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From unbelievable witch swimming tests to th. It is called Records of the Salem Witch Hunt and is edited by Bernard Rosenthal. Having initially set up the Court of Oyer and Terminer, Governor William Phips having returned from fighting in King Philips War in Maine voiced concerns about what danger some of [his] innocent subjects might be exposed to and dissolved the court, in the process pardoning those remaining in custody. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. Two days before the court convened, a Puritan minister from Boston named Cotton Mather wrote to one of the judges expressing his concern over the admissibility of such evidence. And if you take away my life, God will give you blood to drink.. I find this to be very well put and want to read more. Here's what we know about the original witch hunt: 1. thanks, mike turner, The 1692 Salem Village map can now be purchased on zazzle: http://www.zazzle.com/salem_village_map_poster-228789587972988887?rf=238784808055391622. Her apology states: I desire to be humbled before God for that sad and humbling providence that befell my fathers family in the year about 92; that I, then being in my childhood, should, by such a providence of God, be made an instrument for the accusing of several persons of a grievous crime, whereby their lives were taken away from them, whom now I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons; and that it was a great delusion of Satan that deceived me in that sad time, whereby I justly fear I have been instrumental, with others, though ignorantly and unwittingly, to bring upon myself and this land the guilt of innocent blood; though what was said or done by me against any person I can truly and uprightly say, before God and man, I did it not out of any anger, malice, or ill-will to any person, for I had no such thing against one of them; but what I did was ignorantly, being deluded by Satan. 2, no. Thanks so much for this! "Examination and Evidence of Some the Accused Witches in Salem, 1692. There are many theories that explain why the witch trials began in Medieval Europe. This was no more notable than when playwright Arthur Miller chose to dramatise the trials in his 1953 play The Crucible. That same month, four more women were accused and arrested:Rebecca NurseMartha CoreyDorothy GoodRachel Clinton (from Ipswich). Also I was curious to know what the specific compromise was. Nineteen were hanged, and oneelderly Giles Coreypressed to death. DHowlett1692, who blogs regularly about all things Salem, cites a 1977 article by Nicholas P. Spanos and Jack Gottlieb that disputes Caporaels ergotism study. It was not difficult for the people of Salem to believe they were involved in witchcraft. In pre-echoes of what would later occur in Salem, panic took hold of the local community, with accusations flying in all directions. Heavy stones were loaded onto the board and the weight was gradually increased until the prison either entered a plea or died. The slave Tituba, because of her background in the Caribbean (or possibly the West Indies), could have practiced some form of folk magic, but that has never been confirmed. In early July, Sarah Good and her four co-accused were tried and found guilty of bewitchment, making that journey to the gallows on that wooden cart a few days later. Upon hearing about the Parris girls behavior, much of the Puritan community agreed that the duo had been victims of witchcraft. Glanvill, Joseph. Afflicted Girls:Elizabeth BoothElizabeth HubbardMercy LewisBetty ParrisAnn Putnam, Jr.Susannah SheldonAbigail WilliamsMary WalcottMary Warren. Some of the suggested theories are: conversion disorder, epilepsy, ergot poisoning, Encephalitis, Lyme disease, unusually cold weather, factionalism, socio-economic hardships, family rivalries and fraud. Planting, cultivating, the care of houses, barns, roads, fences, were all forgotten. 82 (Boston: Wright and Potter, 1902), pp. How inhumane! While many modern-day Pagans cite the Salem trials as an example of religious intolerance, at the time, witchcraft was not seen as a religion at all. The torture consisted of laying the prisoner on the ground, naked, with a board placed on top of him. Nige Tassell explains how hysteria in the village of Salem, Massachusets, gave rise to a horror that bedazzled the world. We judge that, in the prosecution of these and all such witchcrafts, there is need of a very critical and exquisite caution, lest by too much credulity for things received only upon the Devil's authority, there be a door opened for a long train of miserable consequences, and Satan get an advantage over us; for we should not be ignorant of his devices. The following are some facts about the Salem Witch Trials: This, coupled with the fact that the accused also had their estates confiscated if they were convicted has led many historians to believe that religious feuds and property disputes played a big part in the witch trials. By May 1693 . Or maybe it was the 1711 bill that cleared the names of the accused witches. The Story of the Salem Witch Trials is a history of that event. Letters of Governor Phips to the Home Government, 16921693, "Woman condemned in Salem witch trials on verge of pardon 328 years later", "Indictment of Sarah Good for Afflicting Sarah Vibber", "Indictment of Abigail Hobbs for Covenanting", "The Devil's Specter: Spectral Evidence and the Salem Witchcraft Crisis", Narratives of the Witchcraft Trials, p. 342, "Role of skin lesions