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Essay On Salem Witch Trial

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Salem witch testing The year 1692 is when madness broke out in a small village called Salem. This disaster started when a group of young girls displayed unusual behavior. This group of girls claimed to be possessed and when asked who controlled their behavior the girls replied with the name of a slave. This led the village to accuse women of witchcraft. The small community then began to pray and fast to rid their town of the Devil’s influence. In the process of being accused many of the suspects were forced to undergo test. These test were used to decide whether or not the suspect will be executed. Many of these tests though, were harsh and was believed to prove innocence or guilt. One of the harshest test was named the Swimming Test. This test required the suspect to strip down to their undergarments. They were then bound by their hands to their feet and thrown into a lake. The judges believed that if the accused floated they were guilty because the water was rejecting the person 's body. If the person sunk to the bottom of the lake they were innocent and were still executed by drowning. The less harsh test was named the Prayer Test. It was believed that if you were a witch you could not recite …show more content…

Judges forced the suspected witches to undress down to their undergarments in public and were examined for marks. These marks consisted of blemishes, birthmarks, moles, and even scars. The community believed these marks were the Devil’s way into a person 's body. Many individuals in the village went as far as scratch, freezing, and burning marks off of their bodies to be innocent. The judges would also bring in experts called Pickers. These experts were often con men and would use needles made of gold and would poke the suspect causing them to have new marks making them seem guilty. The community believed you were innocent if you felt pain and bled as you were pricked all over the

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A witch’s mark was believed to be a mark or blemish that was receive upon making a pact with the devil. Any skin imperfection on the accused was to be the mark of the devil. Not many could escape this method of witch hunting. Despite which method the accused came in contact with they remained with little chance

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The first of the evidence was the accused needed to pass a test, such as reciting the Lord’s Prayer. This test was used because usually if the accused person was actually a witch, then in the middle of the test, the person would be known to scream and writhe on the floor. The second type of evidence was physical evidence, which could be any warts, moles, birthmarks, or any other blemishes on the body. These were thought to be places where the devil entered into the body. The third type of evidence was witness testimony, in which any person that observed the accused person doing any type of witchcraft or sorcery could testify in court.

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Dark, unhuman like, in 1692 Salem was going though an arduous time. Many people, would recall this time frame as the witch craft trials. At the time, humans that were accused or incriminated of witch crafted were put to a challenge. Sadly, many did not survive causing many to lose their lives. What obstacle where they put under you may wonder.

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This was the beginning of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. This train of events would forever change the town of Salem; everyone would soon associate the colony as a “witch town”. The trials had changed the town, now the people of Salem would be wondering who would be accused next. The problem was no one knew, a startling statistic would haunt the town forever; 40 people were dead and

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Salem witchcraft trials started in New England and caused a lot of deaths and hysteria for the people of Salem, Massachusetts. Innocent women and men were hung just for being accused by their fellow friends and neighbors. Witchcraft in the 17th century was a big taboo that people feared. It started when a couple of girls from Salem encountered an African woman slave who knew about sorcery and fortune. After a few days, people noticed that they seemed different.

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