Salem Witch Trials In 1692

Although there were many possible causes for the Salem witch trial hysteria of 1692, social division and drama were the most significant. Interestingly, historians have found out about the differences that were present between the accused and the accusers of the witches that fueled the witch hunt. Accordingly, the eastern side of Salem was more powerful and wealthier than the western side of town, which consisted of most accusers who charged people on the east (Doc E). As it is possible to see, there was a division, or crack, in the community, and the western half became jealous or disliked the others in the other half.

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Witch Hunts: Comparison of Salem in the 1690’s vs. America in 2018 Witch hunts in Salem during the 1690’s was a traumatic and horrifying experience that consisted of many trials to accomplish one goal - to get rid of witchcraft in Salem. Imagine being in Salem during the 1690’s, in a time where friends, family and people around in the community were being accused of witchcraft. Also they were possibly hung to death for something they didn’t do. It created a violent uproar in the town because it split people into two sides with a middle selection not being the option. Arthur Miller writes the dramatic story of The Crucible that is a fictional story based on the true events of the Salem Witch Trials.

Christianity was prevalent in the 1600’s and anyone who didn’t believe in God was seen as a heretic and put to death. In 1641 the colonists established a legal code and put witchcraft as the second one, the punishment for that, of course, was death. The Devil was highly feared and if there was word of somebody using witchcraft a big deal would be made out of it; as The Salem Witch Trials have proven. Women were mainly the ones who happened to be executed because they were also feared, if any woman had the same amount of power as a man she must’ve made a deal with the Devil. All of this made 1692 was an intricate time for the people of Salem Village, Massachusetts.

The witch trials that took place around the 15 and 1600’s ruined many lives and crippled many towns. One of the most notable towns that this witch hysteria broke out was in the town of Salem. Salem was a normal puritan town during that time period in the new America with religion being the core of the town. Most of the people had good relations with others in the town before the witch trials, were people would accuse one of perfoming demonic arts in attempt to steal one's wife, land, or goods. Of the characters in The Crucible Abigail Williams who was the niece the town's reverend is the main reason that the mass witch hysteria broke out in Salem.

In January 1692, in the small town of Salem, Massachusetts, innocent citizens began to be accused of witchcraft. Two young girls, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams hid under furniture and contorted their bodies into unusual shapes. They screamed and cried out that the spirits of innocent citizens in the town of Salem were torturing them by stabbing them and trying to convince them to sign the Devil’s book. They were thought to have been under witchcraft’s spell, causing the young girls to accuse many people of witchcraft such as their own slave Tituba. More and more people of the town became afflicted with the same symptoms as Betty and Abigail, in the end causing over 200 people to be accused of witchcraft and all found guilty.

The Salem Gazette has the news about the so called “Salem Witch Trials”. These trials began in January of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts when Betty Parris, Tituba, Abigail Williams, and several other girls were found dancing in the forest, around a fire, in the middle of the night. This suspicious activity led to the hospitalization of young Betty Parris, and the rise of hysteria in our small, farm town. After questioning, none of the girls confessed until they were threatened to be punished.

Everyone has heard of The Salem Witch Trials and The Holocaust, but does everyone know the true atrocities behind them? Only time separates the terrible tragedies of The Salem Witch Trials and The Holocaust. The preventable killings of innocent people, the mass hysteria, and constant false accusations made these events so similar. The Salem Witch Trials occurred in the summer of 1692. (Blumberg) It started when Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams started to act strangely.

The witch trials was fueled by suspicions and resentment of neighbors and the fear of outsiders. An important figure was Samuel Parris, he was the minister of Salem Village. His daughter, nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris, and niece, eleven-year-old Abigail Williams began experiencing violent fits that included contortions and screaming uncontrollably. A “local doctor, William Griggs, diagnosed bewitchment” (www.history.com). “The young girls accused three women - Tituba, a slave; Sarah Good, a beggar; and Sarah Osborne, an elderly woman,” (www.smithsonianmag.com).

Salem was known for its dark events and history, the Salem Witch Trials was a great hysteria that happened during the spring of 1692 in Salem Massachusetts . This all happened because a group of young girls were said to be possessed by the devil in Salem Village. After this happened, several other women were accused of witchcraft. The first witch to be convicted was Bridget Bishop who, after many times, defended herself saying she had nothing to do with any of the events. But was hung on June 10th, 1692.

A similar pattern throughout the crisis was seen. All those accused where not born in Salem even if they had lived there all their life or were Indians (linking them to the American Indian war in 1622-1624) or those who were previously accused of witchcraft. Also mentions the afflicted girls and fortune telling how they all got scared when a coffin appeared in one of their

Being that one of the alleged victims was the daughter of a reverend, it was more believable that the girls' accusations were factual. In the 1600s people were afraid the devil was trying to intrude and destroy the peace of Christians. Salem experienced a heightened sense of fear of the devil (History). Being a strongly religious community, Salem was terrified after Tituba, confessed to practicing witchcraft. During the trials, the accused were given test to prove their innocence, one being a test to recite the Lord’s Prayer (Witchcraft).

Abigail Williams officially places the blame on Tituba in front of the Reverend and the rest of the girls by stating, “It was Tituba. She sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer!” (Miller 41). After this broad statement made by Abigail, all hell breaks loose. It begins with the rest of the girls from the forest coming forth to the Reverend at once and shout out who they saw with the Devil which was caused by Tituba’s potential practice of witchcraft.

Eliza Davis Coach Hatfield U.S. History 8 February 2018 Conflict in The Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch Trails itself was a very corrupted but significant event in history. These trials took place in a settlement called Salem, which was a part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony at that time. In January of 1692, a group of young girls mysteriously became ill and started acting out in abnormal ways. This group of girls was later known as the "afflicted girls".

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