Tituba Essay

All through history millions of individuals have been shunned, arrested, brutally tortured, prosecuted, and persecuted as witches. One would think that post colonization of the United States these unjust acts to human kind would have ended, but that was not so. In 1692 the Salem Witch Trials took place, an event that was a major catastrophe in United States history. It began when a group of young girls in Salem, Massachusetts declared that they were possessed by the devil and made accusations that several older women were practicing witchcraft and fraternizing with the Devil. The strict Puritan discipline is what incited the girl’s interest in magic and superstitious acts which caused strange behavior starting the witchcraft delirium in

He owned two slaves who he bought in Barbados, Tituba and her husband John Indian. Tituba was knowledgeable with fortune-telling, communication with dead spirits, and magic which she learned from her locals on her native land in the West Indies. Tituba’s ability to do magic fascinated the young girls in the local community. The fascination soon turned into charm. In February 1692, nine year old Betty Parris and eleven year old Abigail Williams began slipping into trances, blurting nonsensical phrases, cowering in corners, and collapsing in epileptic-like fits.6 Reverend Samuel Parris sought out many medical professionals to examine the two children. There was not one doctor that knew what was causing the children’s episodes until Doctor William Griggs examined and diagnosed

Samuel questioned the girls until they eventually told him that his slave Tituba was a witch. The girls also named Sarah Osbourne as well as Sarah Good as the ones tormenting them. On March 1, 1692, Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osbourne were arrested for practicing witchcraft. Tituba confessed to having made a pact with Satan, causing a psychological dam to brake, releasing a torrent of emotion and hostility on the part of the girls and shortly thereafter on the part of the entire local community.9 The start of the accusations by the girls also initiated the executions. Over 150 men and women were accused and arrested for witchcraft and some were executed.10 The turning point for the Salem Witch Trials was the mass execution that took place on Sept. 22, 1962.11 (pg81-113) The Puritans, the court and even the Reverend were realizing that they made a mistake.

After almost a year of terror, the trials were over. Over twenty innocent lives were lost. Those who were not the same as everyone else were given the title of a witch. Instead of being accepted as individuals, they were ousted, persecuted, and some executed. The Witch Trials of Salem were a major catastrophe in United States history that will never be