When was this site last edited? I was wondering if there was a written document or agreement signed that ended the trials. Proctors entire family was accused, including all of his children, his pregnant wife Elizabeth, and sister-in-law. Lienhard says, In recent years, though, the ergot theory has been questioned. While Salem has, in the English-speaking world at least, become the byword for witch-hunts, a very similar episode occurred in Lancashire in 1612, some 80 years before the panic in New England the case of the Pendle Hill witches. 143159, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 02:44. The Salem Witch Trials are a dark stain on American history and on the history of Christianity. The hysteria gripping Salem a settlement resonating with the incessant sound of accusation and counteraccusation showed that no-one was exempt from suspicion. They were soft, obvious targets for a mistrustful, God-fearing populace living along strictly defined lines. The two communities were three hours apart, by foot, which was the most common method of transportation at the time. As if the lonely and misunderstood didn't have a hard enough life on its own, they seemed the most suspicious to the crowds. 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. 12 Most Terrifying Facts About The Salem Witch Trials That You Never Top 10 Dark Truths About the Salem Witch Trials - TheTopTens The puritans, who had left England due to religious persecution, feared their religion was under attack again and worried they were losing control of their colony. 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. There were complex political, religious, and racial issues under the crisis. In short, Spanos and Gottlieb believe that the ergotism theory is off-base for several reasons. A secondary source would be a book, journal or article written long after the event by someone who didnt experience it first hand. They did so in order to gather the observations of the colonys most senior ministers, to hear their reflections upon the state of things as they then stood. 2, no. 10 Spine-Chilling & Captivating Facts About Salem, Massachusetts "Reproducing Witchcraft: Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch to Live". Thank for the site it is so helpful for my project! As the innocent women approached the gallows, in the last moments of their lives, they continued to protest their innocence. Although the witch hunt started in Salem Village, it quickly spread to the neighboring towns, including Amesbury, Andover, Salisbury, Topsfield, Ipswich and Gloucester, and numerous residents of those towns were brought to Salem and put on trial. Court of Oyer and Terminer Judges:Jonathan CorwinBartholomew GedneyJohn HathorneJohn RichardsWilliam Stoughton, Chief MagistrateSamuel SewallNathaniel SaltonstallPeter SergeantWaitstill Winthrop, The number of people accused and arrested in May surged to over 30 people:Sarah DustinAnn SearsArthur AbbottBethiah Carter SrBethiah Carter JrMary WitheridgeGeorge Jacobs SrMargaret JacobsRebecca JacobsJohn WillardAlice ParkerAnn PudeatorAbigail SoamesSarah BuckelyElizabeth ColsonElizabeth HartThomas Farrar SrRoger ToothakerMary ToothakerMargaret ToothakerSarah ProctorMary DeRichSarah BassettSusannah RootsElizabeth CarySarah PeaseMartha CarrierElizabeth FosdickWilmot ReddElizabeth HoweSarah RiceJohn Alden JrWilliam ProctorJohn Flood. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Wigington, Patti. Text adapted from the National Geographic book Witches! I edit the site in general pretty much every day. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. Salem Witch Trials of 1692 In January of 1692, the daughter and niece of Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village became ill. William Griggs, the village doctor, was called in when they failed to improve. If the accused was indicted, they were not allowed a lawyer and they had to decide to plead guilty or not guilty with no legal counsel to guide them. Before we get into the interesting facts about Salem and the Witch Trials, let's do a brief history of the Salem Witch Trials. A flurry of accusations from girls with afflictions similar to those of Betty Parris and Abigail Williams resulted in an avalanche of arrests and prosecutions. Critics such as Proctor were quickly accused of witchcraft themselves, under the assumption that anyone who denied the existence of witches or defended the accused must be one of them, and were brought to trial. Is this a homework question? 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. These spirits could inhabit any human or any creature. Another interesting fact about the witch trials is not everyone in Salem actually believed in witchcraft or supported the trials. 11 Important Facts About The Salem Witch Trials | APECSEC.org The other two accused and arrested at the same time were Sarah Osborne and Tituba, the Parriss black slave. On September 22, eight people were hanged. Even when the court ordered further executions, Phips wisely issued pardons to those convicted. Alden was accused of witchcraft by a child during a trip to Salem while he was on his way home to Boston from Canada. By the way, thank you so much for this wonderful website; its really thorough and cool. After Nurses execution on July 19th, the residents of Salem started to seriously question the validity of the trials. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. In Salem for example, the first significant victim of the witch trials was Tituba, a slave from the Caribbean. One major factor was that in 1684, King Charles II revoked the Massachusetts Bay Colonys royal charter, a legal document granting the colonists permission to colonize the area. I guarantee Im not related to any putnum. The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem. I mean the whole cause was a wheat bacteria/fungi called ergot. The English laws against witchcraft were repealed in 1736, after which incidents of suspected bewitchment, by now very isolated, were dealt with by mob rule rather than by a clear legal framework. The Witchcraft of Salem Village. 