Salem Witch Trials: How Religion And Gender Played A Big Role In History

Alana Alvarado

Professor Krammer

March 7, 2023

Salem Witch Trials

Throughout this class, we have learned what witches are throughout history and how they have had an impact on our history, and some of the misfortunes that took place. Learning about the history of witches and witchcraft helped us understand the build-up to the witch trials in Salem Massachusetts, which began in 1692 and lasted until 1693. During these witch trials in Salem about 150 people were accused of being a witch, and about 25 people died as a result of these trials. Many things had an impact on the unfortunate event in history from warfare, gender, and economic issues, but I will be focusing on how Religion and Gender played a big part in the Salem witch trials.

In the book titled “The devil in the Shape of a woman” By Carol F. Karlsen says, “Witchcraft was rebellion against God, and among the grounds for examining a witch were signs that she had transferred her allegiance from God to Satan. Neighbors testifying against the accused often cited hostility to the Puritan God, church, or clergy as evidence of witchcraft.” (Karlsen, 121). This quote from the reading reiterates why they thought being a witch was so bad/harmful, but it then goes into a bit of detail that neighbors or people around would go and accuse who they thought was a witch. Since being a witch was a terrible thing during this time they thought that if they got rid of them they were doing something and it would be favorable in the eyes of god. They believed that since a witch was a servant to the devil that if they got rid of them they would be doing god's work. In the article written by David Hall, it says “The laws on witchcraft in New England took their cue from the 1604 English statute (1 James I. ch. 12) and defined it as a felony, with the penalty of death. It is important to note that witchcraft was not formally considered heresy, or & crime against religion.” (Hall, 173). This was an important quote due to the fact that now being a witch

It has been very evident from the beginning of when Christianity had an influence on what a witch was, it was almost always if not always a woman that they were referring to and would accuse. In the case of the Salem witch trials, 74% of the people accused and executed were women and 26% were males. This had to do with the fact that they believed women were more sinful and were an easy target for the devil's influence. In a book titled “Witchcraft, Magic, and Religion in 17th-century Massachusetts” by Richard Wisemen, it says “in the sermon literature on witchcraft, only William Perkins mentioned the preference of Satan for women over men and then more as an aside than as a point of emphasis Satan was far too canny to reveal himself in familiar social stereotypes or to guarantee visible social coordinates for his invisible operations.” (Wisemen, 37) During this period, they believed that the devil had a preference for women because they were easier to influence and that the devil didn't want someone who had social status so he could conduct his plans in secret. Due to this belief most of the people who were being accused were women and more specifically women who didn’t have a social status. That means women who were poor, didn’t have a husband and did not fit into the societal norms. In “The Devil in the Shape of a Woman” by Carol F.