in the Salem witchcraft trials", "329 years later, last Salem 'witch' who wasn't is pardoned", Cornell University Library Witchcraft Collection, Salem Massachusetts Salem Witch Trials The Stones: July 10 and July 19, 1692, Salem Village Witchcraft Victims' Memorial, etext.virginia.edu, Chapter 122 of the Acts of 2001, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Actual Site Of Salem Witch Hangings Discovered", "The Real Salem Witch Hanging Site Was Located", Salem Witchcraft Trials: The Perception Of Women In History, Literature And Culture, Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project, SalemWitchTrials.com Essays, biographies of the accused and afflicted, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salem_witch_trials&oldid=1142737002. Why do you think there are so little primary sources on the Salem Witch Trials? 31. https://www.learnreligions.com/facts-about-the-salem-trials-2562897 (accessed March 5, 2023). George Burroughs, a minister, was one of the few men accused of witchcraft during the trials. They basically played the trump card of the times. It is sad where the mind-set was back then. Abigail Williams: The Mysterious Afflicted Girl. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Cant wait to visit this place! Some of these women were actually witches, though they were entirely innocent of the crimes of which they were convicted. Indeed, as Stacy Schiff explains in The Witches, her history of the witch trials, It would have been difficult to find more than a few souls to whom the supernatural was not eminently real, part and parcel of the culture, as was the devil himself. Every March, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of women as part of Womens History Month. Text adapted from the National Geographic book Witches! A witness testifies against an accused witch during one of the many witchcraft trials of the 1690s. English law at the time dictated that anyone who refused to enter a plea could be tortured in an attempt to force a plea out of them. According to the official Salem website, the trials were shorter than most people believe, but they were still deadly. Let me know if you are related to story too. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/facts-about-the-salem-trials-2562897. During the trial, Tituba confessed to having seen the devil and also stated that there was a coven, or group, of witches in the Salem Village area. I am the author and publisher of this blog. Very well done! If you want to learn more about the Salem Witch Trials, check out this article on the best Salem Witch Trials books. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria. Boston, MA. It was divided into two distinct and very different socioeconomic parts. What were the witch trials in Salem actually about and how did it all start? They accused other townspeople of torturing them, and a few of the so-called witches on trial even named others as witches. Found Guilty and Executed:Bridget Bishop (June 10, 1692)Sarah Good (July 19, 1692)Elizabeth Howe (July 19, 1692)Susannah Martin (July 19, 1692)Rebecca Nurse (July 19, 1692)Sarah Wildes (July 19, 1692)George Burroughs (August 19, 1692)Martha Carrier (August 19, 1692)John Willard (August 19, 1692)George Jacobs, Sr (August 19, 1692)John Proctor (August 19, 1692)Alice Parker (September 22, 1692)Mary Parker (September 22, 1692)Ann Pudeator (September 22, 1692)Wilmot Redd (September 22, 1692)Margaret Scott (September 22, 1692)Samuel Wardwell (September 22, 1692)Martha Corey (September 22, 1692)Mary Easty (September 22, 1692), Refused to enter a plea and tortured to death:Giles Corey (September 19th, 1692), Found Guilty and Pardoned:Elizabeth ProctorAbigail Faulkner SrMary PostSarah WardwellElizabeth Johnson JrDorcas Hoar, Pled Guilty and Pardoned:Rebecca EamesAbigail HobbsMary Lacy SrMary Osgood, Died in Prison:Sarah OsburnRoger ToothakerAnn FosterLydia Dustin, Escaped from Prison:John Alden Jr.Edward Bishop Jr.Sarah BishopMary BradburyWilliam Barker Sr.Andrew CarrierKatherine CaryPhillip EnglishMary EnglishEdward Farrington, Never Indicted:Sarah BassettMary BlackBethiah Carter, JrBethiah Carter, SrSarah CloyceElizabeth HartWilliam HobbsThomas Farrer, SrWilliam ProctorSarah ProctorSusannah RootsAnn SearsTituba, Evaded Arrest:George Jacobs JrDaniel Andrews. If people were to run away from it, theyll only be hunted down and thats worst then sitting in court. The heat was stifling on a July day in 1692, as five dishevelled and bound women are paraded on a wooden cart through the streets of Salem village in the colony of Massachusetts Bay. Learn Religions, Sep. 9, 2021, learnreligions.com/facts-about-the-salem-trials-2562897. The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of A man of God literally planned out a witch genocide. I really enjoy reading your blog! 135, p. 112, No. Witch hunts By pointing the finger at others, they were able to shift the blame and spare their own lives. Unauthorized use is prohibited. If you are looking for more info on the victims themselves, you can check out the article I wrote specifically about them titled The Salem Witch Trials Victims: Who Were They? All of the accused were finally pardoned in 1711. The Salem Village hangings were the last executions of accused witches in the United States. It means that even though supernatural evidence might seem sketchy to us in this day and age, for people like Cotton Mather and the rest of Salem, it was perfectly acceptable in cases of necessity. Being burned at the stake