How Did The Salem Witch Trials Impact On American History

Salem Witch Trials

Mass hysteria, social ignorance, and religious intolerance all describe the chaos that took place in Massachusetts during the year 1692. The Salem Witch Trials were not a positive section of American history but have been used as a learning tool for the United States. According to Plouffe, Jr., the trials were the largest of suspected criminals in the colonial period of American history. More than one hundred and fifty people were arrested on charges of witchcraft, and nineteen of these individuals were convicted and hanged (Plouffe, Jr. n. pag.). Many factors play into the long process of the Salem Witch Trials and have had a lasting impact on American history.

Life in colonial America was significantly different from life

During that winter, record-breaking weather occurred. The winter was one of the worst recorded in American history (Hoffer n. pag.). The horrible weather, however, was not the only factor making that year important in history. During 1692, many young girls contracted an illness that had no explanation. Reverend Samuel Parris’ daughter, Betty Parris, and niece, Abigail Williams, began behaving oddly that winter (Findling 159). The Parris family had a slave, Tituba, who had been telling the young girls voodoo stories that interested them in fortune telling (“Salem Witch Trials” n. pag.). The two young girls put together a homemade crystal ball, to read into their futures. They did that by dropping an egg into a glass. According to Findling, at this point in history, it was forbidden to crystal ball gaze because it was considered a form of witchcraft. Crystal ball gazing fell under the white witchcraft category and was only a minor offense. However, all other forms of witchcraft were prohibited during this time as well. Betty Parris and Abigail Williams felt guilty for their prohibited actions only after they saw a coffin in their home made crystal ball. As a result of their ill fortune, the girls began acting weird and their guilt quickly turned into terror. Shortly after Parris and Williams fell ill, a handful of other young women in the Salem community did as well. Among the ill were Ann

Findling stated that in February of 1692, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, the first two to fall ill, started going into trances, blurting out nonsense, and falling into epileptic-like fits. “Their bodies were supposedly twisted as if their bones were made out of putty” (Findling 160). Findling also wrote Reverend Parris, Betty Parris’ father, hired multiple doctors to examine the girls. None of them had an answer to the unexplainable illness until Doctor William Griggs finally diagnosed the young girls with witchcraft. Concerned for his daughter and niece, Reverend Parris asked his congregation to pray for them. As word of the illness spread, more young girls started experimenting with forms of white witchcraft (Findling 159-160). This resulted in a growing number of girls behaving in the same odd manner. More symptoms were experienced by the girls including howling, spitting, and the feeling of being pinched (Jones n. pag.). The behavior of the girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts was similar to that of hysteria. According to Findling, hysteria is commonly referred to as temporary excitement or the victim’s loss of self-control. In medical terms, hysteria includes symptoms of fits and temporary hearing, sight, speech, and memory loss. In 1692, girls were also experiencing symptoms similar to a choking sensation, hallucinations, and the feeling of