Mass Hysteria Research Paper

Mass hysteria cases have been reported many times throughout history and have continued to occur even in the modern world. In “Mass Hysteria in Upstate New York” by Ruth Graham, the author states that many cases of Tourette’s-like symptoms that had occurred in LeRoy Junior-Senior High School was not as a result of the “derailment that dumped cyanide… in LeRoy in 1970” (1). Instead, Graham specifically accuses mass hysteria for the origination of the symptoms similar to those of Tourette’s. The incident at LeRoy Junior-Senior High School provided many parallels to mass hysteria. The author claims that the victims of mass hysteria “are overwhelmingly female” (2).

During the Salem Witch Trials, which were a series of witchcraft trials that took place in 1692 in Massachusetts, nearly 19 people were executed by hanging and 200 people were accused of witchcraft with various consequences. There are several theories surrounding the causes of the Witch Trials, but most historians agree that they were a result of mass hysteria within the population of Salem and other surrounding towns. The circumstances that contributed to the mass hysteria surrounding the Massachusetts Salem Witch Trials of 1692 include ergot poisoning, family rivalries, and a strong belief in the occult. Each of these theories are very real explanations which could have contributed to the events in Salem, although none of these events have

However, in 1692, the idea of witchcraft sparked a crisis of community fear when hysteria and fear of witches broke out in 1692 in colonial Salem, Massachusetts. When Puritans first settled into Massachusetts, their goal was to create a perfect religious society that worshipped as purely as possible. Neighbors looked to each other for evidence of a pure soul and conformity

Add to that the stress and insecurity of being brought up in an unstable home, which only makes them more expedient to blame. Unnecessary death due to faulty witch accusations also happens when social misfits are targeted. This problem is extremely prevalent in Ghana, where “outspoken or eccentric women... accused of witchcraft... [are] forced to live out their days together in witch camps” (Whitaker 1). Women like this often do not have family and friends

Many of the characters get overly worked up in the possibility of evil spirits and such ideas that they forget the other half of their belief that tells them that there is a God looking down upon them and protecting them. It is human nature to stress about the bad to the point where all good is blocked out, even if it overpowers the bad. It is very possible that people would bend their own wills through witchcraft out of fear. It is human nature to try to pick the lesser of two evils, in this society, witchcraft is the ultimate evil, and even though it is just an illusion, the citizens are frightened of the repercussions of not admitting to witchcraft and being hung. This can be found in the instance where Tituba is found guilty.

Mass hysteria a condition affecting a group of persons, characterized by excitement or anxiety, Irrational behavior or beliefs, or inexplicable symptoms of illness (Dictionary.com). An Example of Mass Hysteria is The Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Trials happened in 1692 when girls called witchery on the town of Salem, Massachusetts. These girls thought to have seen the devil, but they really hadn't as they were trying to protect each other. The Trials ended up taking 20 lives of innocent villagers who were being accused of witchery.

Many “civilizations are scared of the accused “witches” ” (source I). Fearful because they are worried about their own personal well being. The world tends to allow hysteria when a nation is unstable.” Citizens are afraid of what they don't know”(Source A).

It is estimated that a total of one million people were executed for practicing witchcraft. These killings started in southwest Europe, eventually spreading to northern and eastern Europe, although some countries saw scarcely any executions, including Iceland, Portugal, and Spain. By the eighteenth century, Scotland’s social elite began to pay no attention to witchcraft. In the time of fifteenth century Europe, the Renaissance was taking place.

In the Salem witch trials thing there was a lot of irrational fears. The reason why they have these fears is because they don 't know much about how the world works yet no matter if it was how we work or how ecosystems work or how medicine work or how the earth works. Hey the people in Salem were was a community of people that build their community off of the Bible. they didn 't have there any of their ideas built of of science and logic so when which was bought brought up Salem immediately the one thing that they have known OB/GYN for all their life. Because it 's all being known they think that the behavior of a person that was in the slightest bit of difference from the rest of the community with bad was not natural and so again they jumped to conclusions and immediately go after what they think would be the safest solution for them and their families.

Many Women were killed from persecutions of witchcraft in the late 15th century to the 17th century. There are many reasons for the persecutions, during that time period there was the Reformation, and the Thirty Years War. The Reformation was a fight over that was caused because the church was lying to the people who went to catholic churches and saying that you need to pay to get rid of your sins, and the Thirty Years War was a war over religion that lasted thirty years. Factors in the late 15th century and the 17th century that led to witchcraft persecutions were The Reformation, and the Thirty Years War. Document 1 was written by Johan Weir, who was a Belgium physician, believed that women had small brains and men needed to help the women.

Mass hysteria has taken the country more than once by surprise. Throughout history people have been targeted for things that are no fault of their own. The Aids epidemic and The Salem Witch Trials have many things in common, such as, discrimination, and false accusations. The Salem Witch Trials began in 1692(Salem Witch Trials).It all started with young girls accusing

It is said that the girls’ stress of living and the mass hysteria of this time caused the false accusations of witchcraft upon others. But what caused this mass hysteria?

In Witches: The Absolutely True Tale Of Disaster In Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer people in the town of Salem were Condemned for being witches. By the end of it all more than 200 people were accused and 20 were executed. Horridly they accused people from all ages, everyone from teenager to ancient was accused. But why? The Salem Witch Trials were caused by hysteria, popularity, and revenge.

Legal Brief: John Proctor, Salem Statement of the Issue After the many accusations and deaths of many innocent people, I have also been falsely accused and charged of being involved with witchcraft. Of course I deny everything because I have absolutely nothing to do with this. I am innocent, this is all a big misunderstanding. How can you believe what a bunch of teenage girls say, they are setting me up. Abigail Williams is making all of this up just for her enjoyment.

In England there were only about one thousand that are believed to have been executed for being witches. Witchcraft belief continued in England but in 1736 the Witchcraft Act was changed to decriminalize witchcraft and charge a person who claimed any human had magical powers. People found it unreasonable to believe in the old view of a world haunted by evil