was an occasionally used method of execution in Europe, when one was convicted of witchcraft, but was generally reserved for those who refused to repent of their sins. Dr Griggs was a relative through my grandmother. This article was last updated on Nov 22, 2015. Thank you, using this as a source! The doctor was unable to find anything physically wrong with them and suggested they may be bewitched. The first to be tried wasBridget Bishopof Salem who was found guilty and was hanged on June 10. The best way to get people's attention is to start spreading sensational and fake news. On July 23, John Proctor wrote to the clergy in Boston. And this was for a people who saw themselves as ordered by God to build their shining City on a Hill. A newer, more anti-religious charter replaced the original one in 1691 and also combined the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymouth Colony and several other colonies into one. Native Americans and other religions represented threats by the Devil. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. A flurry of accusations from girls with afflictions similar to those of Betty Parris and Abigail Williams resulted in an avalanche of arrests and prosecutions. For everyone who remains intrigued by Salem, here are a few lesser-known facts about the witchcraft trials. Over 150 people were arrested for allegedly using witchcraft to inflict harm on their fellow townspeople, resulting in the executions of 20 people and the prison deaths of five more. Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2005Upham, Charles Wentworth. Oh and sorry for talking a lot but if you need a website for your bibliographys heres an awesome sight I use it for school a lot and its supper easy use. It has so many details that I need. Robbins, Rossell Hope. Random House, 1956Fowler, Samuel Page. Are there any other theories as to what may have caused the girls strange behavior? The Untold Story of the Salem Witch Trials Welcome back to Unfolding History!While the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 are often remembered as a dark period of. I need a bibliography for my class report. Hoffer, Peter Charles. (University of Kansas, 1997). During her trial, Bishop repeatedly defended herself, stating I am innocent, I know nothing of it, I have done no witchcraft . Awesome Article. The following are some facts about the Salem Witch Trials: The Salem Witch Trials were a series of witchcraft cases brought before local magistrates in a settlement called Salem which was a part of the Massachusetts Bay colony in the 17th century. The pair had been bewitched. TDR / The Drama Review, 2018, Vol. what was the ratio of men to women. Dramatic historic events such as witch trials didn't just come out of nowhere. The persecutors had to come up with a whole irrational legal system in order to justify this insanity. The Salem witch trials began because a group of girls claimed they were possessed by the devil. It all began in 1692 and 1693 when Salem in the United States . 135, no. This court consisted of eight judges. When she is not traveling, you will find her reading, drinking coffee and chatting away with her many international friends. An allegory of the intolerant McCarthyism discolouring the nation at the time Miller would himself be called before the Committee on Un-American Activities three years later the parallels were undeniable. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. An illustration shows a quiet street in the center of Salem, Massachusetts. Good had been among the first local women to be arrested, after several young girls from the village had experienced mysterious afflictions the previous February. 62, No. In an insular society like Salem, where anyone straying from the norm was immediately criticised or condemned, accusations of witchcraft were a method of self-defence, of keeping the more undesirable elements of the local community at arms length, if not removing them completely. Hysteria was from little girls facin threat of death by torture. The governor released the last few prisoners the following May. No one cared about minorities or "loners" anyway. The Salem Witch Trials are a dark stain on American history and on the history of Christianity. Warrants were issued by the dozen, sometimes for the arrest of the most unlikely suspects. There are many theories that explain why the witch trials began in Medieval Europe. The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between early 1692 and mid-1693. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. Most of the accusers were Puritans who lived on the farms. Alden was accused of witchcraft by a child during a trip to Salem while he was on his way home to Boston from Canada. Device reportedly admitted an act of bewitchment, as well as accusing another woman of undertaking similar practices. I need to do a bibliography, and I have this page on it. Proctors wife managed to escape execution because she was pregnant, but Proctor was hanged on August 19 along with five other people. Native History & Indigenous Acknowledgement, The Journey from 1692 to Salems Modern Witch Community. Where did theses trials take place were there anymore places then Massachusetts Bay. When was this last edited? The doctors diagnosis? In January 1692 Salem Village was dealing with a lot. Wigington, Patti. Very interesting article; Im glad I came across it! Some say it's because temperatures dropped significantly, there was famine and people needed a scapegoat. Dr. John