The Witches Of Salem Witch Trials - 1760 Words

Salem, Massachusetts, the new English settlement for 17th century Protestants who wanted to purify the Church of England, was and is known for the atrocity that rattled the land. This atrocity, or The Salem Witch Trials, began around 1692, several years after the Puritans settled in Salem. During the Trials, an absurd amount of women, men, and even dogs were accused of being possessed by the Devil, thus making them perform witchcraft or wizardry on both townspeople and the townspeople’s valuables. Many women were found guilty of being witches and were executed by either hanging, stoning, or being burned at the stake. The Puritans made these women out to be horrible creatures, who followed orders from the Devil to reign havoc and terror†¦show more content†¦In an article explaining the relation between mycotoxins in rye and the behaviors of the accused, Alan Woolf explains, â€Å"Behaviors of a bewitched person frequently included sensations of pricking, pinching, or burning of the skin; fornication; animal imitation; odd contortions; simulated flying or diving; paralysis and rigidity; anorexia; the forced consumption of invisible fluids; and physical assaults or verbal insults† (458). In reading the excerpt from Woolf’s article, one can undoubtedly perceive that the behaviors of the accused and the symptoms of ergot poisoning are closely related. Yet, individuals should also consider the possibility that some of the documented behaviors of the accused are probably not completely reliable. The mycotoxins inevitably infected the vast majority of Salem, for if one consumed bread at the time, for example, they were presumably poisoned. With this being said, the accusers may have hallucinated some of the documented behaviors in the so called â€Å"bewitched† individuals. Additionally, the amount of rye consumed by each individual must be taken into consideration, for every individual reacts differently to toxins in their bodies. One may be completely unaffected by the ergot poisoning if he or she only consumes a small amount of bread with the poisoned rye, while another who eats a considerably greater amount of bread may begin to become hysteric and portray symptoms of what theShow MoreRelatedWitches And The Salem Witch Trials1272 Words   |  6 PagesHistorians called this period the dark time when men and women hunted for witches known as the Salem Witch trials. European descents brought them the belief in witches and the devil. These beliefs that they believed in so much were from the teaching of the catholic church. During the seventeenth century, people were executed for being believed they were witches and followers of Satan. Most of these executions were performed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Mainly all of the accused victims were womenRead MoreThe Witches Of Salem Witch Trials1371 Words   |  6 PagesMrs. Tammen Salem Witchcraft Trial Theories In the 1690s â€Å"The â€Å"afflicted† girls [whom] made the accusations were some of the most powerless members of their society† (â€Å"Part II: The Witches of Salem†). Salem Witch Trials quickly became famous and researchers began exploring the multiple possibilities behind the trials. Although many theories were considered, none could explain why so many were accused and hanged. Notably, ergot poisoning was a highly considered theory for the Salem trials. Farming conditionsRead MoreWitches And The Salem Witch Trials1676 Words   |  7 PagesWilliams, Mary Walcott, and Mary Warren are very important people in the Salem Witch Trials. There are conflicting opinions on whether or not witches exist. However, when taking a more in-depth look at the trials, it is very evident that witches in 17th century Salem did not exist; children were accusing people out of boredom, parents were using this as a type of revenge, and the witch tests were unjust. The 17th century Salem witch trials all started when 9-year-old Betty Parris and 11-year-old AbigailRead MoreWitches And The Salem Witch Trials1309 Words   |  6 Pageswhat when men and women hunted for witches known as the Salem Witch trials. This time will be forever remembered for the people in the town and the victims and family members of the horrifying time. European descents brought with many of them was the belief in witches and the devil. These beliefs that they believed in so much were from the teaching of the catholic church. During the seventeenth century, people were executed for being believed they were witches and followers of Satan. Most of theseRead MoreThe Witches : Salem Witch Trials Of 16922179 Words   |  9 Pagesrole did Tituba s confession to be a witch start the mass hunt for the witches in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692? This investigation will include details on the events that occurred after Tituba’s confession in Salem during 1962 and 1963. It will also include a brief description of society at the time and what societal pressures may have led to this horrific time. The first source that will be evaluated in depth is Stacy Schiff’s book â€Å"The Witches: Salem, 1692†, published in October 2015.Read MoreThe Witches : Suspicions, Betrayals And Hysteria Of The Salem Witch Trials Essay1169 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Stacy Schiff’s national bestseller The Witches highlights the suspicions, betrayals 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 penetratedRead MoreThe Salem Witches: Real or Imagined?1289 Words   |  5 Pages The Salem Witches: Real or Imagined? The Salem Witch Trials began because of a mysterious illness contracted by 11-year old Abigail Williams and her cousin Betty Paris (Burgan). Instead of looking for a logical explanation, the community immediately jumped to the conclusion that witches caused the girls curious behavior. Doctors commonly would diagnose an unknown illness as witchcraft, rather than looking for other explanations (Wolfinger). Erot of Rye, which causes severe contortions and hallucinationsRead MoreThe Hunt For Witches By William Golding1513 Words   |  7 PagesThe Hunt for Witches In 1692, Puritans practiced purity, worked hard and believed that God was the center of everything. The children were to be obedient to their parents and follow the ways of â€Å"pureness† outlined before them. They were to serve God and not participate in any form of witchcraft. The Puritans believed that anything that happened was either an act of God or the devil. However, the children loved the stories told by Tituba, a Barbadian slave, belonging to Reverend Parris and dancingRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials : A Time Of Chaos And Panic Essay1676 Words   |  7 Pages The Salem Witch Trials were a time of chaos and panic. It began in 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts. Three girls named Elizabeth (Betty) Parris, Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam began acting strange. They uttered odd words and sounds, threw things and had trance-like states. People were terrified and they didn’t know what to do. The fact that the girls had been playing a fortune telling game bef ore the strange behavior didn’t help the cause. After Reverend Parris (Elizabeth’s father) performedRead MoreSalem Witch Trials1478 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a series of trials in which twenty-four people were killed after being accused of practicing witchcraft. These trials were caused by different social climates of the area including the very strong lack of a governor, the split between Salem Village and Salem Town, and the strict puritan lifestyle during the time period. Tituba, the black slave, was a foreigner from Barbados. Her role in society was to take care of Mr. Parris’s family. Tituba’s situation contributed