Unlike some of the more notorious cases in Europe and England, such as that of the Pendle witch trial, there was no one among Salems accused who was known as a local witch or healer, with one exception. The Salem witch trials were a series of prosecutions in which over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft. The Salem Witch Trials began in spring 1692 and lasted for seven months, during which more than 150 people where arrested, 19 were hanged and one was tortured to death. (1977). The Salem Witch Trials were one of the best documented trials of colonial times. Oh and sorry for talking a lot but if you need a website for your bibliographys heres an awesome sight I use it for school a lot and its supper easy use. There were the ordinary stresses of 17th-century life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Due to overcrowding in the jails, the accused witches were kept in multiple jails in Salem town, Ipswich and Boston. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. At the same time, the accused would be denied legal representation. These five women Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Susannah Martin, Rebecca Nurse and Sarah Wildes were the among the first to be tried and found guilty of witchcraft during a bleak nine-month period of New England history simply recalled as the Salem Witch Trials. In an insular society like Salem, where anyone straying from the norm was immediately criticised or condemned, accusations of witchcraft were a method of self-defence, of keeping the more undesirable elements of the local community at arms length, if not removing them completely. In February, Samuel Parris called for a doctor, who is believed to be Dr. William Griggs, to examine the girls. On October 29, Phips dismissed the Court of Oyer and Terminer. It also silenced any opposition to the idea that the Devil had infiltrated Salem. Ergot contains lysergic acid, a precursor for synthesis of LSD; certainly the visions of shape-shifting devils reported by the afflicted might be consistent with the experiences of an acid trip. By the way, thank you so much for this wonderful website; its really thorough and cool. The proclamation suggested that there should be: observed a Day of Prayer with Fasting throughout the ProvinceSo that all Gods people may put away that which hath stirred Gods Holy jealousy against his land; that he wouldhelp us wherein we have done amiss to do so no more; and especially that whatever mistakes on either hand have fallen intoreferring to the late tragedy, raised among us by Satan and his instruments, through the awful judgement of God, he would humble us therefore and pardon all the errors and people that desire to love his name. Daily chores, business matters and other activities were neglected during the chaos of the witch trials, causing many problems in the colony for years to come, according to the book The Witchcraft of Salem Village: The whole colony, moreover, had suffered. Seemed like there was alot of hate towards one another just for being different. Montague Summer. I am the author and publisher of this blog. The Salem Witch Trials were not a positive section of American history but have been used as a learning tool for the United States. Since some families of the victims did not want their family member listed, not every victim was named. propably in like 1-3 weeks away. The mayhem all started in 1692, when two cousins aged nine and 11 began experiencing delusions, strange fits, and other mysterious maladies. As the weeks passed, other young girls claimed to have been infected by witchcraft too. The English laws against witchcraft were repealed in 1736, after which incidents of suspected bewitchment, by now very isolated, were dealt with by mob rule rather than by a clear legal framework. I think that maybe they thought they were bewitched. "Maleus Maleficarum Part I.". Another notable person who was accused of witchcraft was Captain John Alden Jr., the son of the Mayflower crew member John Alden. By the end of the trials in 1693, 24 people had died, some in jail but most by hanging. It's unlikely that anyone in Salem was actually practicing witchcraftmost of the community consisted of devout and pious Christians. Three days earlier, the death of another of the accused had occurred. Has their been any further studies into the ergot theory besides the collage student in the early 70s? 1982)]. "5 Facts About the Salem Trials." There were all kinds of tests to determine whether a woman was a witch. Although many of the other accused women were unpopular social outcasts, Nurse was a pious, well-respected and well-loved member of the community. This legal tactic was known as peine forte et dure which means strong and harsh punishment.. A large proportion of the case against Bishop also focused on her lifestyle, especially her rumoured promiscuity and un-Puritan ways. Related: Scary Stories: 10 Places For Stephen King Fans To Visit. As the innocent women approached the gallows, in the last moments of their lives, they continued to protest their innocence. It makes me sad sometimes writing about it. The Salem witch trials began because a group of girls claimed they were possessed by the devil. The hysteria gripping Salem a settlement resonating with the incessant sound of accusation and counteraccusation showed that no-one was exempt from suspicion. Salem Witchcraft and Cotton Mather: A Reply. The link can be found in the section of this article titled Salem Witch Trial Victims. Letters of Governor Phips to the Home Government, 16921693, "Woman condemned in Salem witch trials on verge of pardon 328 years later", "Indictment of Sarah Good for Afflicting Sarah Vibber", "Indictment of Abigail Hobbs for Covenanting", "The Devil's Specter: Spectral Evidence and the Salem Witchcraft Crisis", Narratives of the Witchcraft Trials, p. 342, "Role of skin lesions in the Salem witchcraft trials", "329 