Lienhard of the University of Houston writes in Rye, Ergot and Witches about Mary Matossians 1982 study which supports Caporaels findings. Thanks for sharing, it really helped me with an article I am currently writing! No ones really sure why the witch craze spread the way it did, but it brought lasting changes to the United States legal system and the way evidence and witnesses were treated. When James II, unspeakably Catholic, became the titular head of the Church of England (itself considered evil), it was proof that the mother country had come under diabolical control When James II created the Dominion of New England, ordering the New England theocracy to allow the C of E inside, it was the end of their holy mission in the wilderness. This series of prosecutions and hangings of those accused of practicing witchcraft provoked a major backlash, and the event still haunts us today. I just found this out. There were many critics of the witch hunt, such as a local farmer John Proctor, who scoffed at the idea of witchcraft in Salem and called the young girls scam artists. Some say it's because temperatures dropped significantly, there was famine and people needed a scapegoat. I dont know what compromise youre referring to. When asked who it was that had afflicted them, they named Good a homeless woman who had fallen destitute after denying the inheritance of her wealthy fathers estate as one of the three culprits. Although many of the other accused women were unpopular social outcasts, Nurse was a pious, well-respected and well-loved member of the community. The Salem witch trials of the late 17th century were a formative episode in America's early history, and have remained at the forefront of the national consciousness ever since. When we think of witches today, we think of girls with crystals and hats who like to listen to Stevie Nicks. Bridget Bishop was the first person brought to trial. The European witch trials took place in the 15th century. Lets look at some important historical evidence that people often forget about the Salem witch trials. my question for the project was what was the history of the salem witch trials. They screamed, made unearthly sounds, suffered convulsions and violently threw objects, and themselves, around their homes. Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. Does that mean they couldnt have been practicing witchcraft? An elderly woman accused of witchcraft is taken to the courthouse by an officer of the law. William Stoughton is an ancestor of mine, sorry to say. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Rev Nicholas Noyes, one of the local clergymen who had vigorously pursued the prosecutions, was the particular focus of Sarah Goods anger: You are a liar. Salem witch trial started as feud between Porters n putnums cuz putnums felt Porters gave too much freedom to their black servants. More than 200 people were a.. Read the article free on Booksie. His death was gruesome and cruel and strengthened the growing opposition to the Salem Witch Trials. Thanks hopefully i get an A :). This illustration shows him speaking at Witches Hill, the site of his execution. Hi Sarah, After Bishops execution and the courts endorsement of the indictments against Rebecca Nurse and John Willard, a local constable who, doubting the allegations, refused to bring the accused to court the grand jury adjourned for almost three weeks. I have all the other bibliographies from some other websites but I still need one from this one and I cant find it could you help me?? Church was all powerful in those days. 5 Facts About the Salem Trials. Bad weather isn't the only reason why the witch hype began. William was happily a Calvinist, but not even that changed the fact New England theocracy was at an end. The Salem witch trials of the late 17th century were a formative episode in America's early history, and have remained at the forefront of the national consciousness ever since. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. A secondary source would be a book, journal or article written long after the event by someone who didnt experience it first hand. Perhaps this question has something to do with the closure of the court of Oyer and Terminer, which was the special court established to hear the trials. Im just going to use Smithsonian, ARe you the editor/author of this site @Rebecca Beatrice Brooks, Hi Gigi, yes Im the editor/author of this site, thanks so much I needed that for my homework, Where can I get a copy of the Salem 1692 map that you posted? One of the best known of the accused has been the focus of some conjecture regarding whether or not she was practicing folk magic, because she was believed to be a "fortune teller." Between 1692 and 1693, more than two hundred people were accused. Ever since those dark days ended, the trials have become synonymous with mass hysteria and scapegoating. The Salem Witch Trials occurred in the settlement of Salem in colonial Massachusetts in 1692 and 1693, and resulted in the executions of twenty people accused of witchcraft, most of them women. The Salem witch trials resulted in the arrest of over 150 people, 19 of whom were ultimately convicted and executed. The political instability and threat to their religion created a feeling of uneasiness and discontent in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. You have been so helpful! what is a secondary source in this salem witch trail! One person was pressed to death, and over 150 others were jailed, where still others