facts about the salem witch trials facts about the salem witch trials

The Salem Witch Trials Victims: Who Were They? Even poor animals were not safe and they could actually get accused and executed as well. There are many theories that explain why the witch trials began in Medieval Europe. The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of Add in the numerous films and television series that reference Salem, and things get even more distorted. Salem Witch Trials Memorial at Proctor's Ledge The first of the girls to start experiencing symptoms was Betty Parris, followed by Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., Mary Walcott and Mercy Lewis. You can unsubscribe at any time. These women were Sarah Good, Sarah Osburn and a slave named Tituba who worked for Reverend Samuel Parris. Daily chores, business matters and other activities were neglected during the chaos of the witch trials, causing many problems in the colony for years to come, according to the book The Witchcraft of Salem Village: The whole colony, moreover, had suffered. Salem witch trial started as feud between Porters n putnums cuz putnums felt Porters gave too much freedom to their black servants. The mayhem all started in 1692, when two cousins aged nine and 11 began experiencing delusions, strange fits, and other mysterious maladies. 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. It was not difficult for the people of Salem to believe they were involved in witchcraft. HI there! Salem Village was populated mostly by poor farmers, and Salem Town was a prosperous port full of middle-class and wealthy merchants. Salem Village began that slow decay which eventually erased its houses and walls, but never its name and memory.. Is there any credence to this theory? Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 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. A child pointed to a dog and said it bewitched me and shot the dog immediately. They were part of a long story of witch hunts that began in Europe in the 14th century. He is recorded to have recited a prayer uttered with such composedness from many, so that it seemed to some that the spectators would hinder the execution. I sincerely cant thank you enough! These spirits could inhabit any human or any creature. 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. Wiggin and Lunt, 1867.Crewe, Sabrina and Michael V. Uschan. Salem Village was populated mostly by poor farmers, and Salem Town was a prosperous port full of middle-class and wealthy merchants. The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a dark time in American history. 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. Salem Witch Trials - Events, Facts & Victims - HISTORY Salem Witch Trials Mass hysteria, social ignorance, and religious intolerance all describe the chaos that took place in Massachusetts during the year 1692. Thank you so much for this! Salem Witch Trials from William A. Crafts Did the people really believe in witches? With a 1562 act now permitting the death penalty for acts of witchcraft, they were hanged. If you are looking for more info on the victims themselves, you can check out the article I wrote specifically about them titled The Salem Witch Trials Victims: Who Were They? Thank-you for the great info you have shared. 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. How Rye Bread May Have Caused the Salem Witch Trials, Order in the Court: 10 Trials of the Century, https://www.britannica.com/facts/Salem-witch-trials. How Did The Salem Witch Trials Impact On American History 9, 17181718, Chap. The slave Tituba, because of her background in the Caribbean (or possibly the West Indies), could have practiced some form of folk magic, but that has never been confirmed. Legal Legacy of the Salem Witch Trials. Or maybe it was the 1711 bill that cleared the names of the accused witches. Get FREE access to HistoryExtra.com. Corey was accused of witchcraft in April during his wifes examination. Where did theses trials take place were there anymore places then Massachusetts Bay. More than 200 people were accused. No one was burned at the stake in the Salem witch trials. The Salem witch trials marked a seven-month period of mass hysteria in 1692 Colonial America. We also have kept good records of everything. As a travel enthusiast, she makes sure she visits at least two new destinations each year and loves to share her knowledge with the readers of TheTravel. I mean the whole cause was a wheat bacteria/fungi called ergot. No way to fight its power. When Nurse was first arrested, many members of the community signed a petition asking for her release. The 17th century Salem has nothing on witch hunts that went down in Europe. According to the official Salem website, the trials were shorter than most people believe, but they were still deadly. This is like the only website i found most helpful on Salem Witch Trial. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom were executed by hanging (14 women and five men). The Salem witch trials resulted in the arrest of over 150 people, 19 of whom were ultimately convicted and executed. Bernard Rosenthal, "Medievalism and the Salem Witch Trials," in: Protests against early modern witch trials, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Cultural depictions of the Salem witch trials, Medical and psychological explanations of bewitchment, List of wrongful convictions in the United States, "Six Victims of 1692 Salem Witch Trials "Cleared" by Massachusetts", "Massachusetts Clears 5 From Salem Witch Trials", "Salem may pardon accused witches of 1692", "On 325th anniversary, city dedicates Proctor's Ledge memorial to Salem Witch Trials victims", "Memorable Providence, Relating to Witchcraft and Possessions", "Examination of Dorothy Good, As Told by Deodat Lawson", "Religiosity and the political economy of the Salem witch trials", Virginia.edu Salem witch trials (archives), "Massachusetts Archives: Superior Court of Judicature Witchcraft Trials (JanuaryMay 1693), Cases Heard". The girls accusation was that Good had performed witchcraft on them. 