Analysis of the Salem Witch Trials - 2099 Words

History generally regards the period of Salem witchcraft trials as a radical instatement of religious zeal which favored superstition over reason and targeted a large number of women over a much smaller number of men. Admittedly, the 1692 witchcraft crisis is a very complex historical episode, yet seeing as the majority of the people involved were women, it can be perceived as a gender issue, and illustrative for the definition of the role of women in New England. The present works aim is to outline the colonial mindset concerning women and present relevant theories by means of analyzing three cases of witchcraft accusation together with delving into the accusers perspective. The Puritans that comprised the colony of Salem, Massachusetts, were extremely religious, attributing biblical meaning to all aspects of their lives and being accustomed to personify the devil (Kocić, 2010). Specifically, church elders strongly believed that their congregation was superlatively righteous and for this reason the devil would try to target it with attacks in all forms, hence it was impressed upon the community to be vigilant against any signs of his presence. Such signs were subject to interpretation, yet they were generally concentrated on negative events which occurred unexplainably in the colony, for instance in the eventuality of a crop failure, stillborn children, or serious disease of an unknown nature. Common perception identified a witch as someone who bonded their body andShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Salem Witch Trials 1131 Words   |  5 PagesFrom the 1300s to early 1600 the â€Å"witch craze† (Blumberg) struck Europe accusing many of being wi tches. In 1889 King William of England pronounced a war with France in the American colonies known as King William’s War. The war hit regions of New York, Nova Scotia, and Quebec, sending refugees to the Essex County and Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This caused the spread of hysteria from Europe to the American colonies. Accusations of witches drove Salem, Massachusetts into a state ofRead MoreSix Women Of Salem Book Review1124 Words   |  5 PagesYasmin Valdez 11/23/15 History 1302 Book Review â€Å"Six Women of Salem† Book Review, By Marilyne K. Roach Marilynne K. Roach is a resident of Watertown, Massachusetts. She went on to graduate with a BFA from MCA (Massachusetts College of Art) but she uniquely gives credit to the public library systems for the rest of her education. This is very interesting to me because she says that libraries are what she owes to her education to. Because of all the books she reads she later turns out to be a greatRead MoreSalem Witch Hysteria And Trials1620 Words   |  7 PagesSalem Witch Hysteria and Trials Joshua Furman History 121: Early America to the Civil War Dr. Phillip Hamilton November 18, 2015  The Salem Witch Trial consisted of heinous accusations implicated by Cotton Mather which effected society as a hole and gave reasoning to the numerous amount of witch stories we hear today. Cotton Mather was the eldest son of Increase Mather, Massachusetts most influential and well known Puritan minister, and the grandson of John Cotton, Salem’s spiritualRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials of 1692941 Words   |  4 PagesA. Plan of the investigation The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a dark and very crucial time in American history. The late sixteen hundreds consisted of relying on young girls for the truth; but to what extent did the puritan’s religion and culture have in the proceedings of the Salem Witch Trials? A focus on the religion that the puritans believed in and their culture will be discussed. Also, how their faith turned them against those who were accused of witchcraft. It is also neededRead MoreSalem Witch Trials975 Words   |  4 Pagespeople of Salem, Massachusetts, however they struggled to do so. Salem faced a major change as a result of the Puritan ambition. Because of their thought on the ideal community as a straitlaced society, those who portrayed an imperfect model were to be isolated. Suspicion flooded the holy Puritan town, and led to accusations of innocent people. After a close analysis, it may be relevant to look at the Puritan belief system as a possible catalyst for the events th at occurred during the Salem witch trialsRead MoreThe Witches : Suspicions, Betrayals And Hysteria Of The Salem Witch Trials Essay1169 Words   |  5 Pagesbetrayals and hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials. In 1692, the commonwealth of Massachusetts executed five men, fourteen women, and two dogs for witchcraft. One might wonder how and why this Puritan colony became so caught up in this witch frenzy. In this book she is able to paint a clear picture of the panic that occurred among the people of Salem. â€Å"In three hundred years, we have not adequately penetrated nine months of Massachusetts history.If we knew more about Salem, we might attend to it lessRead MoreThe Impact Of The Salem Witch Trials1263 Words   |  6 PagesThe 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, â€Å"Accounts of the Salem Witchcraft Trials (1693)† by Cotton Mather, suggests that the actions brought forth provided proof of satanicRead MoreThe Moral Complexity Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1681 Words   |  7 Pagesback home. The characters Hawthorne chooses have some relation to either the trials or the Christian way of life. Back in the middle 1900s, the society r elied heavily on the church. During the time of the trials, many were accused of witchcraft if for no other reason than because they did not â€Å"fit† the norm of society. If a person was not seen as â€Å"normal† in their society they were not accepted. Society during the trials believed that any absence of church rules came from the devil. Because societyRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials869 Words   |  4 Pagesbefore us. This causes us to neglect to face the corruption present in our own lives. Most people can recall when they first learned about the Salem Witch trials that occurred in 1693 because they were shocked and horrified that the townspeople let these events take place and spiral. What people do not realize is that they are like the townspeople in Salem, Massachusetts and similar injustices and dangerous abuses of power in the name of government and religion are happening right around them nowRead MoreThe Outbreak Of Witchcraft Accusations Of 1692 In Salem, 1730 Words   |  7 Pages The outbreak of witchcraft accusations of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts was a devastating period for those involved in the crisis. Because of the random and frequent witchcraft accusations made throughout the time of the trials, the reoccurring characteristics that were often indicative of an individual’s likelihood of being accused of witchcraft were not always consistent. In John Demos’s book Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England he includes a diagram containing