Abigail And Betty Accused: The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials were a series of court trials in Salem, Massachusetts from 1692 to 1693 alleging the practice of witchcraft and murder by a number of women and men. With Massachusetts descent from a Puritan England, these accusations were serious, and they developed into mass panic. Among those accused was Bridget Byshop who was the first to be executed after she was found guilty. The document, “The Examination of Bridget Byshop at Salem Village 19. April.1692 by John Hauthorn & Jonath: Corwin Esq’rs” was handwritten by Samuel Parris, and recorded the lawyers examination against Bridget Byshop.

1692 had been a deranged time for the Puritans living in the village of Salem Massachusetts. When a group of girls were discovered dancing around a fire in the forest things began to take a turn for the worst. Accusations from these girls started to rip this village apart when most of the Puritans were believed to be partaking in the act of witchcraft. Abigail, the girl leading the others, told the court that Elizabeth Proctor was infact a witch in the hope of getting John Proctor to love her once again. This mistake of lechery haunts John throughout the entirety of the play.

Though it seems that the defendants and accusers were only young girls and women, there were some men involved in the trials. One of these men that were involved was Samuel Wardwell. He confessed in doing witchcraft soon after he was arrested. He then claimed that his confession was fake and should die of perjury. His confession could have been to protect himself or out of fear.

One of the most notorious periods of American history, the Salem witch trials of 1692 resulted in the execution by hanging of fourteen women and five men who were accused of being witches during a period of mass hysteria. In addition, one man was pressed to death by giant stones for refusing to even plea innocent. At least eight people died in prison, including infants and children alike. Additionally, nearly two hundred people were jailed for months awaiting a trial that never came. Due to the survival of a large multitude of records, including notes and official rulings, the true facts of accusations, trials, and even the executions are known by the public.

With a whole town against her, Bishop was charged, tried, and executed within eight days. On June 10, as crowds gathered to watch, she was taken to Gallows Hill and executed by the sheriff, George Corwin” (Douglas O. Linder, 2009). She was remembered as the first witch to be hung during the Salem witch trials, In addition, there were many people that just accused random townspeople so that they wouldn’t be accused themselves. These people were known as the lying

The Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693 was the most infamous witchcraft episode in United State's history. Set in a Puritan New England settlement, Salem Village, the original ten females became afflicted between January 1682 and the madness would not end until May 1693. Salem Village, Massachusetts became engulfed in hysteria. During this time, one hundred and fifty-six people accused of witchcraft, fifty-four people confessed, fourteen women and five men were hanged, a man was pressed to death, three women and a man died in jail. In addition, an infant, who was born in the jail died as welled.

Three Puritan girls who lived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 began to act strange; they would cry out in pain, start screaming, and stop speaking for a long time. Doctors could not find out what was wrong with them and jumped to the conclusion that the cause was supernatural. The Puritan girls accused three other women of witchcraft, but only one of them confessed. The only one to come forward and admit to witchcraft was a slave named Tituba. Tituba stated that the Devil came to her and made her write in his book.

(history.com Editors. The mass hysteria started to spread, to the point where they accused some that were really good members of the church. On May 27th, 1692, the governor of Massachusetts, Sir William Phillips put up an official court up to hear and to decide on these witch trials.on june 2nd, the first conviction occurred but time later, they were hanged. After the first hanging, 5 more were hanged in that recent month.

This series of events started when two girls, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, started having fits "beyond the power of Epileptic Fits or natural disease to effect" (Hale). This escalated into full-on hysteria when two other girls joined Betty and Abigail in accusing people of witchcraft. Salem, like all Massachusetts settlements, enforced religious law. (Jones), This meant that witchcraft was a punishable offense.

Doctor William Griggs declared all those afflicted bewitched and the village agreed with this statement. Indian slave couple Tituba and John were accused in the making of the witch-cake which all those afflicted had had. Tituba was reverend Parris slave, caretaker of Abigail and Betty. February 25 and 28 Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good also accused as the tormentors. The first three women to be accused witches were not originally born in Salem and Tituba was also linked towards the Indian war.

Throughout history there have been many instances where people were put in jail and even killed for no reason. Two examples of this would be The Salem Witch Trials and The Holocaust. These two events have their similarities and differences, but is ultimately the same situation. The Salem Witch Trials started in 1692 in the town of Salem,Massachusetts (Miller,1124). It all started with a group of young girls(Miller,1124).

Three Sovereigns for Sarah tells the Story of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, I will explain the Key factors as to why the Witchcraft Hysteria even took place over 300 years ago. First, it’s important to know the background of the dwellers from Salem and origins of the dwellers at the time. Almost 90 years prior to the trials, many British citizens and their families had finally migrated to “The New World” (America) at around 1607, after discovering the new land many sought to begin new lives pursuing a perceived economically successful Country. As Well as Religion played a Huge part in British Migration due to many seeking a Free land where one could freely believe and practice their beliefs without the threat of religious persecution amongst them. From the many Religions to sprout from this transition, the Puritan Belief was one

Three deranged girls, from 1692 Salem; Massachusetts, precipitated the mass hangings of twenty innocent people accused of witchery for the reason that of their adept prowess at acting, their marital status and jealousy of the newfound eastern wealth. As a result of their skills in deception, the accusers were able to dupe the jury to convict people of witchcraft. For example, Document C describes the three girls’ reactions once their target entered the vicinity. “As soon as she [Bishop] came near, all(afflicted girls) fell into fits.”

During the Salem Witch Trials a lot of people were accused of using witchcraft. As a result many people died for other people’s lies, rumors, and selfishness. There is one person that really caused and is most to blame for all the chaos, her name is Abigail. Abigail is to blame for all that has happened in the Witch Trials, the reason for that is because of all the accusing and lying she has done. In addition, it all leads up to her for instance, she used a doll to accuse people of witchcraft.

The crucible I think The Crucible’s theme is witchcraft. The main problem in town was witches or someone having a spell on somebody else. One example on why i say the theme is witchcraft is because Mrs.Putnam blamed witches for all of her kids dying. Another example was that Abigail & the girls were acting strange throughout the whole play & were acting like they were never involved with witchcraft. Finally another reason was that people were blaming innocent people for witchcraft.