In American history, the Salem Witch Trials serve as a prime representation and example of intolerance and injustice. The Salem Witch Trials were trials that went on for approximately one year, it all began when two girls claimed that they were being possessed” by the devil and they accused some women of witchcraft. The two “afflicted girls” accused the very first three victims, Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne. The Salem Witch Trials began in February of 1692 and ended in May of 1693. The Salem Witch Trials are an important representation and illustration of prejudice and injustice in American history.
More than 200 innocent people were accused. 20 innocent people died including women, men, and children. Some people were accused when
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It hadn’t really taken much to persuade the villagers of Salem that there was evil among them since they were faithful and strongly religious.
Mainly women were among the 200 people accused. 14 women had been prosecuted. There was an estimate of 75% of the witchcraft accusations being put on women. Since in other people's eyes women were more likely to be witches and use witchcraft they were the “main” cause. Many of the men that were among the 200 innocent people accused of witchcraft happened to be related to the alleged witches (husbands or fathers). The event's long-term impacts on society were one of its most significant impacts since they introduced a new era of distrust and terror towards anyone who might have appeared "unusual" or behaved differently from their neighbors. The effects of the Salem Witch Trials on those who were directly affected are unimaginable. For instance, families of those accused were crushed when loved ones passed away or were imprisoned for years without the possibility of release. Because many people felt the accused's home contained proof demonstrating guilt, these charges occasionally even led to property seizures. People also suffered severe mental distress as a result of being labeled as witches and feeling rejected by their
The Background of the Salem Witch Trials and How They Affected America The Salem Witch Trials began in 1692 when teenage girls’ behaviors were questioned at reverend Samuel Parris’ house. The girls were accused of performing dark ritual dances in the woods. They would randomly fall on the ground and scream hysterically. After this strange event this type of behavior was spreading throughout the whole town.(History of salem). There were 140 people accused of being witches.
The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions due to the accusations of witchcraft. Many innocent people were either executed or sent to jail for a crime they may or may not have committed. The Salem Witch Trials impacted the history of America tremendously. Without the trials, our country might not be the same as it is today.
Scapegoating began taking place everywhere and soon chaos broke out. People were accusing other simply because they, themselves, had been accused and they wanted to blame to be passed on to someone else. Accusations were being made at enemies and those that someone had a grudge on - rarely were accusations made in an honest manner. “Any unlikeable characterist could get someone accused of witchcraft” (“Five Myths about the Salem Witch Trials”). A great level of paranoia grew around the town of Salem because one never knew when he/she would be accused of the witchcraft.
There were over twenty people who were tried and executed under the inference of studying witchcraft. Twenty people got executed and fourteen of them were women. Five of these women were imprisoned, including two pure infants. There were over 200 people in total who were accused of practicing this so-called “witchcraft”. This was all an immense rage that started in Europe that lasted from the 14th century all the way to the end of the 17th century and was unfortunately brought back up in the late 19th century.
The news of these “symptoms” led to the epidemic of mass hysteria in Salem. The belief that people were witches rapidly grew in the village to the point where no one was
Nearly anyone from the New England has heard of the famous Salem Witch Trials. A year of persecution, leading to the accusation of nearly 200 citizens of all ages. No one was safe; men, women, children, even pets stood trial and 20 were hung for the supposed crime of witchcraft (Blumberg). 1692 was a year of witch hunting. Most today blame the trials on hysteria, or perhaps a bad case of paranoia.
Though humans nowadays regard witches to be factors of comedy, or even child’s play, the topic of witches back then was as taboo as it gets. Eventually, the mass hysteria resulted in the arrests of many, and deaths of nearly 30 members
In 1692, a mass hysteria spread throughout Salem, Massachusetts. The Salem Witch Trials were an important point in history because of historical reasons. During the trials, a total of nineteen people were hanged and one hundred and fifty men and women were accused of witchcraft. Seven died in prison and one man was even crushed to death by stones after refusing to enter a plea at his arraignment. Even two dogs were accused and killed!
In Salem, Massachusetts the year was 1692. Bridget Bishop hung from wooden scaffolds on Gallows Hill with a noose around her neck, the villagers watched as she took her last breath. This event took place during the Salem Witch Trials, where more than 200 people were accused of practicing witch craft. Over twenty-three people and two dogs were executed for that reason. In 1693, the wife of the governor of Salem was accused of practicing witch craft, so naturally, he ordered the trials to cease at that point.
Since the beginning of the trials there have been many injustices as well as an increase in paranoia. For every person tried there was little to no evidence besides trust of words from another human being. Many women and some men were convicted based on what others think, if someone thinks that another person is acting suspicious, they will be tried and most likely hanged or imprisoned. Remembering the Salem Witch Trials is remembering victims being killed, tortured, and imprisoned because of what they may believe in or because of spectral evidence. The court, Oyer and Terminer, was the main suspect for the killings of nineteen individuals, the court was put in place specifically for cases of witchcraft but the court allowed spectral evidence as a reason for the person tried to be hanged.
The Salem Witch Trials occured on February 1692 - May 1693 and caused many of issues and effected a lot of people. It caused a lot of people to be killed for no reason. People abused it in so many ways and just had people killed because they didn't like them or wanted their land, and it could even because they wanted to be with that person's husband or just be cause of jealousy. It made them fear people because if you make anyone mad they could just turn on you and try to say your a witch to have you killed or sent to jail. But it also didn't take much to convince people and get people to act like someone casted a spell on them to have them executed so that they could get attention.
What is the truth about the Salem witch trials? Surrounding this event, there is a lot of speculation and faulty. The Salem witch trials were established in the small town of Salem, Massachusetts in the spring of 1692 and lasted until the summer of 1693. This event commenced when young girls were accused of being possessed by the devil and witchcraft. The witch trials consisted of trials, executions, and witch tests although there is no proven fact that witches are real.
The Salem Witch Trials The witch trials of Salem had an effect of 20 executions along with more than 200 others falsely accused of witchcraft. The town had many problems leading up to the deaths. The people accused and turned on each other, while the court struggles to find the real witches. Salem had many tensions before the trials, there was trouble sorting out witches, and a lot of repairing to do afterwards.
Salem, Massachusetts, USA and occurred between February 1692 and May 1693. Over 150 people were arrested and imprisoned and even more accused; but not pursued by the authorities. 29 were convicted of witchcraft but only 19 were hanged. The best known trials were in the Court of Oyer and Terminer.
The Salem Witch Trials The belief of witchcraft can be traced back centuries to as early as the 1300’s. The Salem Witch Trials occurred during 1690’s in which many members of Puritan communities were accused and convicted of witchcraft. These “witch trials” were most famously noted in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. Many believe this town to be the starting point for the mass hysteria which spread to many other areas of New England.