Salem Witch Trials And Give Two Examples Of Dehumanization

Literary Essay How our society and country got to where it is today involved a small stepping stone along the way for decades. Throughout American civilization, the culture, literature, religion and the way of life has varied through bloodshed, warfare, colonization and imperialism. Varying cultures have lived and died on American soil such as the Spanish, Native Americans and British. Throughout the time of colonialism a cultural encounter occurred, the interaction and a risen conflict between two cross cultures. This series of events was very problematic due the actions carried out against each other. When cultural encounter occurred during colonialism and imperialism, certain groups were dehumanized, the process of depriving one or a group of human

This series of events consisted of the persecution, capital punishments and death penalties of thousands of people who were accused to be witches. According to Professor Jason Wozniak’s lecture on Salem Witch Trials, as far back as 1692, approximately 40,000-60,000 people were condemned and executed. 80% of those executions were women. This commotion was caused based off a accusation of anyone who might fit the description of a witch or didn’t fit the image of the norm. During the genocide of the native Americans, they too were treated unjustly and killed by the masses and fit the category of a group who was dehumanized. Those who were accused being a witch were also accused of supporting the natives, so receiving humiliating punishment was carried out. Punishments that were carried out were public hangings, beheadings or set on fire. The common punishment was always carried out in public. This was to demonstrate power and that the accused witches were not human. How this compares to a cultural encounter is that those who were accused were blamed through a generalization. The culture of a supposed “witch” fits the following; whoever