Salem Witch Salem Witch TrialsTrials

F.Y.IF.Y.I The Salem Witch Trials began in The Salem Witch Trials began in

1692 and resulted in a number of 1692 and resulted in a number of convictions and executions for convictions and executions for witchcraft in Massachusetts.witchcraft in Massachusetts.

It was the result of a period of It was the result of a period of factional infighting and Puritan witch factional infighting and Puritan witch hysteria.hysteria.

Religion and Religion and WitchcraftWitchcraft Puritans were expected to Puritans were expected to

live by a rigid moral code. live by a rigid moral code. They believed that all sins They believed that all sins from sleeping in church to from sleeping in church to stealing food should be stealing food should be punished. punished.

They also believed God They also believed God would punish sinful would punish sinful behavior.behavior.

Puritans also believed the Puritans also believed the Devil was as real as God. Devil was as real as God. Everyone was faced with Everyone was faced with the struggle between the the struggle between the powers of good and evil, powers of good and evil, but Satan would select the but Satan would select the weakest individualsweakest individuals

Where it Where it BeganBegan…… The trials ensued as The trials ensued as

a result of two a result of two young girls named, young girls named, Betty Parris and her Betty Parris and her cousin Abigail cousin Abigail Williams. Williams.

They claimed to They claimed to have been bitten have been bitten and pinched by and pinched by invisible agents on invisible agents on their arms, necks their arms, necks and backs.and backs.

“ “ Witches Mark Witches Mark ”” A group of doctors and A group of doctors and

statesmen would statesmen would examine a person to examine a person to determine if they had determine if they had the mark of a witch.the mark of a witch.

The “marks” that were The “marks” that were discovered on the discovered on the supposed witches supposed witches bodies were often bodies were often bruises or birthmarks.bruises or birthmarks.

GenderGender Seventy five percent of the people accused of Seventy five percent of the people accused of

witchcraft were women. witchcraft were women. Women were far from equal with men, making it Women were far from equal with men, making it

easy for men to accuse women of these acts. easy for men to accuse women of these acts. Women accused were usually reformist in the town. Women accused were usually reformist in the town. Trials resulted in 14 women, 6 men and the Trials resulted in 14 women, 6 men and the

imprisonment of 150 more people.imprisonment of 150 more people.

The First The First VictimsVictims The first in Salem to The first in Salem to

be accused of be accused of witchcraft were Sarah witchcraft were Sarah Good, Sarah Good, Sarah Osbourne, and Tituba.Osbourne, and Tituba.

All three of these All three of these women ended up in women ended up in jail. jail.

Spectral Spectral EvidenceEvidence The primary evidence in any of these The primary evidence in any of these

cases, other than ‘signs of the devil’, cases, other than ‘signs of the devil’, was spectral evidence, which could not was spectral evidence, which could not be supported by other people. Only a be supported by other people. Only a victim could identify their tormentor, victim could identify their tormentor, which led to people accusing anyone of which led to people accusing anyone of witchcraft. witchcraft.

An argument with your neighbor could An argument with your neighbor could lead to revenge by taking them to court lead to revenge by taking them to court for witchcraft. People could easily do for witchcraft. People could easily do this because no proof was necessary to this because no proof was necessary to back up the accusation. back up the accusation.

Spectral evidence is not credible and is Spectral evidence is not credible and is normally backed up by other people. normally backed up by other people. However, in Salem during the trials, this However, in Salem during the trials, this was the only evidence and was was the only evidence and was considered supreme. considered supreme.

Your Your Accused?Accused? If you were accused If you were accused

of being a witch you of being a witch you could?could?

FLEE SALEMFLEE SALEM

ACCUSE SOMEONE ELSEACCUSE SOMEONE ELSE

BECOME PREGNANTBECOME PREGNANT

CONFESS, EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE INNCONFESS, EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE INNOCENTOCENT

PLEAD INNOCENT AND STAND FOR PLEAD INNOCENT AND STAND FOR TRIAL TRIAL

REFUSE TO STAND FOR TRIAL AND REFUSE TO STAND FOR TRIAL AND FACE THE CONSEQUENCESFACE THE CONSEQUENCES

ConfessingConfessing As the trials continued As the trials continued

on, some of the on, some of the accused ended up accused ended up confessing to the confessing to the charges of witchcraft. charges of witchcraft.

If you did not confess, If you did not confess, then the court would then the court would search for evidence of search for evidence of the devil, such as the devil, such as voodoo, needles, or voodoo, needles, or physical marks on physical marks on your body. your body.

During the During the TrialsTrials Even though witchcraft was probably not Even though witchcraft was probably not

going on in Salem at the time of the trials, going on in Salem at the time of the trials, there were some people there were some people who pled guilty, Mary pled guilty, Mary Osgood was one of them. She confessed that Osgood was one of them. She confessed that 11 years past she had been diverted from 11 years past she had been diverted from praying to God by this black cat. Instead of praying to God by this black cat. Instead of praying to God she was praying to the devil. praying to God she was praying to the devil.

Pleading Pleading GuiltyGuilty Confessing to the charges was Confessing to the charges was

the most pleasing to the judges. the most pleasing to the judges. Puritans could be remarkably Puritans could be remarkably forgiving people. forgiving people.

They were not primarily They were not primarily concerned with punishment. concerned with punishment. Puritans felt that if you Puritans felt that if you admitted to your guilt then they admitted to your guilt then they could lessen the sentence. could lessen the sentence.

Many people realized that a Many people realized that a confession would most likely confession would most likely save you from execution, so save you from execution, so even if you weren’t guilty you even if you weren’t guilty you were better off claiming that were better off claiming that you were. you were.

ConvictedConvicted Sadly, not even in death were Sadly, not even in death were

the accused witches granted the accused witches granted peace or respect. peace or respect.

As convicted witches were As convicted witches were excommunicated from their excommunicated from their churches and none were given churches and none were given proper burial. proper burial.

As soon as the bodies of the As soon as the bodies of the accused people were cut down accused people were cut down from the trees, they were from the trees, they were thrown into a shallow grave thrown into a shallow grave and the crowd would then and the crowd would then leave.leave.

OverallOverall The tragedy of 1692The tragedy of 1692

– Salem dealt with real people—the Salem dealt with real people—the “bewitched” young girls, town leaders who “bewitched” young girls, town leaders who fanned the hysteria, innocent men and fanned the hysteria, innocent men and women, all were accused of witchcraft. women, all were accused of witchcraft.

– Whether they helped create the witch hunt Whether they helped create the witch hunt or were at the mercy of the events, together or were at the mercy of the events, together these people made up a community wrapped these people made up a community wrapped in jealousy, ego, fear, and superstition. in jealousy, ego, fear, and superstition.

ResourcesResources http://www.salemweb.com/guide/witchttp://www.salemweb.com/guide/witc

hes.shtmlhes.shtml http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchchttp://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchc

raft/raft/ http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/

projects/ftrials/salem/SALEM.HTMprojects/ftrials/salem/SALEM.HTM http://www.salemwitchtrials.com/http://www.salemwitchtrials.com/ http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/