126. Massachusetts Archives, Vol. The Salem Witch Trials were not a positive section of American history but have been used as a learning tool for the United States. How the Salem Witch Trials Influenced the American Legal System - HISTORY in journalism. All of the accused were finally pardoned in 1711. How were the 2 dogs killed during the salem witch trials? Cant wait to visit this place! The fact is, no accused witches were burned at the stake in Salem, Massachusetts. 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. Ten of The Most Interesting Facts About The Salem Witch Trials Rebecca, how long did this take you? Lets look at some important historical evidence that people often forget about the Salem witch trials. This really helped me on my essay, thank you so much. No one was burned at the stake in Salem, but nineteen people were hanged, and one was pressed to death under heavy stones. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. 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! 6 The Role Of Religion In Witch Trials No one was burned at the stake in the Salem witch trials. These were the last hangings of the Salem Witch Trials. An elderly woman accused of witchcraft is taken to the courthouse by an officer of the law. 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. In November of 1991, Salem town officials announced plans for a Salem Witch Trials Memorial in Salem. The trials only lasted three months, but they managed to leave a perpetual dark mark on the town's history. Among those detained in March 1692 were Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse, upstanding members of the local churches in Salem Village and Salem Town respectively. . Seemed like there was alot of hate towards one another just for being different. Of course, remembering the events of 1692 can still act as a brake when contemporary events take a sinister downturn. 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. This legal tactic was known as peine forte et dure which means strong and harsh punishment.. Also, In 17th century Massachusetts, people often feared that the Devil was constantly trying to find ways to infiltrate and destroy Christians and their communities. 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. Many of the accusers were adults and more than a few of them were people who had themselves been accused. The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schnauzer. Note: it is expensive. Hi Indigo, Im assuming you mean eyewitness accounts. Samuel Parris of Salem Village. What was this witchery actually about and how did it all start? One of these days itll happen lol. Web. this helped a lot on my social studies project. And particularly, as I was a chief instrument of accusing of Goodwife Nurse and her two sisters, I desire to lie in the dust, and to be humbled for it, in that I was a cause, with others, of so sad a calamity to them and their families; for which cause I desire to lie in the dust, and earnestly beg forgiveness of God, and from all those unto whom I have given just cause of sorrow and offence, whose relations were taken away or accused.. More than 200 people were accused. William was happily a Calvinist, but not even that changed the fact New England theocracy was at an end. Did the Salem Witch Trials have any affect on the way that the American court systems were designed once the United States became a country? A lot was changing in colonial America at the time. Spanos and Gottlieb argue. Here's what we know about the original witch hunt: 1. During Titubas examination, she made a shocking confession that she had been approached by Satan, along with Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn, and they had all agreed to do his bidding as witches. Three Salem Women: The Stories of Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator and Bridget Bishop, Salem Witch Trials Weekly, produced by the Salem Witch Museum, Bewitchment in Salem, produced by the Salem Witch Museum in conjunction with SATV, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siegeby Marilynne K. Roach (Jul 22, 2004), Cry Innocent: The People vs. Bridget Bishop, The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming at the Peabody Essex Museum. Thanks! There were all kinds of tests to determine whether a woman was a witch. With a 1562 act now permitting the death penalty for acts of witchcraft, they were hanged. 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. In 1957, the state of Massachusetts officially apologized for the Salem Witch Trials and cleared the name ofsome of the remaining victims not listed in the 1711 law, stating: One Ann Pudeator and certain other persons yet did not list the other victims names. 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". 135, no. Im doing the Salem witch trials for my A-Level coursework, does anyone know the full names of any historians that have spoken about this topic? It was not difficult for the people of Salem to believe they were involved in witchcraft. In isolated settlements, in dim, smoky, firelit homes, New Englanders lived very much in the dark, where one listens more acutely, feels more passionately, imagines most vividly, where the sacred and the occult thrive. These five executions were not the first in New England for the crime of witchcraft. Alden spent 15 weeks in jail before friends helped break him out and he escaped to New York. 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. The following are some facts about the Salem Witch Trials: People wanted to protect themselves, so they ratted out their own friends, neighbors or anyone they didn't like. Warrants were issued by the dozen, sometimes for the arrest of the most unlikely suspects. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 10 Unsettling Facts About The Witch Trials - TheTravel Shortly after Sir William Phips appointment as Governor, he was forced to establish a court to deal with those who had been locked up in jail and were awaiting trial. It was last edited on September 8, 2013 at 4:52 pm, Thank you, Rebecca, recently I have been down and this is a paper for a class Im failing, Thank you for helping me get an A, What is the publisher for this website? I am the author and publisher of this blog. His diagnosis of bewitchment put into motion the forces that would ultimately result in the hanging deaths of 19 men and women. I wonder how many people ran away from The Salem Witch Trials. We've rounded up some interesting facts about Salem so you can enjoy it from home this season. I really enjoy reading your blog! 