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The Salem Witch Trials: The Cause Of The Massachusetts Bay Trial

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The Massachusetts Bay Experiment was a colony founded on extreme puritan principal. It was to be a community of “Visible Saints”, for all other religions to look upon, where they could practice their puritan beliefs freely. Whenever there was a problem within the colony the puritans always looked to the church for answers. Since this was such a theocratic society, one could see just how an event such as The Salem Witch Trials could occur. Many historians attribute the cause of the Salem witch trials to various different reasons, it is evident through the various trials and reactions of the people being tried, that the Salem witch trials occurred because of the extremist views of the puritans. Massachusetts bay colony was founded on the power of the church and court system. The Massachusetts government favored one church, and that was the Puritan church. This allowed the trials being held during this time to use religious principal to underlay all claims against a person. In fact, many of the men appointed as judges during this time had religious puritan background. In the biography of William Stoughton, a judge of many of the trials of the bewitched, …show more content…

The 19 that died chose to die rather then commit a sin. Elizabeth Howe, who was hung exclaimed, “If it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent.” Elizabeth Died knowing that she was in god’s favor. Martha Corey, who was hung as well shouted during her trial, “The Lord open the eyes of the Magistrates & Ministers: The Lord show his power to discover the guilty!”, and again later, “The lord knows”. Till the day she died she believed her god would deliver her and she died knowing her god was accepting of her. Because of the strong conviction of religion that these women and many others had the witch trials continued to

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DJ Jones Jones1 U.S History Mr. Watkins 5/25/16 The Salem Witch Trials In the beginning of 1620 the puritan community moved from there mother church in england so they could practice christianity in its purest form and without anyone holding them back . One off the many practices that they wanted to do but was rejected by their mother church was the concept of predestination they believed that when you are born God has already judged whether or not you go to heaven or hell.

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What Caused the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 In Salem, Massachusetts there were Witch Trials held during the summer months of 1692. Throughout the seventeenth century in New England, witchcraft was said to be a crime punishable by death. Puritans came to New England in the early 1600’s to practice their Christianity in the purest form possible. They believed every word in the bible and that the words of God were to be followed down to the last sentence there was. Havoc started occurring around the town and 19 women along with men were hanged for witchcraft.

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Throughout the course of America’s history there are many events of injustice: the mistreatment of Native Americans, using African Americans as personal property, and accusing men and women in Salem, Massachusetts of witchcraft. The Salem witch trials occurred many years ago in 1692. In the Puritan community, religion was a huge part of life. It controlled most of people’s everyday activities and was a way to find hope in their difficult, unglamourous lives. According to History.com, “Puritans were portrayed by their enemies as hair splitters who slavishly followed their bibles as guides to daily life” (Delbanco).

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From 1692 to 1693, the Salem witch trials had Massachusettes in shambles because of the rising hysteria and madness. This madness was caused by many factors, including a corrupted justice system, personal grudges against one another, and one's willingness to lie for pride. The Salem government was considered a theocracy, in which the government was ruled in the name of God and the hands of the priest. Judge Danforth exemplifies unprofessionalism when he decides he cannot pardon anyone because they have already hung many others, which would be admitting his wrongdoing. “You misunderstand, sir; I cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime.

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In Salem, Massachusetts, Puritans were strong believers in the Bible. The Bible states, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” The Puritans beliefs led to them accusing 20 innocent people of being a witch, this resulted in their deaths in 1692. Even though the Puritans couldn’t see it at the time, their accusations were really based off jealousy, lies, and Salem being divided into two parts. One cause of the Salem witch trial hysteria was jealousy.

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The article “An Attack on the Salem Witch Trials”, written by Thomas Brattle who is a Harvard graduate and a Boston merchant, states a view against the Salem Witch Trials and what they are doing (Dudley 29). On the other side Cotton Mather, a leading minister in Boston, wrote “A Defense of the Salem Witch Trials” which is favored on continuing the trials (Dudley 26). The Salem Witch Trials are a very absurd way to get rid of the so called witches, and should be put to a stop. The article “An Attack on the Salem Witch Trials” stated, “The justices order the apprehended to look upon the said children, which accordingly they do; and at the time of that look, … the afflicted are cast into a fit.”

