Salem witch trials (1692-93), a series of investigations and persecutions that caused 19 convicted 'witches' to be hanged and many other suspects to be imprisoned in Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Q&A: Were ducking stools ever used as punishment for crimes other than witchcraft during the Middle Ages. Keeping to yourself and minding your own business seemed suspicious. 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. Instead, in 1692, hanging was the preferred form of punishment. 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. The hysteria gripping Salem a settlement resonating with the incessant sound of accusation and counteraccusation showed that no-one was exempt from suspicion. Massachusetts was an outpost of Gods chosen people in a hostile wilderness in the 17th century. The pair had been bewitched. All of the accused were finally pardoned in 1711. 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. If these individuals had never written these books or helped record the proceedings, we wouldnt know half of what we know about the witch trials. How twisted is that? Device reportedly admitted an act of bewitchment, as well as accusing another woman of undertaking similar practices. The Salem witch trials began because a group of girls claimed they were possessed by the devil. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Wigington, Patti. Then say they were wrong. Did the Putnams purchase any of the land from those who were accused and killed? 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. Get ready to pull out your history books as we bring you the most DISTURBING facts about the Salem Witch Trials. According to USLegal.com, Spectral evidence refers to a witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. The Salem witch trials began because a group of girls claimed they were possessed by the devil. I hope ill get the chance to read it some day! Historians and sociologists have examined this most complex episode in our history so that we may understand the issues of that era and view subsequent events with heightened awareness. What gave witches away were body marks, such as scars and moles. 1982)]. Wow. The Salem Witch Trials began in spring 1692 and lasted for seven months, during which more than 150 people where arrested, 19 were hanged and one was tortured to death. I find the history interesting and would like to find more information on this matter. Thank you, using this as a source! Critics such as Proctor were quickly accused of witchcraft themselves, under the assumption that anyone who denied the existence of witches or defended the accused must be one of them, and were brought to trial. These were the last hangings of the Salem Witch Trials. By now, seven months on from the arrest of Sarah Good, the hysteria was decelerating. 10 Unsettling Facts About The Witch Trials, The Symptoms That Gave Witches Away Make No Sense At All, Women Could Save Themselves By Pointing A Finger (At Someone Innocent), Witch Trials In Germany Took Thousands Of Lives, It Wasn't Just Women Who Suffered Because Of The Trials, The Witch Tests Often Had No Way Of Getting Out Alive, As If They Didn't Suffer Enough, Social Outcasts Had It The Worst, Scary Stories: 10 Places For Stephen King Fans To Visit, 10 Scary Churches From Around The World That Will Creep You Out, Spooky Places: 10 Destinations For Fans Of Witches. Massachusetts Archives, Vol. I was wondering if there was a written document or agreement signed that ended the trials. The leading independent voice for aviation news and insight. George Burroughs, a minister, was one of the few men accused of witchcraft during the trials. Other victims include two dogs who were shot or killed after being suspected of witchcraft. 1 Most of the accused were women but men were accusedand executedtoo. I find this to be very well put and want to read more. One of the most popular theories as to what could have caused the mass hysteria of Salem in 1692 is that of ergot poisoning. Bridget Bishop - The First to Die in Salem Witch Trials, 8 Famous Witches From Mythology and Folklore, Salem, Massachusetts, and the famous trial in 1692, witchcraft was not seen as a religion at all. I also have an ancestor, Mary Parsons, who was accused of witchcraft but she was allowed to live. Corey, a woman who, in her own words, had made a profession of Christ and rejoiced to go and hear the word of God, had drawn the attention of the prosecutors by offering the opinion that the accusers were just poor, distracted children. In mid-January 1692, Elizabeth "Betty" Parris, the 9-year-old daughter of the local Reverend Samuel Parris, and. The Salem witch trials started with two girls having unexplainable fits. In June of 1692, the special Court of Oyer (to hear) and Terminer (to decide) sat in Salem to hear the cases of witchcraft. (Eds.). Despite its power as a cautionary tale, Salem remains an enigma that continues to fascinate and beguile more than three centuries later. The Examination of Bridget Bishop, April 19, 1692. The Story of the Salem Witch Trials is a history of that event. On May 27, 1692, after weeks of informal hearings accompanied by imprisonments, Sir William Phips (also spelled Phipps), the governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, interceded and ordered the convening of an official Court of Oyer ("to hear") and Terminer ("to decide") in Salem Town. Hope that helps with your bibliography. The witchcraft hysteria in Salem first began in January of 1692 when a group of young girls, who later came to be known as the afflicted girls, fell ill after playing a fortune-telling game and began behaving strangely. The number of accusations and arrests began to decline in June but still continued and soon the local jails held more than 200 accused witches. Related: Scary Stories: 10 Places For Stephen King Fans To Visit. an A on my report i mean >< From unbelievable witch swimming tests to th. I know that the accusers, at least some of them were aligned with the Putnam family who was known to have land disputes with several of the villagers. Mather saw the war against Satan as being just as important as the war against the French and the local Native American tribes. Hi William, thats really cool that you are a descendant of Mary Easty. 