Salem Witch Hunt A Phenomenon Of Witch Trials - 1499 Words

The Salem Witch Hunt was a phenomenon of witch trials in the Early Modern period. It occurred in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. It all started when a group of young girls, Betty Parris, 9 years old, and Abigail Williams, 11 years old, started to behave in a crazy manner, like screaming and barking like a dog, and it got to the point where they assumed they were â€Å"possessed†. Soon after that, Ann Putnam Jr. and other Salem girls began acting similarly. People started getting very scared and started accusing each other of being witches. The girls started accusing people the most and everyone seemed to believe them. I assume that the reason that this whole craze was so intense was because there has been witch scares before. This time, in particular, was more severe because these little girls were the ones accusing people. This spread so fast and so far because before this witch mayhem, there was a smallpox outbreak. Many people died and the Puritans started to believe that wi tches were among them. This event led people to easily assume others were witches, which is why it spread so fast and so far. Many members of the Puritan community believed the accusations made by the afflicted girls over believing their neighbors. People tended to believe them since they were children and had a hint of innocence in them. Also, Betty Parris’ father was Reverend Samuel Parris and since he played a big role in this community they thought the girls had to be telling the truth. OneShow MoreRelatedWhy The Salem Witch Trials1064 Words   |  5 Pageswhy the Salem Witch Trials occurred. Some include the fungus ergot that had psychedelic consequences when consumed and the Puritans’ adamant belief in their religion. None of them, however, justify why over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 more were executed. The Salem Witch Trials are a prime example of why theocratic societies fail and the effects can still be seen today. We can still se e witches in other parts of the world, see memorials for the victims of the trials, and modernRead MoreEuropean Witch Hunts 1350-Present Essay1327 Words   |  6 PagesIn order for history to repeat itself, it has to start somewhere right? The European witch hunts can be traced back to around 1450 and last well into the 18th century. The European witch hunts, much like the Salem witch trials happened because of rejection of rapid social, economic, and religious transformation. (Jones Gendercide Watch: European Witch Hunts). Often during times of rapid change it takes a while for reforms to be made or for citizens to adjust to the new arrangement. The result ofRead MoreThe Accusation of Witches in Puritan, New England1634 Words   |  7 Pagesbasis of this stringent religious way of life that the witch-hunts on 1692 came about. The accusation of people, beginning in Salem, Massachusetts and quickly spreading throughout the Puritan community began because the Puritans needed a scape goat for their problems. The Puritans accused people of being a witch for actions that were hardly considered illegal and usually had to do with a threat posed to the church. Websters Dictionary defines a witch as 1. A woman practicing the black arts; 2. A charmingRead MoreSalem Witch Trials : Witchcraft Essay1107 Words   |  5 PagesSalem Witch Trials Witchcraft has been around since the B.C. era, but erupted in the late 1600s. It began in Europe and eventually made its way to the New World. Witchcraft is believing in and the use of practical magic, such as casting spells, calling on spirits, or predicting the future. Witchcraft is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word, â€Å"wicce,† meaning wise. Therefore, it translates into â€Å"craft of the wise.† Wise people were those who were familiar with natures’ forces and were educated when itRead MoreHysteria And Fear In Arthur Millers The Crucible970 Words   |  4 Pagescitizens of Salem, Massachusetts experienced this phenomenon in 1692 when the witch trials arose. Arthur Miller portrays this occurrence in his play The Crucible in which he accurately displays the effects that hysteria and fear have on Salem and subsequently how it affects the citizens who are accused without substantial evidence. Miller also represents how unjust the court system was in Salem in h is playwright, the accused were guilty until proven innocent similarly to a modern day witch hunt duringRead MoreSummary : Bless Me, Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya Essay1697 Words   |  7 Pagesline between using witchcraft for good rather than evil. Witchcraft can have two connotations in regards to Bless Me, Ultima, seeing as there are those individuals who support Ultima’s supernatural powers, and those who are against her powerful phenomenon. Although constantly called a bruja, Ultima uses her â€Å"powers† for purposes focused towards good, rather than evil. In Chapter 10, Ultima is summoned by Pedro Luna to help him heal Lucas, as even the priest of El Puerto has failed to cure him. Marà ­aRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Era1004 Words   |  5 PagesThree centuries ago authorities in and around Salem, Massachusetts engaged in a witch- hunt. Authorities during the Salem Witch Trials era were called upon to arrest or execute â€Å"witches† due to false accusations made by communities that were in argumentative ties, women who were seen as threats, and religious disagreements. Capturing nearly one hundred fifty perpetrators, charging twenty-eight of them, and nineteen were lynched publically. Community tension brought false accusations that causedRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1121 Words   |  5 Pagesprejudice is an occurring phenomenon that is designed to estrange some members of society and condemn those who hold different lifestyle, beliefs and practices. In today’s warfare, ISIS and their extensive murder hunt of everyone that does not hold Muslims views and practices is an example of a modern witch-hunt. Arthur Miller’s play, â€Å"The Crucible† is a dramatic story about the Salem witch trials that took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. In the small town of Salem, a group of girls becameRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials1274 Words   |  6 Pages During the seventeenth century Salem, Massachusetts is a seaport town populated mostly by Puritan colonists who came over from England in the seventeenth century. Beliefs of witchcraft came over with the settlers who, if caught practicing, was punishable by death. The Salem Witch Trials were a series of court cases in 1692 revolving around witchcraft where over hundred people were accused, nineteen were hanged, and one was pressed to death. England had accused people of witchcraft datingRead More Comparing the Salem Witch Trials and Modern Satanic Trials Essay2439 Words   |  10 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials and Modern Satanic Trials      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cotton Mather, in his The Wonders of the Invisible World, preserved for posterity a very dark period in Puritanical American society through his account of the Salem witch trials in 1692. His description is immediately recognizable as being of the same viewpoint as those who were swept up in the hysteria of the moment. Mather viewed Salem as a battleground between the devil and the Puritans. The New Englanders are a people of God settled