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Not because she was a witch but because she couldn’t pay her bills, therefore she was an easy target. People came forward against her declaring that they had seen her image doing things. Recalling events like seeing her beside their beds, and others accusing her of bad luck. “A villager named Samuel Grey told the court that Bishop visited his bed at night and tormented him” (Douglas).

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In that tiny segment of the whole case, Bishop on numerous occasions states she is innocent and hasn’t even met the girls that accuse her. Also, it is stated in the confession of Abigail Williams, one of the five girls who accused Bishop, that she “practiced and exercised” the use of witchcraft and “afflicted torture” on Williams. Although pleading her innocence, Bridget Bishop was convicted and hanged June 10, 1692, making her the first of 20 to be executed during the trials. Five more people were hanged in late July, one of them being a well-respected and loved member of the community, Rebecca Nurse. This was a major deal within the community as many people signed a petition to release her after her arrest.

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Nearly anyone from the New England has heard of the famous Salem Witch Trials. A year of persecution, leading to the accusation of nearly 200 citizens of all ages. No one was safe; men, women, children, even pets stood trial and 20 were hung for the supposed crime of witchcraft (Blumberg). 1692 was a year of witch hunting. Most today blame the trials on hysteria, or perhaps a bad case of paranoia.

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The Salem witch trial was a time about accusing your fellow neighbor or being accused yourself, this all began in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. During this time many people were being accused of being a witch, a majority of the time it was because either someone truly believed that you were a witch and were reeking havoc or they were trying to find someone to take the blame if they were to being accused. So this leads us to question, what began the Salem Witch Trials? There were at least three causes of the Salem witch trials hysteria. These were Betty Parris and Abigail Williams story, Ergotism, and the acknowledgment of hysteria.

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In Salem, Massachusetts a series of hearings and prosecutions started, commonly known as the Salem Witchcraft Trials. The witchcraft trials in Salem became a big concern after two-hundred innocent people were accused and twenty people were executed. Many people of Salem believed the court was just in accusing all these victims. A seldom amount of people went against the court in saying that the court was a fraud and that the decisions were biased being made. Abigail Williams held all the power in the court and determined who was “guilty” or not.

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In conclusion, the Salem Witch Trials affected the little Puritan settlement of Salem, Massachusetts in several

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Many practicing Christians, at the time, believed that the Devil could persuade people to use the powers that he gave them to harm others. The Salem Witch Trials occurred because of resource struggles, many women were accused and tortured, and in the end the Governor realized that it was a big mistake. (“Salem Witch Trials”, 1). In 1689, English rulers William and Mary started a war with France in the American colonies which sent many refugees into the Essex County and Salem Village.

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REVIEW OF LITRATURE A.) SUMMARY SOURCE A Although the whole book had information on the Salem witch trials. The introduction, chapter 1 and 2 and the conclusion had information regarding the research needed • Introduction: states what the Salem witch trials where and who they accused.

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During the late 1600’s, Salem Village, Massachusetts was swept up in a single-minded fervor as its inhabitants tried to rid the settlement of witches. Several months of wild accusations that pitted neighbor against neighbor resulted in 19 deaths and nearly 200 convictions, collectively called the Salem Witch Trials (Text 2). While there were many factors that led to the hysteria behind the Salem Witch Trials, the authoritative role of religion and the fear of punishment were most likely the greatest catalysts. Religion had constantly provided stability in the uncertainty of the New World, and therefore questioning religious agendas would undermine any sense of security that the settlers had. Furthermore, confessing and accusing others seemed to be the only way colonists could escape punishment, so they facilitated the trials out of fear.

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