the girls begin to cry hysterically and act strangely as if bewitched. These fits could be brought on by the idea that their futures as Puritan child-bearing women was at risk or also by the girl’s wanted attention that they had no chance at getting regularly in Puritan society. Tituba also is undergoing torments at this time, seeing specters and having the same type of fits that the other girls are having. As the fits begin to happen to otherShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Queen Elizabeth1598 Words   |  7 Pagespart of that history is the origin of witch-hunt, or in other words, the execution of witches. Witchcraft was treated as the craft of wise at the very beginning. However, as the following behind witchcraft grew stronger, the conflict between the Christian religious and witchcraft finally lead to the bloody witch-hunt; but witch-hunt is not as simple as a conflict between two beliefs, in fact, the cause behind witc h-hunt is the characteristic inside us. Witch-hunt represents not only the fear of witchcraftRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials And Mccarthyism1353 Words   |  6 Pages†-George Santayana. The Salem Witch Trials show a lot about how this world’s beliefs grew and developed in early America and Europe. Much of the prosecution of witches started because of the Roman Catholic Church; they created the belief of witches that led to the Salem Witch Trials. The Trials in Salem were a time when the people were scared of magic and what it could do, that led to the deaths of multiple people. The McCarthy Trials also show a resemblance to the witch trials in Salem as the idea ofRead MoreEuropean Witch Hunt Essay897 Words   |  4 Pages The epoch of Medieval European history concerning the vast and complicated witch hunts spanning from 1450 to 1750 is demonstrative of the socioeconomic, religious, and cultural changes that were occurring within a population that was unprepared for the reconstruction of society. Though numerous conclusions concerning the witch trials, why they occurred, and who was prosecuted have been founded within agreement there remains interpre tations that expand on the central beliefs. Through examiningRead MoreCotton Mather : Provoker Of Catastrophe1009 Words   |  5 PagesCatastrophe For its witnesses, the Salem Witch Trials confirmed the reality of the invisible world of spirits. The catalyst was described as a man who had an interest in the actions of Satan. That man is Cotton Mather. Mather was born into a family of ministers, including Reverend John Cotton. Mather preached his first sermon as a teenager and was ordained in his early twenties. Cotton Mather is known for his unnecessary involvement with the Salem Witch Trials. With the assistance of Cotton Mather’sRead MoreWitch Trials in Germany1475 Words   |  6 PagesTo what extent can the high concentration of witch trials in the German states be explained by political and religious tension? The late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were a time of dramatic change in Germany, both religiously and politically. Religiously, the Protestant Reformation, driven by Luther’s ninety-five theses, challenged Catholicism. Politically, the Holy Roman Empire grew weaker whilst territorial states such as Ellwagen gained power. The changes within these political and religiousRead MoreWitchcraft : The Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials1219 Words   |  5 PagesWitchcraft is the use of magical powers. Witchcraft is often regarded as â€Å"black† magic. The article called â€Å"The Salem Witch Trials: 1692-1693† states that â€Å"[s]ince the early fifteenth century, so-called witch panics had periodically swept across Europe, causing witch hunts, accusations, trials and executions† (â€Å"Salem† 1). Although some children and males were accused, the greater part of the arraigned individuals were female (â€Å"Salem† 1). A debatable amount of arou nd forty thousand individuals wereRead MoreThe Salem Witchcraft Trials Essay826 Words   |  4 Pages The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 were the largest outbreak of witch hunting in colonial New England up to that time. Although it was the largest outbreak, it was not something that was new. Witch-hunting had been a part of colonial New England since the formation of the colonies. Between the years 1648 to 1663, approximately 15 witches were executed. During the winter of 1692 to February of 1693, approximately 150 citizens were accused of being witches and about 25 of those died, either byRead MoreWhat Triggered The Witch Craze?1564 Words   |  7 PagesJoseph Bohannon Dr. Wirts History 4342 January 28 2017 What triggered the witch craze? Most historians agree that the witch craze began in the 15th century, during the early modern period. However, many factors that contributed to the witch craze had been brewing for several centuries prior, in as early as the 12th century we see the persecution of heresy by the Medieval Inquisition, which is basically a large-scale model of religious groups suppressing and killing anyone who does not agree withRead MoreWitchcraft And Magic Became A Taboo1565 Words   |  7 Pageswith a different realm to influence the world they found themselves in, the natural world. There was no way of pointing out a witch and so these arbitrary guidelines made by looking at stereotypes that outcasts had, led them early modern Europe into the witch hunts, where unfair trials meant the lives of innocent individuals were lost. Through the documents found in The Trial of Tempel Anneke, the use of witchcraft and other forms of sorcery were sought after to aid in time of need, but the actualRead MoreWi tchcraft In Peter Mortons The Trials Of Tempel Anneke1209 Words   |  5 PagesPeter Morton in â€Å"The Trials of Tempel Anneke† discusses different types of magic including high magic, used by those educated, such as alchemy, and low magic including spells and charms. It is of the popular belief that maleficium alone would not have caused many witch trials in Europe, rather it was due to the belief of a link between maleficium and diabolism which requires a pact with the Devil (Morton, 2006). Magic was not uncommon in early modern Europe and was accepted in communities. Fear