The Causes And Consequences Of The Salem Witch Trials

Between the months of June to September of 1692, the infamous witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts resulted in the hanging of 19 men and women; the deaths of five others, including two children, while imprisoned in jail; the pressing to death of an 80-year old man, and the stoning of two dogs for collaborating with the Devil. Hundreds of others faced accusations and dozens more were jailed for months during the progress of the trials. For over three hundred years these events have not only captured the general publics' imagination, but that of the academic community. Beginning with Charles Upham, in 1867, historians have attempted to explain the mass hysteria that swept through Salem in 1692. These accounts vary both in their

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, he writes, “We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!” (Miller 77). This partially fictionalized tale of the Salem Witch Trials points to one of the causes of the trials, vengeance, but the over dramatized tale 's early stages were quiet. The Salem Witch Episode had humble beginnings in the town of Salem Village, Massachusetts, but evolved into one of the most widely known witch trials in American History. The gallows in Salem claimed the lives of nineteen men and woman during the spring and summer of 1692 due to the accusations of witchcraft with over a hundred people who were accused. After all the terror and the uproar of the trials occurred, everything came to a screeching halt (Linder 1). Due to the unique circumstances of this particular set of witch trials, from the rampant accusations to the discontinuation of the trials mass hysteria does not seem to be fault as with other witch trials, but a variety of factors. The Salem witch trials were not just a simple case of mass hysteria, but a combination of factors ranging from poisons to superstitions to scapegoats, resulting in the outbreak of the Salem Witch episode.

The Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. As a wave of hysteria spread throughout colonial Massachusetts, a special court convened in Salem to hear the cases; the first convicted witch, Bridget Bishop, was hanged that June. By September 1692, the hysteria had begun to spread and public opinion turned against the trials. Though the Massachusetts General Court later annulled guilty verdicts against accused witches and granted indemnities to their families, bitterness lingered in the community, and the painful legacy of the Salem witch trials would endure for centuries.

The myths surrounding the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 spike the interest of historians and non-academics alike. These trials have been the concern of different historical articles, novels, plays, films, and even religious debates. One issue that is certain, is the hysteria of the community overwhelmed Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 and 1693. A particular primary source, “Accounts of the Salem Witchcraft Trials (1693)” by Cotton Mather, suggests that the actions brought forth provided proof of satanic work. Even though Mather was a contemporary observer, Mather fails to analyze the importance of the real contemporary issues displayed during the time of the trials. Furthermore, historian Kyle Koehler, takes a different approach in his review,

The Salem Witch Trials started in 1692 when two girls began to exhibit strange behaviors. Hysteria broke out and many believed they had been bewitched. Out of fear, many were accused of practicing witchcraft. One of the fist women to be accused along with Sarah Osburn and Sarah Good was Tituba, a slave to Reverend Samuel Parris. In the past there had been some loose accusations but Tituba’s confession made this time different. She was the first person to ever admit to being a witch. She went on to further explain that she was a witch for the devil and went into detail about her experiences practicing witchcraft. This caused a panic in Salem that led a full on witch-hunt. Around 200 people total were accused of being witches and 20 were killed during the Salem Witch Trials. (Foulds, D. E. p. 161, 168, 194)

Two hundred people were accused and twenty were executed between the years of 1692-1693 in Salem, Massachusetts due to suspicion of witchcraft. Although most, if not all of these people were falsely accused this act by the court could’ve ended up a good thing in Salem in the future. The Salem witch trials affected Salem positively and negatively. The unfortunate event helped positively towards the government because it separated law and church, but had a negative effect on the church making them lose credibility, and a clear negative effect on the people of Salem that died and were accused.