5 Facts About the Salem Trials. We also have kept good records of everything. Thanks so much! Second, everyone got their food from the same place, so symptoms would have occurred in every household, not just a select few. One person was pressed to death, and over 150 others were jailed, where still others died. See, the concept of fake news is nothing new. This site helped a lot for me to understand the history of Salem. 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. Other factors included a recent small pox epidemic in the colony, growing rivalries between families within the colony, a constant threat of attack from nearby Native-American tribes, and a recent influx of refugees trying to escape King Williams war with France in Canada and New York. Well, Sharis, the Salem Witch Trials are quite complicated and cant be accurately summed up in a short article. Did you know they executed 2 dogs?! The torture consisted of laying the prisoner on the ground, naked, with a board placed on top of him. "Essay IV Against modern Sadducism in the matter of Witches and Apparitions" in Essay on several important subjects in philosophy and religion, 2nd Ed, London; printed for John Baker and H. Mortlock, 1676, pp. The Salem Witch Trials offered a salutary lesson not only to the colony of Massachusetts Bay but also to the new nation that would be forged in the following century. When Nurse was first arrested, many members of the community signed a petition asking for her release. Only the intervention of Cotton Mather whonappeased the crowd with the observation that the devil had often been transformed into the Angel of Light ensured that the hangings continued as scheduled. 82 (Boston: Wright and Potter, 1902), pp. 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. I just found this out. I am the author and publisher of this blog. 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. The parallels between the Salem Witch Trials and more modem examples ofwitch huntinglike the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, are remarkable. 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. 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. The governor released the last few prisoners the following May. Salem witch trials. 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. It disgusts me but at the same time interests me, and makes me want to learn more. Also i seems like a smarter thing to do at the moment if you had a rival with one of the families in town. Salem Village began that slow decay which eventually erased its houses and walls, but never its name and memory.. 2, no. In April, more women were accused, as well as a number of men:Sarah CloyceElizabeth ProctorJohn ProctorGiles CoreyAbigail HobbsDeliverance HobbsWilliam HobbsMary WarrenBridget BishopSarah WildesNehemiah Abbott Jr.Mary EastyEdward BishopSarah BishopMary EnglishPhillip EnglishReverend George BurroughsLydia DustinSusannah MartinDorcas HoarSarah Morey. His diagnosis of bewitchment put into motion the forces that would ultimately result in the hanging deaths of 19 men and women. Even poor animals were not safe and they could actually get accused and executed as well. Bridget was accused by five of the afflicted girls, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott and Elizabeth Hubbard, who stated she had physically hurt them and tried to make them sign a pact with the devil. Salem Village was populated mostly by poor farmers, and Salem Town was a prosperous port full of middle-class and wealthy merchants. Bridget Bishop was the first person brought to trial. The puritans, who had left England due to religious persecution, feared their religion was under attack again and worried they were losing control of their colony. As for why these victims were targeted in the first place, historians have noted that many of the accused were wealthy and held different religious beliefs than their accusers. The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. On December 17, 1697, Governor Stoughton issued a proclamation in hopes of making amends with God. Curious to know the Publisher of this article. The preacher sad they could not kill the devil by shooting the dog but did anyway. The new court released those awaiting trial and pardoned those awaiting execution. The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schnauzer. Due to overcrowding in the jails, the accused witches were kept in multiple jails in Salem town, Ipswich and Boston. A strong belief in the devil, factions amongSalem Village familiesand rivalry with nearby Salem Town combined with a recent small pox epidemic and the threat of attack by warring tribes created a fertile ground for fear and suspicion. By the end of May, more than 60 people were in custody; the vast majority were women, but a handful of men were also detained. Often, in movies and television and books, the accusers in the Salem trials are portrayed as angsty teenage girls, but thats not completely true. When we think of witches today, we think of girls with crystals and hats who like to listen to Stevie Nicks. Cant wait to visit this place! Bishop had been accused of witchcraft years before but was cleared of the crime. Its a common myth that the Salem Witch Trials victims were burned at the stake. As a direct result, food became scarce and taxes higher. As the innocent women approached the gallows, in the last moments of their lives, they continued to protest their innocence. Get 6 issues for 19.99 and receive a 10 gift card* PLUS free access to HistoryExtra.com, Save 70% on the shop price when you subscribe today - Get 13 issues for just $49.99 + FREE access to HistoryExtra.com. Another interesting fact about the witch trials is not everyone in Salem actually believed in witchcraft or supported the trials. Its pretty hard to show any sort of concrete, tangible evidence that someone is in league with the Devil or fiddling around with spirits. 