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]. "5 Facts About the Salem Trials." Presided over by William Stoughton . Check them out below. How many people (male and female) were killed in the Trials? How twisted is that? The punishment was hanging. It also silenced any opposition to the idea that the Devil had infiltrated Salem. According to the official Salem website, the trials were shorter than most people believe, but they were still deadly. Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. I am looking forward to the challenge of uncovering a multitude of analysis on this matter. Robbins, Rossell Hope. Abigail Williams: The Mysterious Afflicted Girl. harvnb error: no target: CITEREFRobinson2001 (. Fresh witchcraft cases continued to come before the new Superior Court of Judicature that, while again presided over by William Stoughton, was ordered not to accept spectral evidence. The Salem Witch Trials offered a salutary lesson not only to the colony of Massachusetts Bay but also to the new nation that would be forged in the following century. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Let me know if you are related to story too. Thank you for this amazing article! When a young Lancastrian woman called Alison Device asked for a pin from a travelling peddler but was denied, the peddler apparently became immediately paralysed down his left side. Then after said the dog died so it must have been innocent. Are there any other theories as to what may have caused the girls strange behavior? A witness testifies against an accused witch during one of the many witchcraft trials of the 1690s. When was this last edited? this helped me sooo much. I also have an ancestor, Mary Parsons, who was accused of witchcraft but she was allowed to live. Hopkins crusade was at its most virulent between 1644 and 1646. This site is not a part of the Smithsonian website. You never know what you will find when you start researching your family tree! Morrisiana, 1869Jackson, Shirley. A man of God literally planned out a witch genocide. There were the ordinary stresses of 17th-century life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. How could so many people believe the afflicted girls without no real evidence. OMG! This created a rift between the two groups in Salem Village. Around the end of September, the use of spectral evidence was finally declared inadmissible, thus marking the beginning of the end of the Salem Witch Trials. The witch trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. 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. From unbelievable witch swimming tests to th. 9 Things You Might Not Know About the Salem Witch Trials The Salem witch trials started with two girls having unexplainable fits. Women were not the only ones believed to be witchesmen and children were accused too. Salem Witch Trials Facts, Worksheets & Information For Kids - KidsKonnect The Salem Witch Trials: Real Facts That Will Haunt You http://www.easybib.com/cite/view. Mather saw the war against Satan as being just as important as the war against the French and the local Native American tribes. What Were The Salem Witch Trials? Explore The Facts And History The Salem Village hangings were the last executions of accused witches in the United States. 121, p. 108. There wasnt really any one document or agreement that ended the trials. Some say it's because temperatures dropped significantly, there was famine and people needed a scapegoat. It was divided into two distinct and very different socioeconomic parts. They left an 11-year-old son, John Jr . The trials are believed to have been the reason why the US constitution recognizes witchcraft as a legal religion. 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. She was released from jail shortly after the hangings began, and was never tried or convicted. Knowing that if he was convicted his large estate would be confiscated and wouldnt be passed down to his children, Corey brought his trial to a halt by refusing to enter a plea. Ergot contains lysergic acid, a precursor for synthesis of LSD; certainly the visions of shape-shifting devils reported by the afflicted might be consistent with the experiences of an acid trip. Second, everyone got their food from the same place, so symptoms would have occurred in every household, not just a select few. Learn Religions. To identify witches, authorities used the "touching test", in which victims of witchcraft would become calm upon touching the culprit. This was a special type of court in English law established specifically to hear cases that are extraordinary and serious in nature. The Salem witch trials began because a group of girls claimed they were possessed by the devil. Legal Legacy of the Salem Witch Trials. Wow. Puritans walk through the snow-covered woods to get to church. The other two accused women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osbourne, werent well liked by the community either. The Salem witch trials were a series of prosecutions in which over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft. 14 (in the history 201 course-pack compiled by S. McSheffrey & T. McCormick), Trans. The trials were held in the Salem courthouse, which was located in the center of Washington Street about 100 feet south of Lynde Street, opposite of where the Masonic Temple now stands. 10 Unsettling Facts About The Witch Trials, The Symptoms That Gave Witches Away Make No Sense At All, Women Could Save Themselves By Pointing A Finger (At Someone Innocent), Witch Trials In Germany Took Thousands Of Lives, It Wasn't Just Women Who Suffered Because Of The Trials, The Witch Tests Often Had No Way Of Getting Out Alive, As If They Didn't Suffer Enough, Social Outcasts Had It The Worst, Scary Stories: 10 Places For Stephen King Fans To Visit, 10 Scary Churches From Around The World That Will Creep You Out, Spooky Places: 10 Destinations For Fans Of Witches. Is there any credence to this theory? 