The Salem witch trials were based on the Puritans' belief in the conflict between God and Satan. Puritans had always believed that they were the new chosen people, abandoning a land of sin and oppression to establish the Promised Land. In the small town of Salem, Massachusetts, a town existing most of the Puritans, any sign, word, or even thought of the devil was considered immoral. One evening, many girls were found dancing, naked in the woods, with incriminating devil worshiping paraphernalia. When discovered they were accused of practicing witchcraft. The rumor of possible witches in Salem quickly spread throughout the community. Three girls Abigail ,Tituba, and Mary Warren caused mass hysteria in Salem through their alleged wrongdoings. The people of Salem were in uncertain times. Just a year earlier a witch in the nearby town of Beverly was executed and now the witch hysteria had spread to their village. Confused, the people didn't know who to blame whether it be the girls, the negro slave, or even the Devil himself. The deception of the witches of Salem was beginning. ... There

The Salem Witch Trials took place in Salem Village, Massachusetts in the time of the colonies. During and after the Salem Witch Trials took place, there was confusion and anxiety not only in Massachusetts, but in the surrounding colonies. Throughout the trials, many were falsely accused and imprisoned, fined, hanged, and even crushed to death. In the next few pages, I will talk about the cause, effect, and importance of the Salem Witch Trials.

What led to the Salem Witch Trials was merely domino effects and delusions. Whether possessed or not, many residents of Salem Village made a substantial amount of false accusations that resulted in nearly twenty deaths. Reverend Samuel Parris was elected minister in 1689 - three years prior to the mania of the Salem Witch Trials. His fervent urge of Puritanism further separated Salem Town, a prosperous town, and Salem Village, an agriculture based community. In January of 1692, nine-year-old Betty Parris, daughter of Samuel Parris, and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams of Salem Village started acting strange and began accusing people in Salem Town of witchcraft for possessing them. These accusations, quickly spreading by many of Salem

The Salem witch trials were an infamous series of prosecution and hearings of people in the colony of Massachusetts. These people were accused of witchcraft and were also said to be possessed by the devil. The majority of the trials began in January 1692 and ended by September 1692. Around two hundred individuals had been accused and twenty had died during the craze of the trials. These trials have had a legacy which has lasted for centuries.

The Salem Witch Trials was a series of events that killed innocent people and brought fear to the community. The infamous Salem witch trials began during the Spring of 1692, located in Salem Village, Massachusetts. The people of Salem wanted to purge against anything that was considered remotely unholy. A group of young girls claimed that they were possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. A special court was made due to this wave of hysteria that spreaded through colonial Massachusetts. The first convicted witch, Bridget Bishop, was hung in June of 1692. More than 150 men, women, and children were accused of being witches and eighteen others were trialed and executed. There were also two dogs that were trialed

The type of people involved in the trials was the surroundings of the Salem village, puritan religion, but mostly women. Their belief was sacred to both, god and devil. They believed that women were too weak to fight the devil and lose so they become the devil's servant, which is a witch. Puritans also believed in predestination which is having god already knowing it they go to heaven or hell. No matter what life they had, whether good or bad, they will be going to the place god assigns them.

It is important to note that in the 17th century, people from Massachusetts were exposed to a kind of fear that was linked to the Devil and being constantly portrayed as always finding for all possible ways to infiltrate and interfere with Christianity in the American society (Clark and Aronson 401). In connection to this, it is important to understand that the Salem community was one of the strongly religious communities living that lived in near isolation and to some extent, in its own New World where the sense of fearing the devil had been made a part of the society. The fear that the community living in this area had was triggered when Tituba, one of the accused witches went on to confess that she was working for the devil (Martin and Bascle 70).

The Salem Witch Trials were officially stopped on October 12, 1692 after the incarceration of hundreds of people and the murder of 20 innocents and two dogs. “Governor Phips issued [an] order that protected the current prisoners from harm and suspended any more arrest of people accused of witchcraft. Robert Calef, a merchant outraged by the progress of the trials, stated that Governor Phips only issued these orders on the belief that his own wife had been accused of working for Satan” (The End of the Salem Witch Trials). The aftermath of the trials was severe and left families completely broken. Those of which who died during the trials received no aid or closure for their families and those who were convicted and accused but still survived

The colonists of Salem were stressed about things such as the Native Americans, the hardships they were facing (History.com, 2011). This would result in the final blow to send them into a panic. They began to worry the devil was plotting against