The Accusation of Witches in Puritan, New England

The American weakness in times of trouble is the instinctive act of finding a scapegoat. Stemming from the Calvinistic religious beliefs of the Puritans who immigrated to America, anything that strays from the predestined lives of these puritanical people is the result of sin. The ideas of original sin and predestination are at the heart of Calvinism. Thus, the Calvinist Puritans have their lives planned out for them by God before birth and anything that disrupts that plan must be eradicated. It was on the basis 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†¦show more content†¦It was because of this idea that more women than men were brought to trial, found guilty, and killed. Women, once accused of witchcraft, were almost certain to burn at the stakes because once accused publicly, a woman entered i nto a modern day lose-lose situation. If she sits idly at her trial and makes no attempt to refute the evidence presented against her, she is presumed guilty because she cannot prove herself innocent. However, if she defends herself, she is considered to be possessed by the devil for acting out of her sex. This was the case in the infamous trial of Anne Hutchinson. It is clear from the transcript that Winthrop was accusing Hutchinson of minor wrongdoings and had already set his mind on destroying her. Gov.: You have maintained a meeting and an assembly in your house that hath been condemned by the general assembly as a thing not tolerable nor comely in the sight of God nor fitting for your sex, and not withstanding that was cried down you have continued the same. (156) Further down in his opening speech to the court, the governor states, if you be in erroneous way we may reduce you that so you may become a profitable member here among us, otherwise if you be obstinate...the court may take such course that you may trouble us no further (156). The governor plainly states yet another cause for the rise of the Puritan witch hunts in New England, sexism. It was not fitting for women to hold meetings independent of men. In the actualShow MoreRelatedSalem Witch Trials Paranoia Essay1629 Words   |  7 PagesIn the 1680’s and 1690’s there was mass hysteria in New England over supposed witchcraft. The most famous outbreak was in Salem, Massachusetts, hence the name Salem Witch Trials. In Salem, there were young girls who started acting strangely, and they leveled accusations of witchcraft against some of the West Indian servants who were immersed in voodoo tradition. Most of the accusations were against women, and soon the accusations started to shift to the substantial and prominent women. NeighborsRead MoreThe Causes of the Salem Witch Trials (DBQ)1337 Words   |  4 Pagespeople throughout New England during the 1680s and 1690s seem preposterous. Any behavior regarded as strange by fellow citizens was sufficient to hold a trial with a sentence of death. Though such scenarios seem unfathomable in our modern culture, it was a reality for hundreds of New England settlers. The causes of the famous outbreak of witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts are rooted in social, economic, and political aspects of the late 17th century Salem community. Early New Englanders were unableRead MoreAmerican Horror Story: Witch Hunt702 Words   |  3 PagesThe fear of and execution of witches isnt only an American horror story, this particular hunt was in place in England before. In 1542 parliament made witchcraft a capital crime, and between the years of 1645-1647 several hundred were hanged(Karlsen 2). Although in theory, men and children could be witches but still ninety percent of the witches hanged in England were women. The country feared the witches because of the belief that they caused harm on neighbors and properties, also called maleficium(KarlsenRead MoreThe Trials Of The Salem Witch Trials891 Words   |  4 Pagespeople were unjustly murdered after trials found them guilty of acts of witchcraft. The series of hearings and prosecutions of the accused witches in colonial Massachusetts marks one of the nation s most notorious cases of mass hysteria. The reasons behind the trials and deaths are complex and multifaceted. Intern al disputes, strict religious lifestyles, accusations from young children, witch hunting methods, spectral evidence, and even some medical theories all stand as causes of the Salem Witch TrialsRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Essay1333 Words   |  6 Pageswitchcraft. The puritanical society of New England emphasized a need for a Bible-based society, which caused a fear of the supernatural and gave rise to the false accusations of â€Å"witches.† With testimonies of witches rooted in the Old Testament, the idea of witchcraft eventually made its way into the superstitious and everyday Puritan life, and was fueled by the rejection of the group during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The intense paranoia among the Puritans eventually led the group to go as farRead MorePuritans And The Church Of England1301 Words   |  6 Pagesthe seventeenth century, England Puritans noticed that the Church of England was tolerating too many practices that were associated with the Church of Rome. The Puritans frowned upon this. The Puritans held a high view of scripture and believed that the English Reformation had not gone far enough in reforming the church (The Puritan Beliefs, 2004). The England Puritans desired to ‘purify’ and change the church from within, however it was unsuccessful in England and Puritans relocated. In the early-midRead MoreExecuted For Witchcraft In 1692: Fourteen Women, Five Men1695 Words   |  7 Pageswhere witches were burnt on the stake. Today, witches are featured in films and television with little to no fear publicly shown. But the witch hunts of the 1600’s would be a result of not only fear, but the hopes of gaining the att ention of the public eye. The three major factors that influenced the Salem Witch Trials were fear, religion, and hunger for power. What needs to be known to understand the events that would occur are the ideas of the Puritans during the time-period. The Puritans wouldRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trial1152 Words   |  5 Pageswere the evil works of the witches, and the Devil. Among many Puritans, this belief becomes a fear, and then this fear becomes like an additional topping that adds up to causing convulsive hysteria and also hallucinations which were caused by Ergot Poisoning. So, here is where the role of Convulsive Hysteria and Ergotism comes in play. The ergot poisoning in Salem villagers’ every day meal of bread made with ‘rye’ leads to severe physical disorders, hallucination of witches and devils, and other seriousRead MoreThe Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials1173 Words   |  5 PagesWitch Trials in New England comprised the largest outbreak of witchcraft panic in American history. Historians and scientists have contributed the accusations of witchcraft in the early 1690’s to everything, from disease, religious and political agendas, to harsh weather. It is believed that a better understanding of the cause of the atrocities in Salem, and those like it, may prevent such events from reoccurring. Despite many years of study, however, what caused such panic in New England and the subsequentRead MoreEscaping Salem Book Questions Answers1463 Words   |  5 Pagesinitiates trial by going to ------ magistrate c) possibly influences Katherine’s accusations d) â€Å"Nathaniel and Abigail cross had confronted Mister Wescot with the charge that Kate was counterfeiting her torments to which he replied â€Å"I’ll venture†¦ that she’ll do a trick tomorrow morning that nobody else can†. 5) Abigail Wescot a) Wife of Daniel Wescot b) Master of Katherine Branch c) Possibly influences Katherine’s accusations i) Mentions possible names while Katherine is â€Å"unconscious† in her â€Å"fits† ii)