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. Heres what I got if someone needed to use this for their biblyography. The Salem Witch Trials and Ergot: Mushroom Madness? 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. The Examination of Bridget Bishop, April 19, 1692. Unauthorized use is prohibited. 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. Also I was curious to know what the specific compromise was. 1 Most of the accused were women but men were accusedand executedtoo. They all died on the same day so its hard to pinpoint who you are talking about. Judge Stoughton asked the jury to reconsider their verdict. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Thirteen womenand five men from all stations of life followed her to the gallows onthree successive hanging daysbefore the court was disbanded by Governor William Phipps in October of that year. Keeping to yourself and minding your own business seemed suspicious. 618619. 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. I just found this out. What is the legacy of the Salem witch trials? 1, pp. His death was gruesome and cruel and strengthened the growing opposition to the Salem Witch Trials. A Reply. The initial article took me a few days to write and then I have been slowly adding to it and expanding it over the years. A Brief History of The Salem Witch Trials.Brief History Of The Salem Witch Trials The Salem witch trials took place between 1692 & 1693, in colonial Massachusetts. Since some of the law enforcement involved in the Salem Witch Trials were being sued by some of the surviving victims, the bill also stated: no sheriff, constable, goaler or other officer shall be liable to any prosecution in the law for anything they then legally did in the execution of their respective offices.. The accused was thrown into a river and if they made it out alive, it was because they were a witch. The charter was revoked because the colonists had violated several of the charters rules, which included basing laws on religious beliefs and discriminating against Anglicans. For everyone who remains intrigued by Salem, here are a few lesser-known facts about the witchcraft trials. Hopkins crusade was at its most virulent between 1644 and 1646. In May, as the number of cases grew, Governor William Phips set up a special court, known as the Court of Oyer and Terminer (which translate to hear and determine) to hear the cases. Bishop had been accused of witchcraft years before but was cleared of the crime. You can check out my article on books about the Salem Witch Trials here:https://historyofmassachusetts.org/best-books-about-salem-witch-trials/ or you could search the court records online on the University of Virginia website. Nige Tassell is a freelance journalist specialising in history, This content first appeared in the January 2016 issue of BBC History Revealed, Save up to 49% AND your choice of gift card worth 10* when you subscribe BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed PLUS! Im using this for my History project. If they drowned, they were considered innocent. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a dark time in American history. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. A large brick building now stands on this spot with a memorial plaque dedicated to the old jail. The leading independent voice for aviation news and insight. Best Books About the Salem Witch Trials - History Of Massachusetts Blog This is really great. 16 Interesting Facts About Salem, Massachusetts - BuzzFeed A lot was changing in colonial America at the time. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. They left an 11-year-old son, John Jr . These sources include official court records as well as several books, diaries and letters written by the various people involved in the trials. im doing a huge assessment in my language arts class called national history day and i love how into detail this went! As chief justice, Stoughton believed that spectral evidence presented to the court that is, evidence gathered from dreams and visions would form a central plank of the prosecutions. The Superior Court of Judicature, formed to replace the witchcraft court, did not allow spectral evidence. We cannot but, with all thankfulness, acknowledge the success which the merciful God has given unto the sedulous and assiduous endeavours of our honourable rulers, to detect the abominable witchcrafts which have been committed in the country, humbly praying, that the discovery of those mysterious and mischievous wickednesses may be perfected. In 1706, afflicted girl Ann Putnam, Jr., also issued a public apology for her role in the Salem Witch Trials, particularly in the case against her neighbor Rebecca Nurse. There were complex political, religious, and racial issues under the crisis. An illustration shows a quiet street in the center of Salem, Massachusetts. This court consisted of eight judges. By May 1693 . "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. Questions VII & XI. 11 Important Facts About The Salem Witch Trials | APECSEC.org A week later, the jury changed their minds and declared Nurse guilty. In 1813, the wooden structure of the jail was remodeled into a Victorian home and in 1956 the home was razed. What are 5 facts about the Salem Witch Trials? - Wise-Answer Salem Witch Trials Top Facts | Go City A. 