Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

During the primordial winter of 1692 both young girls became inexplicably ill and started having fits of convulsion, screaming, and hallucinations. ineffectual to find whatever medical reason for their condition the village fix declared that there must(prenominal) be supernatural forces of bec reproachcraft at work. This began an outbreak of hysteria that would result in the ar recess of over integrity hundred-fifty lot and capital punishment of twenty women and men. The madness continued for over quartette months. The notorious witch trials of capital of Oregon, Massachusetts occurred from June through September.It is a brief, but profligate period in history and the causes of the trials have long been a outset of discussion among historians. legion(predicate) try to explain or rationalize the freakish happenings of the witch hunts and the causes that contributed to them. To under plump for the trials and how they came to be, we must initial examine the ideals and vi ews of the quite a little meet the events. capital of Oregon Village had a very colorful history in advance the famous witch trials. It was not exactly known as a bastion of tranquillity in New England.The of import reason was its 600 accession re military positionnts were divided into two main farewells those who wanted to separate from capital of Oregon townspeople, and those who did not. The residents who wanted to separate from capital of Oregon townspeople were farming families located in the western type of capital of Oregon Village. Those who wanted to remain a part of capital of Oregon Town were typically located on the eastern side of capital of Oregon Village walking(prenominal) to Salem Town. The residents who wished to remain a part of Salem Town were economically tied to its thriving, rich harbors. umteen of the Salem Village farming families believed that Salem Towns thriving economic system made it too individualistic.This individualism was in opposition to t he communal genius that Puritanism mandated. Thus, they were out of touch with the rest of Salem Village. One particularly considerable farming family who felt that Salem Town was out of touch with the rest of Salem Village was the Putnams. Belief in the supernatural, specifically in the devils approach pattern of giving certain humans (witches) the power to harm former(a)s in go across for their loyaltyhad emerged in Europe as aboriginal as the fourteenth century, and was widespread in colonial New England.In addition, the harsh realities of life in the rural Puritan community of Salem Village (present-day Danvers, Massachusetts) at the metre included the after-effects of a British state of war with France in the American colonies in 1689, a recent smallpox epidemic, fears of attacks from adjoining Native American tribes and a longstanding rivalry with the more feeder community of Salem . Amid these boil disco biscuitsions, the Salem witch trials would be supply by resi dents suspicions of and resentment toward their neighbors, as well as their fear of outsiders.The events which guide to the spellbind Trials actually occurred in what is now the town of Danvers, then a parish of Salem Town, known as Salem Village. Launching the hysteria was the bizarre, patently inexplicable behavior of two young girls the daughter, Betty, and the niece, Abigail Williams, of the Salem Village minister, empyreal Samuel Parris In February, 1692, three accuse women were examined by Magistrates Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne. Corwins home, known as the Witch House, still stands at the corner of North and Essex Streets in Salem, providing guided tours and tales of the first witchcraft trials.John Hathorne, an theme of author Nathaniel Hawthorne, is buried in the film Street Old interment Point. By the time the hysteria had worn out(p) itself, 24 people had died. xix were hanged on Gallows Hill in Salem Town, but some died in prison. Giles Corey at first pleaded not hangdog to charges of witchcraft, but subsequently refused to stand trial. This refusal meant he could not be convicted legally. However, his examiners chose to publication him to interrogation by the placing of fossa weights on his body.He survived this brutal throe for two days before dying. though the respected minister Cotton Mather had warned of the enigmatical value of spectral evidence, his concerns went by and large unheeded during the Salem witch trials. maturation Mather, president of Harvard College and Cottons father after joined his son in spur that the standards of evidence for witchcraft must be equal to those for any other crime, concluding that It would better that ten suspected witches may escape than iodine innocent personbe condemned.Trials continued with dwindling intensity until first 1693, and by that May Phips had pardoned and released those in prison on witchcraft charges. The airstream of the Salem witch trials was severe. Many people were st uck in jail, unable to pay for their occlusion during the trials. Other people who were convicted had their land conviscated leaving families broke and homeless. Many people after the capital of Oregon witch trials could not get along with each(prenominal) other the likes of the accusers and the familes of the incriminate.Many people tried to repent their cathexis and make public apologies to the families of the accused and to Salem. Many people did forgive, but some(prenominal) families still felt it was not enough. Since the Salem Witch trials has ended, there has been no