The Salem Witch Trials inaccurately portrays that religion always leads to a witch trial. Sometimes instead of using spectral evidence, people who commit crimes or act differently are accused of witchcraft immediately. However, these Witch Trials brought money to the church and brought greedy people power.
The Puritans were Christians influenced by Calvinism, they didn’t follow Anglo-Catholic traditions. Puritan immigrants established colonies in New England, intending to build their society off of religious beliefs, customs, and economy. Leadership of the Puritan congregations often consulted with ministers about colony issues. Puritans believed in highly of the Bible, which mention both, God and the Devil. The Puritans were given the power
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A very prominent clergyman Rev. Samuel Parris arrived at the village and was disliked for being greedy and causing altercations. The Committee of Five failed to notice financial problems relating to Parris’ pay and money going toward the church. The Puritans saw this as the work of the Devil. This was rumored to have started the outbreak of accusations.
Political conflicts existed at the time the trials took place. In late 16th century and early 17th century, America religion was a major role and people believed in both, God and the Devil. An even bigger role played in the Salem Witch Trials because the trials were influenced around religious factors. Being a witch meant people who were accused of witchcraft had a contract with the Devil, giving the Devil consent to enter that person’s body.
At this period, going to church was so adamant that hearing about God and the Devil were regular. Ministers preached not to go down Satan’s path. They held anything bad that happened in life, Satan was responsible for. They were so concerned that they’d look for signs to see if they were among the ones not chosen and that would tell them if they would go to heaven once they died. They also searched for signs they were going to hell if Satan was among
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When they were hunting down communists and people were accusing everyone of being communists to keep the blame away from them. The term “witch hunt” is used today without any religious context to describe a period where people are accusing others of whatever the biggest issue was at that time.
Salem wanted to alleviate itself from dangerous and threatening individuals. Greedy people wanted the new economic and political capitalism to themselves, and if that meant you accuse your neighbor of witchcraft, that’s what you did. People lived in fear, if they were at the wrong place at the wrong time, they could be accused, or if they said something to the wrong person, they could’ve been accused. It was no secret; the whole town knew if you were accused of being a witch.
Even though the crime of being a witch was a religious one, the goals of the people during the Salem Witch Trials were not. They wanted wealth and power and saw that by accusing others of being witches they could gain both. The people of Salem also were scared, at first of the Devil but quickly of what their fellow man could do to them if they were accused of being a witch. The only way to solve this was to join in the accusations. Faith did not motivate the people of Salem, greed and fear