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. A Break With Charity: A Story About the Salem Witch Trials by Ann Rinaldi. 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/. Can u imagine how her family must have felt after satan used them to kill all those people who had family members who had disagreed with them? They were said to have helped witches and were referred to as their familiars. While many modern-day Pagans cite the Salem trials as an example of religious intolerance, at the time, witchcraft was not seen as a religion at all. Although the afflicted girls were the main accusers during the trials, many historians believe the girls parents, particularly Thomas Putnam and Reverend Samuel Parris, were egging the girls on and encouraging them to accuse specific people in the community that they didnt like in an act of revenge. Other victims include two dogs who were shot or killed after being suspected of witchcraft. On that day, Judge Samuel Sewall attended prayer services at Bostons South Church and asked Reverend Samuel Willard to read a public apology that Sewall had written, which states: Samuel Sewall, sensible of the reiterated strokes of God upon himself and family; and being sensible, that as to the guilt contracted upon the opening of the late Commission of Oyer and Terminer at Salem (to which the order of this day relates) he is, upon many accounts, more concerned than any that he knows of, desires to take the blame and shame of it, asking pardon of men, and especially desiring prayers that God, who has an unlimited authority, would pardon that sin and all other his sins; personal and relative: And according to his infinite benignity and sovereignty, not visit the sin of him, or of any other, upon himself or any of his, nor upon the land: But that he would powerfully defend him against all temptations to sin, for the future; and vouchsafe him the efficacious, saving conduct of his word and spirit.. In mid-September, Corey was tortured this way for three days in a field near Howard Street until he finally died on September 19. The exact cause of the Salem Witch Trials is unknown but they were probably a number of causes. The Salem witch trials, which resulted in several deaths in 1692 in the small town of Salem, Massachusetts, have never been adequately explained. One of the best known of the accused has been the focus of some conjecture regarding whether or not she was practicing folk magic, because she was believed to be a "fortune teller." Published in 1992, this novel is a fictionalized account of the afflicted girls of Salem Village. The preacher sad they could not kill the devil by shooting the dog but did anyway. Witchcraft had been made illegal during Henry VIIIs reign, with subsequent legislation passed under Elizabeth I further outlawing conjurations and enchantments. An allegory of the intolerant McCarthyism discolouring the nation at the time Miller would himself be called before the Committee on Un-American Activities three years later the parallels were undeniable. Very well done! Its pretty hard to show any sort of concrete, tangible evidence that someone is in league with the Devil or fiddling around with spirits. Since some families of the victims did not want their family member listed, not every victim was named. I need to compare 2 victims of the salem witch trails and find a way that they are linked as indiviguals and how their lives had similar paths that lead to victimhood but this thing is wayyyyy to long. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Church was all powerful in those days. Unlike some of the more notorious cases in Europe and England, such as that of the Pendle witch trial, there was no one among Salems accused who was known as a local witch or healer, with one exception. Dr Griggs was a relative through my grandmother. Did the Putnams purchase any of the land from those who were accused and killed? I think it is easy to underestimate the importance of James IIs creation of the Dominion of New England. It has so many details that I need. Bad weather isn't the only reason why the witch hype began. The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology. This series of prosecutions and hangings of those accused of practicing witchcraft provoked a major backlash, and the event still haunts us today. what was the ratio of men to women. i would like to know more about the salem witch trials. Susannah Martin was my 10th great grandmother and John Proctor was my 11th great uncle. Im glad it was helpful. It was last updated Sept 4, 2016. Ultimately, eight women and two men were tried and found guilty of attending the gathering. This was so helpful for my project! Dramatic historic events such as witch trials didn't just come out of nowhere. Glanvill, Joseph. I see that you told someone quite a while ago but I dont think that is up to date. 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. For everyone who remains intrigued by Salem, here are a few lesser-known facts about the witchcraft trials. William Ives and George W. Pease, 1857Session Laws. The 190th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2001/Chapter122The 1692 Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Museum, www.salemwitchmuseum.com/education/salem-witch-trialsBlumberg, Jess. 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. 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. "5 Facts About the Salem Trials." I could use this for classroom use. And this was for a people who saw themselves as ordered by God to build their shining City on a Hill. That same month, four more women were accused and arrested:Rebecca NurseMartha CoreyDorothy GoodRachel Clinton (from Ipswich). Does anyone know who was the last one to be accused of witchcraft and died , all she did was healing and someone who she knew turned her in. Rebecca Nurses execution was a pivotal moment in the Salem Witch Trials. hope you in joy it was really helpful to my students and i, Thankyou this helpedme a lot for my 3 page essay in english 11 class. 10.