died. Other evidence used in the trials included confessions of the accused, possession of certain items such as poppets, ointments or books on the occult, as well as the presence of an alleged witchs teat, which was a strange mole or blemish, on the accused persons body. Of those arrested, the majority were women (85%) and only a handful were men (15%). Unlike some of the more notorious cases in Europe and England, such as that of the Pendle witch trial, there was no one among Salems accused who was known as a local witch or healer, with one exception. Has their been any further studies into the ergot theory besides the collage student in the early 70s? Rebecca is a freelance journalist and history lover who got her start in journalism working for small-town newspapers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire after she graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.A. By the end of the trials in 1693, 24 people had died, some in jail but most by hanging. Just as true today as it was a few centuries ago, fearmongering really accelerated the accusations. Women were not the only ones believed to be witchesmen and children were accused too. At the announcement ceremony, playwright Arthur Miller made a speech and read from the last act of his 1953 play, The Crucible, which was inspired by the Salem Witch Trials. Nevertheless, we cannot but humbly recommend unto the government, the speedy and vigorous prosecution of such as have rendered themselves obnoxious, according to the direction given in the laws of God, and the wholesome statutes of the English nation, for the detection of witchcrafts. Thank for the site it is so helpful for my project! What was this witchery actually about and how did it all start? A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials. Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Institute, 23 Oct. 2007, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/. In short, Spanos and Gottlieb believe that the ergotism theory is off-base for several reasons. In Salem, they actually didn't do any burning at all. This site is not a part of the Smithsonian website. . Related: Scary Stories: 10 Places For Stephen King Fans To Visit. Shortly after, Elizabeth Hubbard, Susannah Sheldon, Mary Warren and Elizabeth Booth all started to experience the same symptoms, which consisted of suffering fits, hiding under furniture, contorting in pain and experiencing fever. Proctor told them about the torture inflicted on the accused and asked that the trials be moved to Boston where he felt he would get a fair trial. Thank-you for the great info you have shared. I mean the whole cause was a wheat bacteria/fungi called ergot. There the accused were questioned by a judge in front of a jury, which decided whether or not to indict the accused on charges of witchcraft. Now I know it is not only there that it existed. One other man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death after refusing to enter a plea, and at least five people . A lot was changing in colonial America at the time. I also have an ancestor, Mary Parsons, who was accused of witchcraft but she was allowed to live. Often, in movies and television and books, the accusers in the Salem trials are portrayed as angsty teenage girls, but thats not completely true. It was last edited on September 8, 2013 at 4:52 pm, Thank you, Rebecca, recently I have been down and this is a paper for a class Im failing, Thank you for helping me get an A, What is the publisher for this website? Most of the accused really had nowhere else to go and many of them didnt have the money to leave even if they wanted to. In June of 1692, the special Court of Oyer (to hear) and Terminer (to decide) sat in Salem to hear the cases of witchcraft. The Salem Witch Trials. The jail was a small wooden structure with a dungeon underneath. Europe's favorite test was the swimming test. To understand the events of theSalem Witch Trials, it is necessary to examine the times in which accusations of witchcraft occurred. Add in the numerous films and television series that reference Salem, and things get even more distorted. With a 1562 act now permitting the death penalty for acts of witchcraft, they were hanged. in journalism. The devil had won. Legal Legacy of the Salem Witch Trials. Questions VII & XI. It tells of a period of time where religious extremest of a good and pure faith massacred several of their own kind in demented and mad ways. "Reproducing Witchcraft: Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch to Live". Within minutes theyre led, hoods drawn over their heads, towards a rudimentary set of gallows, and their imminent executions. As in complaints upon witchcrafts, there may be matters of inquiry which do not amount unto matters of presumption, and there may be matters of presumption which yet may not be matters of conviction, so it is necessary, that all proceedings thereabout be managed with an exceeding tenderness towards those that may be complained of, especially if they have been persons formerly of an unblemished reputation. The theory first came to prominence in the 1970s, when Linnda R. Caporael wrote Ergotism: The Satan Loosed in Salem? Thank you so much for this! In isolated settlements, in dim, smoky, firelit homes, New Englanders lived very much in the dark, where one listens more acutely, feels more passionately, imagines most vividly, where the sacred and the occult thrive. These five executions were not the first in New England for the crime of witchcraft.