What Caused the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 In Salem, Massachusetts there were Witch Trials held during the summer months of 1692. Throughout the seventeenth century in New England, witchcraft was said to be a crime punishable by death. Puritans came to New England in the early 1600’s to practice their Christianity in the purest form possible. They believed every word in the bible and that the words of God were to be followed down to the last sentence there was. Havoc started occurring around the town and 19 women along with men were hanged for witchcraft.
Between the month of June 10 and September 22, 1692, the Salem witch trial which took place in Salem Massachusetts, claimed 20 residents life’s from Salem. This event shook the American History and left historians with one question decades after, what caused the Salem witch trial hysteria of 1692? In a Christian community this must have seemed strange, but superstition causing religious role to intervene and also social/economic class fueled the witch hunt. The Salem witch trial of 1692 all started when two young girls (Betty Parris and Abigail Williams) in Salem village Massachusetts claimed to have been possessed by the devil, accusing three women who had possessed them. As this hysteria continued, a special court was built just to hear
In the year of 1692, 130 people were persecuted in Salem, Massachusetts on claims of Witchery. 25 of them died. What could have happened in Salem to spark the infamous witch trials of Salem? I believe it was caused by paranoia, attention seekers, and unneighborly conflicts.
Imagine being a wealthy 45-year-old woman in 1692 being accused of being a witch. The Salem Witch trials were caused by jealousy, fear, and lying. People believed that the devil was real and that one of his tricks was to enter a normal person 's body and turn that person into a witch. This caused many deaths and became a serious problem in 1692. First of all, jealousy was one of the causes of the Salem witch trials.
These techniques planted a seed for the belief that witchcraft was in Salem. The afflicted girls also experienced physical illnesses that the residents of Salem associated with witchcraft. They experienced uncontrollable muscle movements, a tingling sensation in the arms and legs, paranoia, stiffness, making strange noises, loss of consciousness, feeling dazed, and undergoing seizures (“Symptoms”). Dr. Quintinilla, a physician and researcher, “...was able to match the symptoms of people condemned as witches with associated neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as epilepsy and hysteria” (Quintanilla 1). The symptoms the girls were experiencing included loss of consciousness, anxiety, and uncontrollable muscle movements which have a strong connection to the physical symptoms of epilepsy (Epilepsy).
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were caused by a combination economic strain, resentment towards those of Salem Town, the Puritans strong belief in witches and the devil, and the confirmation of those accused for witchcraft. Economic strain was prevalent in the later half of the seventeenth century, with the average family farm size drastically decreasing. To add to this economic stress, the people of Salem Village were forced to pay taxes that went directly to Salem Town. This led the people of Salem Village to somewhat desire revenge on those of Salem Town. While this was occuring, people were begining to think that Satan was acting there Massachusetts colony.
The Salem Witch Crisis was a period of time when women would be accused and tried in court for being witches. Girls that said they had symptoms that were bothering them and accused women and one man of being witches. If the women confessed to being a witch, the would be thrown in jail, and if they were convicted for being a witch but denied it they would be killed because the judge would have to believe their visions. I think the Salem witch trials was caused because Reverend Parris, his nine year-old daughter and his niece created a lie to punish the people to those who were seen as straying from God's work and people that they disliked.. The Reverend’s daughter was the one who got sick so she probably acted like she was sick.
Some neighbors would accuse each other, and a lot of people believe that they accused each other because they had disagreements about who owned what land. If this is true, then maybe it did not recur due to too many people were starting to not believe it. While many people may believe this speculation, there are numerous others who may find other theories more plausible. In conclusion, there are numerous theories for why the Salem Witch trials started.
The Salem witch trial was a time about accusing your fellow neighbor or being accused yourself, this all began in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. During this time many people were being accused of being a witch, a majority of the time it was because either someone truly believed that you were a witch and were reeking havoc or they were trying to find someone to take the blame if they were to being accused. So this leads us to question, what began the Salem Witch Trials? There were at least three causes of the Salem witch trials hysteria. These were Betty Parris and Abigail Williams story, Ergotism, and the acknowledgment of hysteria.
What was the cause and beliefs of the Salem Witch Trials? In the fourteenth century there was a belief that the devils practice were given to certain humans (History.com). Two young girls believed this because of the aftereffects of war, a smallpox epidemic, a fear of native american attacks,and a rivalry with a Salem town (History.com). In 1684 King Charles Ⅱ removed the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s Act because of the fear of the so called witches (“History of Salem Witch Trials”). At this time another belief was developed: that everyone was stressed because of the constant change of leaders (“History of Salem Witch Trials).
