SALEM WITCH TRIALS

1692

Historically what have Americans feared that we consider irrational or unjustified?

Muslims vs. terrorists or Muslim extremists

AIDS Y2K Japanese Americans African Americans FEAR OF

COMMUNISM, RED SCARE

A fear of the unknown

A fear of loss of power

A fear of…

Unjustified Fears Why?

Problems within Puritan Society What do you think happens within a

group of people when, as a whole, they believe: They are God’s chosen people They are intolerant of others They have an extreme fear of the unknown They believe that because Native

Americans will not convert to Puritanism they are agents of the Devil

Why was witchery a crime

Historically in Europe solidarity of belief within an empire=strength

Diversity was viewed as a negative weakness

Citizens not of the Church of England, like the Puritans, were fearful of their fate and became unhappy with James I and Charles I

Compacting with the devil was a sin and therefore became a crime

History of witchcraft (1 of 2)

Draw a witch The word "witch" in Exodus is a translation of the

Hebrew word "kashaph," which comes from the root meaning "to whisper."  The word as used in Exodus probably thus meant "one who whispers a spell."  In context, the Exodus passage probably was intended to urge Jews to adhere to their own religious practices and not those of surrounding tribes.

Around 1273 Thomas Aquinas argues that the world is full of evil demons, and therefore witches. These ideas become the basis for much of the orthodox of Christianity.

History of witchcraft (2 of 2)

By the mid 1400s the crime of witchcraft begins to take shape and people begin to be accused of witchcraft

In 1486 Malleus Maleficareum is published. The authors claim Christians must hunt down and kill witches. The Malleus told frightening tales of women who would have sex with

any convenient demon, kill babies, and even steal penises.  Over the next forty years, the Malleus would be reprinted thirteen

times and come to help define the crime of witchcraft.  Much of the book offered hints to judges and prosecutors, such as the authors' suggestion to strip each suspect completely and inspect the body to see whether a mole was present that might be a telltale sign of consort with demons, and to have the defendants brought into court backwards to minimize their opportunities to cast dangerous spells on officials.

1591 King James and Queen Anne from Denmark 1606 Shakespeare writes Macbeth for King James 1682 last witch executed In England; Enlightenment period of

history begins

This change in culture leads to… 1515 Geneva, Switzerland: 515 witches

burned at the stake 1524 Como, Italy: nearly 1000 witches are

executed Germany: highest rate overall about 20,000 Rights taken away Children allowed to testify against parents From 1580 to 1740 over 50,000 suspected

witches were executed 80% were women

Salem Brief Timeline

1629: Salem is incorporated.

1648: Margaret Jones was hung for a witch in Boston.

1672: No musicians, by trade in New England. Dancing school set up, but soon put down by law.

1688: Goody Glover executed for witchcraft.

November, 1689: Samuel Parris is named the new minister of Salem. Parris moves to Salem from Boston.

January 20, 1692: Eleven -year old Abigail Williams and nine -year -old Elizabeth Parris begin behaving much as the Goodwin children acted four years earlier. Soon Ann Putnam Jr. and other Salem girls begin acting similarly.

So what happened in Salem?

1. Strong belief that Satan is acting in the world. “The invisible world": disease, natural catastrophes, and bad fortune attributed to work of the devil

2.  A belief that Satan recruits witches and wizards to work for him. Prior witchcraft cases in New England (and Europe before)

3.  A belief that a person afflicted by witchcraft exhibits certain symptoms. Cotton Mather's Memorable Providences Most symptoms can be feigned

4.  A time  of troubles, making it seem likely that Satan was active. Smallpox Congregational strife in Salem Village Frontier wars with Indians

5.  Stimulation of imaginations by Tituba.

6.   Convulsive ergotism, a disease caused by eating infecting rye that can produce hallucinations, causing strange behavior?

7.  Teenage boredom. No television, no CDs, and lots of Bible reading Strict and humorless Parris household

8. Confessing "witches" adding credibility to earlier charges.

9.  Old feuds (disputes within congregation, property disputes) between the accusers and the accused spurring charges of witchcraft.

In the play—love-spurned teenager causes trouble, and Tituba practices voo-doo.

What’s a witch hunt?

Searching out and deliberate harassment of those with unpopular or opposing views

What’s a crucible?

A vessel in which substances are heated at extremely high temperatures; the impure elements are melted away and the pure elements are left behind.