more deaths because of witchcraft or an accusation of one. The Salem Witch Trials has left such an effect on Salem Village that it was renamed Danvers and is called that to this day.Salem Witch Trials Research PaperDuring the early winter of 1692 two young girls became inexplicably ill and started having fits of convulsion, screaming, and hallucinations. Unable to find any medical reason for their condition the village doctor declared that there must be supernatural forces of witchcraft at work. This began an outbreak of hysteria that would result in the arrest of over one hundred-fifty people and execution of twenty women and men. The madness continued for over four months.The notorious witch trials of Salem, Massachusetts occurred from June through September. It is a brief, but turbulent period in history and the causes of the trials have long been a source of discussion among historians. Many try to explain or rationalize the bizarre happenings of the witch hunts and the causes that contributed to them. To realize the trials and how they came to be, we must first examine the ideals and views of the people surrounding the events.Salem Village had a very colorful history before the famous witch trials. It was not exactly known as a bastion of tranquillity in New England. The main reason was its 600 plus residents were divided into two main parts those who wanted to separate from Sal em Town, and those who did not. The residents who wanted to separate from Salem Town were farming families located in the western part of Salem Village. Those who wanted to remain a part of Salem Town were typically located on the eastern side of Salem Villageclosest to Salem Town. The residents who wished to remain a part of Salem Town were economically tied to its thriving, rich harbors.Many of the Salem Village farming families believed that Salem Towns thriving economy made it too individualistic. This individualism was in opposition to the communal nature that Puritanism mandated. Thus, they were out of touch with the rest of Salem Village. One particularly large farming family who felt that Salem Town was out of touch with the rest of Salem Village was the Putnams.Belief in the supernatural, specifically in the devils practice of giving certain humans (witches) the power to harm others in return for theirloyaltyhad emerged in Europe as early as the 14th century, and was widesp read in colonial New England. In addition, the harsh realities of life in the rural Puritan community of Salem Village (present-day Danvers, Massachusetts) at the time included the after-effects of a British war with France in the American colonies in 1689, a recent smallpox epidemic, fears of attacks from neighboring Native American tribes and a longstanding rivalry with the more affluent community of Salem . Amid these simmering tensions, the Salem witch trials would be fueled by residents suspicions of and resentment toward their neighbors, as well as their fear of outsiders.The events which led to the Witch Trials actually occurred in what is now the town of Danvers, then a parish of Salem Town, known as Salem Village. Launching the hysteria was the bizarre, seemingly inexplicable behavior of two young girls the daughter, Betty, and the niece, Abigail Williams, of the Salem Village minister, Reverend Samuel ParrisIn February, 1692, three accused women were examined by Magistrate s Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne. Corwins home, known as the Witch House, still stands at the corner of North and Essex Streets in Salem, providing guided tours and tales of the first witchcraft trials. John Hathorne, an ancestor of author Nathaniel Hawthorne, is buried in the Charter Street Old Burying Point. By the time the hysteria had spent itself, 24 people had died. Nineteen were hanged on Gallows Hill in Salem Town, but some died in prison. Giles Corey at first pleaded not guilty to charges of witchcraft, but subsequently refused to stand trial. This refusal meant he could not be convicted legally. However, his examiners chose to subject him to interrogation by the placing of stone weights on his body. He survived this brutal torture for two days before dying.Though the respected minister Cotton Mather had warned of the dubious value of spectral evidence, his concerns went largely unheeded during the Salem witch trials. Increase Mather, president of Harvard College and Cot tons father later joined his son in urging that the standards of evidence for witchcraft must be equal to those for any other crime, concluding that It would better that ten suspected witches may escape than one innocent personbe condemned.Trials continued with dwindling intensity until early 1693, and by that May Phips had pardoned and released those in prison on witchcraft charges. The aftermath of the Salem witch trials was severe.Many people were stuck in jail, unable to pay for their stay during the trials. Other people who were convicted had their land conviscated leaving families broke and homeless. Many people after the salem witch trials could not get along with each other like the accusers and the familes of the accused. Many people tried to repent their accusation and make public apologies to the families of the accused and to Salem. Many people did forgive, but many families still felt it was not enough. Since the Salem Witch trials has ended, there has been no more deat hs because of witchcraft or an accusation of one. The Salem Witch Trials has left such an effect on Salem Village that it was renamed Danvers and is called that to this day.