62, No. And if you take away my life, God will give you blood to drink.. All Top Ten Lists History and Events Top 10 Dark Truths About the Salem Witch Trials We have all had to acknowledge the Salem Witch Trials, at one poimt or another, in this place called USA.To put it simply, the Salem Witch Trials were essentially the American equivalent to the Dark Ages, although the United States was not yet a proper sovreign nation, at the time. I need to do a bibliography, and I have this page on it. Through the loss of 20 lives, the episode continues to warn of the dangers of insularity and isolationism, of intolerance, of religious extremism. Bettys alarmed father, the Reverend Parris, immediately called on a doctor to examine the girls. in journalism. This was the name that was given to the evil spirits that were supposedly floating around the witches while they practiced their dark arts. Sources:Upham, Charles W. Salem Witchcraft: With an Account of Salem Village and a History of Opinions on Witchcraft. Do not lay more stress on pure spectral evidence than it will bear, he cautioned. hope you in joy it was really helpful to my students and i, Thankyou this helpedme a lot for my 3 page essay in english 11 class. Thank-you for the great info you have shared. Even Sarah Goods four-year-old daughter Dorothy was arrested and interrogated by the magistrates. For everyone who remains intrigued by Salem, here are a few lesser-known facts about the witchcraft 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. Salem Witch Trials from William A. Crafts Did the people really believe in witches? The theory first came to prominence in the 1970s, when Linnda R. Caporael wrote Ergotism: The Satan Loosed in Salem? I love this site! Thank you for this amazing article! The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a dark time in American history. The infamous Salem witch trials lasted for approximately one year. Within minutes theyre led, hoods drawn over their heads, towards a rudimentary set of gallows, and their imminent executions. What were the witch trials in Salem actually about and how did it all start? Encyclopdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them. The Trials Salem had become a hotbed for accusations of witchcraft. Crown Publishers Inc., 1959. Here are 10 facts about the witch trials that will surely send chills down your spine. In Salem for example, the first significant victim of the witch trials was Tituba, a slave from the Caribbean. "Reproducing Witchcraft: Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch to Live". The less-than-thorough procedures of the Salem courtroom also prompted tighter, more rational legal processes that would later be enshrined in the US Constitution. Glanvill, Joseph. Native History & Indigenous Acknowledgement, The Journey from 1692 to Salems Modern Witch Community. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. The trials are believed to have been the reason why the US constitution recognizes witchcraft as a legal religion. Wigington, Patti. Hi Sarah, Her son Richard is one of my 8th great grandfathers and I keep waiting for a DNA match to pop up with one of his other descendants. In seventeenth-century New England, pretty much everyone was practicing some form of Christianity. This is really great. A Reply. Here's how they got it done. Judge Stoughton asked the jury to reconsider their verdict. Corbis/VCG via Getty Images / Getty Images. thank you for the bibliography it helps a lot! In short, Spanos and Gottlieb believe that the ergotism theory is off-base for several reasons. Europe's favorite test was the swimming test. However, the subtlety of the ministers response was largely sidelined by the grand jury, who drew their energy from one particular concluding line from Mather: we cannot but humbly recommend unto the government, the speedy and vigorous prosecution of such as have rendered themselves obnoxious. In possession of such a mandate, the trials moved up a gear. In 2017, on the 325th anniversary of the Salem Witch Trials, the newly built Proctors Ledge Memorial was unveiled at the base of the ledge on Pope Street. Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, vol. Dramatic historic events such as witch trials didn't just come out of nowhere. To identify witches, authorities used the "touching test", in which victims of witchcraft would become calm upon touching the culprit. DHowlett1692, who blogs regularly about all things Salem, cites a 1977 article by Nicholas P. Spanos and Jack Gottlieb that disputes Caporaels ergotism study. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1. This helped me a lot with an assignment i had to do for school, but i cant find the publisher sadly. The persecutors had to come up with a whole irrational legal system in order to justify this insanity. "Maleus Maleficarum Part I.". This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Finally, many of the symptoms described by witnesses stopped and began again based on external circumstances, and that simply doesnt happen with physiological illness. This helped with my English assignment! Thanks! The punishment was hanging. The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between early 1692 and mid-1693. A secondary source would be a book, journal or article written long after the event by someone who didnt experience it first hand. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/facts-about-the-salem-trials-2562897. A child pointed to a dog and said it bewitched me and shot the dog immediately. For years, Salem Village tried to separate itself politically from Salem Town. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. No more restricting property ownership and voting rights to only church members. The doctors diagnosis? This site is not a part of the Smithsonian website. They were soft, obvious targets for a mistrustful, God-fearing populace living along strictly defined lines. Wrong. i need it for my bibliography, do you have any websites that could help me to find the secondary source? Between 1692 and 1693, more than two hundred people were accused. what is a secondary source in this salem witch trail! My fathers family have lived in this area for centuries. During that time, 19 people were hanged and one person was pressed to death. Abigail Williams: The Mysterious Afflicted Girl. Nobecause certainly there are some Christians who dobut theres no historical evidence that anyone was really working any kind of magic in Salem. Thanks! Massachusetts Only Apologized in 1957 Salem Witch Trials have haunted Salem, now known as Danvers and the entire state of Massachusetts for centuries. 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. 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. Theres always a lot of discussion in the Pagan community about theso-called Burning Times, which is the term used to describe the witch hunts of early modern Europe. Shortly after Sir William Phips appointment as Governor, he was forced to establish a court to deal with those who had been locked up in jail and were awaiting trial. Every March, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of women as part of Womens History Month. Check them out below. The other two accused and arrested at the same time were Sarah Osborne and Tituba, the Parriss black slave. The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology. Salem witch trial started as feud between Porters n putnums cuz putnums felt Porters gave too much freedom to their black servants. It will be very easy. This really helped with my homework on the salem witch trials cause soon we are going to do an essay on this very soon. Around the end of September, the use of spectral evidence was finally declared inadmissible, thus marking the beginning of the end of the Salem Witch Trials. Salem Village was populated mostly by poor farmers, and Salem Town was a prosperous port full of middle-class and wealthy merchants. The witch trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. How were the 2 dogs killed during the salem witch trials? As the years went by, the colonists felt ashamed and remorseful for what had happened during the Salem Witch Trials. HI there! First, there are a number of ergot poisoning symptoms which were not reported by those who claimed to be afflicted by witchcraft. Bad weather isn't the only reason why the witch hype began. The first of the girls to start experiencing symptoms was Betty Parris, followed by Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., Mary Walcott and Mercy Lewis. As a devout and strongly religious community living in near isolation in the mysterious New World, the community of Salem had a heightened sense of fear of the Devil and, as a result, it didnt take much to convince the villagers that there was evil among them. One other man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death after refusing to enter a plea, and at least five people . Learn Religions, Sep. 9, 2021, learnreligions.com/facts-about-the-salem-trials-2562897. Children were also accused of witchcraft. If the accused was indicted, they were not allowed a lawyer and they had to decide to plead guilty or not guilty with no legal counsel to guide them. No way to fight its power. There is actually a compilation of all of the primary sources on the Salem Witch Trials. Europe, on the other hand, was super into dramatic flames. The primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials offer a wealth of information on these infamous trials. 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. How should I cite this? Thats where spectral evidence comes in, and it played a significant role in the Salem trials. Hi Julanii, I am the writer and publisher of this article. As if the class and religious differences werent bad enough, Salem was in an area that was under regular attack from Native American tribes. On October 29, 1692, Phips dissolved the Court of Oyer and Terminer, a decision that marked the beginning of the end for the Salem witch trials. On October 29, Phips dismissed the Court of Oyer and Terminer. Can u imagine how her family must have felt after satan used them to kill all those people who had family members who had disagreed with them? Sarah Wildes was my 8th great grandmother. Kisses and xoxo The other two accused women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osbourne, werent well liked by the community either. All witches are women, but not every woman is a witch. The state amended the 1957 apology on the exact date i was born. Another notable person who was accused of witchcraft was Captain John Alden Jr., the son of the Mayflower crew member John Alden. In pre-echoes of what would later occur in Salem, panic took hold of the local community, with accusations flying in all directions. I mean the whole cause was a wheat bacteria/fungi called ergot. Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2005Upham, Charles Wentworth. Note: it is expensive. Another five were executed exactly a month later on 19 August, four of whom were men. I thought witchcraft only existed in Africa. Boston, MA. When visiting Salem, there are so many entertaining shows that were inspired by the real-life tragedies that took place in this spooky town. I am totally shocked to be related in this way. The 17th century Salem has nothing on witch hunts that went down in Europe. Although spectral evidence, evidence based on dreams and visions, wasnt the only evidence used in court during the Salem Witch Trails, it was the most common evidence and the easiest evidence for accusers to fake. 135, p. 112, No. Thank you so much for this! Is the tv show Salem based on the Salem Witch Trials? Hemmed in by the ocean to the east and by an untamed wilderness to the west, settlers were completely disconnected from both the mother country on the other side of the Atlantic and the remainder of the American continent.