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. A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials. Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Institute, 23 Oct. 2007, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/. Thank you for this amazing article! It all began in 1692 and 1693 when Salem in the United States . Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. propably in like 1-3 weeks away. The bill cleared the names of: George Burroughs, John Proctor, George Jacobs, John Willard, Giles Corey, Martha Corey, Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Mary Easty, Sarah Wildes, Abigail Hobbs, Samuel Wardwell, Mary Parker, Martha Carrier, Abigail Faulkner, Anne Foster, Rebecca Eames, Mary Post, Mary Lacey, Mary Bradbury and Dorcas Hoar. All rights reserved. Alden spent 15 weeks in jail before friends helped break him out and he escaped to New York. If people were to run away from it, theyll only be hunted down and thats worst then sitting in court. More significant were admissions of attending a witches meeting on Pendle Hill. 14 (in the history 201 course-pack compiled by S. McSheffrey & T. McCormick), Trans. Lienhard says, In recent years, though, the ergot theory has been questioned. There were many critics of the witch hunt, such as a local farmer John Proctor, who scoffed at the idea of witchcraft in Salem and called the young girls scam artists. I lasted edited this page on October 18, 2015. Ever since those dark days ended, the trials have become synonymous with mass hysteria and scapegoating. Colonial America for Kids: Salem Witch Trials - Ducksters There is actually a compilation of all of the primary sources on the Salem Witch Trials. It also silenced any opposition to the idea that the Devil had infiltrated Salem. Instead, in 1692, hanging was the preferred form of punishment. The governor released the last few prisoners the following May. Although she wasnt released, most people were confident she would be found not guilty and released. As the years went by, the colonists felt ashamed and remorseful for what had happened during the Salem Witch Trials. The state amended the 1957 apology on the exact date i was born. PDF What Were The Salem Witch Trials - Cpanel.gestudy.byu.edu His grandfather is a Putnam. Lines going back to Salem and Colonial New England in general are usually well documented. It was viewed as a sin against God, the church, and the Crown, and thus was treated as a crime. thank you for the bibliography it helps a lot! Massachusetts Only Apologized in 1957 Salem Witch Trials have haunted Salem, now known as Danvers and the entire state of Massachusetts for centuries. Thank for the site it is so helpful for my project! Three days earlier, the death of another of the accused had occurred. Smithsonia, 8 Sept. 2013. Get ready to pull out your history books as we bring you the most DISTURBING facts about the Salem Witch Trials. The Puritan way of life was strict, and even small differences in behavior made people suspicious. As in complaints upon witchcrafts, there may be matters of inquiry which do not amount unto matters of presumption, and there may be matters of presumption which yet may not be matters of conviction, so it is necessary, that all proceedings thereabout be managed with an exceeding tenderness towards those that may be complained of, especially if they have been persons formerly of an unblemished reputation. 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. 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. There were all kinds of tests to determine whether a woman was a witch. The political instability and threat to their religion created a feeling of uneasiness and discontent in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Cant wait to visit this place! How could so many people believe the afflicted girls without no real evidence. Massachusetts was like the early state of Israel. These were the last hangings of the Salem Witch Trials. For years, Salem Village tried to separate itself politically from Salem Town. Im glad it was helpful. Montague Summer. Perhaps this question has something to do with the closure of the court of Oyer and Terminer, which was the special court established to hear the trials. 126. It is voluminous and comes in paperback and hardcover. Rebecca Nurses execution was a pivotal moment in the Salem Witch Trials. 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. Those who lived nearer to Salem Town engaged in commerce and were seen as a bit more worldly. This really helped me on my essay, thank you so much. Porters never forgot about this n intermarried with many of the families afterwards. The Salem witch trials of the late 17th century were a formative episode in America's early history, and have remained at the forefront of the national consciousness ever since. Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 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. "Examination and Evidence of Some the Accused Witches in Salem, 1692. Here are 10 facts about the witch trials that will surely send chills down your spine. There the accused were questioned by a judge in front of a jury, which decided whether or not to indict the accused on charges of witchcraft. All of the accused were finally pardoned in 1711. The two communities were three hours apart, by foot, which was the most common method of transportation at the time. The Salem Witch Trials. Salem Witch Trials Facts, Worksheets & Information For Kids - KidsKonnect The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schnauzer. Dr Griggs was a relative through my grandmother. The Witchcraft of Salem Village. More than 200 people were a.. Read the article free on Booksie. Massachusetts Archives Collection, vol. These five women Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Susannah Martin, Rebecca Nurse and Sarah Wildes were the among the first to be tried and found guilty of witchcraft during a bleak nine-month period of New England history simply recalled as the Salem Witch Trials. in journalism. Wigington, Patti. "5 Facts About the Salem Trials." Wigington, Patti. By pointing the finger at others, they were able to shift the blame and spare their own lives. As if the lonely and misunderstood didn't have a hard enough life on its own, they seemed the most suspicious to the crowds. The Salem witch trials began because a group of girls claimed they were possessed by the devil. All would await trial for a crime punishable by death in17th-century New England the practice of witchcraft. To complicate matters further, within Salem Village itself, there were two separate social groups. I also have an ancestor, Mary Parsons, who was accused of witchcraft but she was allowed to live. Those who were found guilty were pardoned by Governor Phips. I love this site! 143159, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 02:44. Oh and sorry for talking a lot but if you need a website for your bibliographys heres an awesome sight I use it for school a lot and its supper easy use. In effect, theSalem Witch Trialswere over. it was extremely helpful thank you so much! The primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials offer a wealth of information on these infamous trials. Was there some sort of compromise at the end? On October 31, 2001, the state amended the 1957 apology and cleared the names of the remaining unnamed victims, stating: Chapter 145 of the resolves of 1957 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the words One Ann Pudeator and certain other persons and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Ann Pudeator, Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Margaret Scott and Wilmot Redd.. Hi Sara, the last hangings of the Salem Witch Trials took place on September 22 and they include six women: Martha Corey, Mary Easty, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Margaret Scott, Wilmot Redd and Mary Parker. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Maybe it's the influence of pop culture or maybe it's because it's theatrical, but a lot of people assume that witches were burned at the stake. 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. 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. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria. Local clergymen began speaking out against the witch hunt and tried to persuade officials to stop the trials. The people had been so determined upon hunting out and destroying witches that they had neglected everything else. Soon, prisons were filled with more than 150 men and women from towns surrounding Salem; their names had been cried out by tormented young girls as the cause of their pain. In 1688, New England revolted and deposed the government of the Dominion of New England, and sent a representative back to London to report it, only to find that Parliament had deposed James II, and replaced him with William and Mary. When the first inquiry is made into the circumstances of such as may lie under the just suspicion of witchcrafts, we could wish that there may be admitted as little as is possible of such noise, company and openness as may too hastily expose them that are examined, and that there may no thing be used as a test for the trial of the suspected, the lawfulness whereof may be doubted among the people of God; but that the directions given by such judicious writers as Perkins and Bernard [be consulted in such a case]. Both, like Good, were viewed as outcasts by the local community; Tituba for her race and Osborne for the shedding of any religious beliefs she might once have held. There is no documentation of where she may have gone after the trials. Salem Witch Trials: The Hysteria Spreads Salem Witch Trials: Conclusion and Legacy The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem. Since the witch trials ended, the colony also began to suffer many misfortunes such as droughts, crop failures, smallpox outbreaks and Native-American attacks and many began to wonder if God was punishing them for their mistake. i would like to know more about the salem witch trials. From unbelievable witch swimming tests to th. It is sad where the mind-set was back then. In 1711, the colony passed a bill restoring some of the names of the convicted witches and paid a total of 600 in restitution to their heirs. In short, Spanos and Gottlieb believe that the ergotism theory is off-base for several reasons. Im going to put a note at the bottom of the article that says when it was last updated to make it easier for anyone doing reports and assignments. Tried and found guilty within the course of a single day, Bishop was hanged a week later on 10 June, the first execution of the trials. 11 Facts About the Salem Witch Trials | Mental Floss Kisses and xoxo 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.