Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings in colonial era Massachusetts, where several women and a few men were accused of witchcraft. They lasted between February of 1692 to May of 1693.
History
In 1692, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, girl of 9 and 11 respectively, had fits that were "beyond the power of Epileptic Fits or natural disease to effect." The girls said they felt like they were being pricked with pins and being pinched, they contorted their bodies into weird positions, and uttered strange sounds. A doctor, thought to be William Griggs (but there is no formal account of who it is) found no physical ailments. Over time, more women in Salem Village began to exhibit these sorts of behaviors.
Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba (a slave belonging to Samuel Parris) were the first three women accused of afflicting Betty Parris, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., and Elizabeth Hubbard. It is suspected that there was a large family feud between the Putnam and Porter families because of the accusation by Ann Putnam Jr. Everyone in Salem was involved in this feud, and would often debate and fight one another just because of their opinions on the feud.
Sarah Good was a beggar, and was accused of witchcraft because of her unsavory reputation. The puritans said she chose to torment and "scorn [children] instead of leading them towards the path of salvation."
Sarah Osborne didn't visit church meetings often. She was accused of witchcraft because other Salem residents thought that she had her own self-interests in mind (at this time, helping out others and appearing very open and charitable was a big deal) when she remarried an indentured servant. Attempting to control the inheritance of her son from a previous marriage also infuriated the puritans.
Tituba, as a woman from another race and religion, was quick to be accused by the puritans. She's said to have attracted young girls such as Betty Parris and Abigail Williams with stories from Malleus Maleficarum, which contained tales of fortune telling, melding men's minds, and sexual encounters with demons.
Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba (a slave belonging to Samuel Parris) were the first three women accused of afflicting Betty Parris, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., and Elizabeth Hubbard. It is suspected that there was a large family feud between the Putnam and Porter families because of the accusation by Ann Putnam Jr. Everyone in Salem was involved in this feud, and would often debate and fight one another just because of their opinions on the feud.
Sarah Good was a beggar, and was accused of witchcraft because of her unsavory reputation. The puritans said she chose to torment and "scorn [children] instead of leading them towards the path of salvation."
Sarah Osborne didn't visit church meetings often. She was accused of witchcraft because other Salem residents thought that she had her own self-interests in mind (at this time, helping out others and appearing very open and charitable was a big deal) when she remarried an indentured servant. Attempting to control the inheritance of her son from a previous marriage also infuriated the puritans.
Tituba, as a woman from another race and religion, was quick to be accused by the puritans. She's said to have attracted young girls such as Betty Parris and Abigail Williams with stories from Malleus Maleficarum, which contained tales of fortune telling, melding men's minds, and sexual encounters with demons.
These three women fit the profile of "typical witches," outcasts that didn't exactly agree with everyone else' s views. Nobody defended them, they were brought to the magistrates and starting on March 1, 1692, were interrogated for several days and then sent to jail. Martha Corey, Dorothy Good, Rebecca Nurse, and Rachel Clinton (from Ipswich, near Salem) were also accused. Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse were members of their churches, showing that even church members could not escape accusation. Approximately 150 people were accused, and twenty women (and men) were killed-- most hanged, except for one man, who was crushed to death underneath stones. Five more died in jail, bringing the number to about 25.
Impact
The Salem Witch Trials were a period of incredible religious persecution, and it killed several men and women. They've become infamous, and the topic of the young girls' symptoms are still being speculated about it today. Traces of LSD has been found in Salem's water, and could explain some of the phenomena. Modern historians seem to think they were caused more by jealousy, need for attention, hatred, and religious prejudice.