years later, last Salem 'witch' who wasn't is pardoned", Cornell University Library Witchcraft Collection, Salem Massachusetts Salem Witch Trials The Stones: July 10 and July 19, 1692, Salem Village Witchcraft Victims' Memorial, etext.virginia.edu, Chapter 122 of the Acts of 2001, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Actual Site Of Salem Witch Hangings Discovered", "The Real Salem Witch Hanging Site Was Located", Salem Witchcraft Trials: The Perception Of Women In History, Literature And Culture, Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project, SalemWitchTrials.com Essays, biographies of the accused and afflicted, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salem_witch_trials&oldid=1142737002. Children were also accused of witchcraft. The Salem Village hangings were the last executions of accused witches in the United States. Around the end of September, the use of spectral evidence was finally declared inadmissible, thus marking the beginning of the end of the Salem Witch Trials. This, coupled with the fact that the accused also had their estates confiscated if they were convicted has led many historians to believe that religious feuds and property disputes played a big part in the witch trials. Twenty-four people died during the Salem witch trials, though many more were accused of witchcraft. I guarantee Im not related to any putnum. The Untold Story of the Salem Witch Trials Welcome back to Unfolding History!While the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 are often remembered as a dark period of. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Very well done! thanks, mike turner, The 1692 Salem Village map can now be purchased on zazzle: http://www.zazzle.com/salem_village_map_poster-228789587972988887?rf=238784808055391622. (Eds.). 135, p. 112, No. No one was burned at the stake in the Salem witch trials. The story is about Susannah English, daughter of accused witches Phillip and Mary English and friend of Ann Putnam, Jr. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/facts-about-the-salem-trials-2562897. Warrants were issued by the dozen, sometimes for the arrest of the most unlikely suspects. 5 Facts About the Salem Trials. my question for the project was what was the history of the salem witch trials. I find the history interesting and would like to find more information on this matter. Salem Witch Trials of 1692 In January of 1692, the daughter and niece of Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village became ill. William Griggs, the village doctor, was called in when they failed to improve. All Top Ten Lists History and Events Top 10 Dark Truths About the Salem Witch Trials We have all had to acknowledge the Salem Witch Trials, at one poimt or another, in this place called USA.To put it simply, the Salem Witch Trials were essentially the American equivalent to the Dark Ages, although the United States was not yet a proper sovreign nation, at the time. Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. http://www.easybib.com/cite/view. It tells of a period of time where religious extremest of a good and pure faith massacred several of their own kind in demented and mad ways. Is there any credence to this theory? By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The girls were having a type of epileptic fit and would scream out . Thank you for this amazing Article. It will be very easy. Ancestry is the easiest way. Kisses and xoxo With a 1562 act now permitting the death penalty for acts of witchcraft, they were hanged. Presided over by William Stoughton . In January of 2016, the site where the Salem Witch Trials hangings took place was officially identified as Proctors Ledge, which is a small wooded area in between Proctor Street and Pope Street in Salem. The pair had been bewitched. 2, no. As a travel enthusiast, she makes sure she visits at least two new destinations each year and loves to share her knowledge with the readers of TheTravel. They took place in a number of cities in Massachusetts Bay Colony in the years 1692 and 1693, but primarily in the town of Salem. Estimates suggest that over 200 women were executed during this period as a direct result of the investigations of Hopkins and his associates. Dr Griggs was a relative through my grandmother. This is basically what got me an A on my history fair assignment, I appreciate all the time and effort put into writing this! If the accused was indicted, they were not allowed a lawyer and they had to decide to plead guilty or not guilty with no legal counsel to guide them. I find this to be very well put and want to read more. I want to use this for my bibliograohy, Same but I cant find it. His death was gruesome and cruel and strengthened the growing opposition to the Salem Witch Trials. The puritans, who had left England due to religious persecution, feared their religion was under attack again and worried they were losing control of their colony. DHowlett1692, who blogs regularly about all things Salem, cites a 1977 article by Nicholas P. Spanos and Jack Gottlieb that disputes Caporaels ergotism study. In mid-September, a further group went to the gallows Eight Firebrands of Hell in the words of Rev Noyes. The two communities were three hours apart, by foot, which was the most common method of transportation at the time. Thank you for this amazing article! See, the concept of fake news is nothing new. I just found this out. This is really great. Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. Between 1692 and 1693, more than two hundred people were accused. Mather saw the war against Satan as being just as important as the war against the French and the local Native American tribes. There are many theories that explain why the witch trials began in Medieval Europe. He is recorded to have recited a prayer uttered with such composedness from many, so that it seemed to some that the spectators would hinder the execution. The charter was revoked because the colonists had violated several of the charters rules, which included basing laws on religious beliefs and discriminating against Anglicans. It is voluminous and comes in paperback and hardcover. In Salem, they actually didn't do any burning at all. I need to compare 2 victims of the salem witch trails and find a way that they are linked as indiviguals and how their lives had similar paths that lead to victimhood but this thing is wayyyyy to long. When was this last edited? Despite its power as a cautionary tale, Salem remains an enigma that continues to fascinate and beguile more than three centuries later. While many modern-day Pagans cite the Salem trials as an example of religious intolerance, at the time, witchcraft was not seen as a religion at all. "Examination and Evidence of Some Accused Witches in Salem, 1692. The heat was stifling on a July day in 1692, as five dishevelled and bound women are paraded on a wooden cart through the streets of Salem village in the colony of Massachusetts Bay. The Salem witch trials resulted in the arrest of over 150 people, 19 of whom were ultimately convicted and executed. The theory first came to prominence in the 1970s, when Linnda R. Caporael wrote Ergotism: The Satan Loosed in Salem? I think in some forms that witches still exist in hidden arenas. The Salem witch trials started with two girls having unexplainable fits. I read a paper several years ago that attributed much of the Salem Witch Trials to classism and arguments over land and land rights several years ago, but cant seem to remember its authors or publisher. On October 31, 2001, the state amended the 1957 apology and cleared the names of the remaining unnamed victims, stating: Chapter 145 of the resolves of 1957 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the words One Ann Pudeator and certain other persons and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Ann Pudeator, Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Margaret Scott and Wilmot Redd.. They all died on the same day so its hard to pinpoint who you are talking about. The Salem Witch Trials Victims: Who Were They? There is no documentation of where she may have gone after the trials. When it came to religion, Salem Village was as devout as any other settlement in the area; one visitor observed that the residents of New England could neither drive a bargain, nor make a jest, without a text of Scripture at the end of it. Hi RebeccaI saw that you have a lot of knowledge about Mary EastyI was told this year at a funeral that I am a direct decendent of hersI live in Salem and My Grandfather was name William Esteydo you by any chance have any history of the family tree? The witch trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. I lasted edited this page on October 18, 2015. Native Americans and other religions represented threats by the Devil. Secondary sources would be Charles Uphams book Salem Witchcraft which was published in 1867, Emerson Bakers book A Storm of Witchcraft which was published in 2014 and etc. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Please be respectful of copyright. As chief justice, Stoughton believed that spectral evidence presented to the court that is, evidence gathered from dreams and visions would form a central plank of the prosecutions. Massachusetts Archives, Vol. The Puritan way of life was strict, and even small differences in behavior made people suspicious. This was no more notable than when playwright Arthur Miller chose to dramatise the trials in his 1953 play The Crucible. In isolated settlements, in dim, smoky, firelit homes, New Englanders lived very much in the dark, where one listens more acutely, feels more passionately, imagines most vividly, where the sacred and the occult thrive. These five executions were not the first in New England for the crime of witchcraft. You can check out my article on books about the Salem Witch Trials here:https://historyofmassachusetts.org/best-books-about-salem-witch-trials/ or you could search the court records online on the University of Virginia website. We judge that, in the prosecution of these and all such witchcrafts, there is need of a very critical and exquisite caution, lest by too much credulity for things received only upon the Devil's authority, there be a door opened for a long train of miserable consequences, and Satan get an advantage over us; for we should not be ignorant of his devices. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom were executed by hanging (14 women and five men). All rights reserved, National Geographic book Witches! I wonder how many people ran away from The Salem Witch Trials. Pre-trial examinations were held at the Salem Village meetinghouse, in Reverend Samuel Parris house in Salem Village, in Ingersoll Tavern at Salem Village and in Beadles Tavern in Salem Town. People wanted to protect themselves, so they ratted out their own friends, neighbors or anyone they didn't like. As sleet and snow heaped higher outside their door, Betty Parris and. Many of the accusers were adults and more than a few of them were people who had themselves been accused. Just pay for a month and go nuts adding records to a tree. It has so many details that I need. Most of the accusers were Puritans who lived on the farms. Shortly after, Elizabeth Hubbard, Susannah Sheldon, Mary Warren and Elizabeth Booth all started to experience the same symptoms, which consisted of suffering fits, hiding under furniture, contorting in pain and experiencing fever. Sources:Upham, Charles W. Salem Witchcraft: With an Account of Salem Village and a History of Opinions on Witchcraft. This site is not a part of the Smithsonian website. One other man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death after refusing to enter a plea, and at least five people . You have been so helpful! Maybe it's the influence of pop culture or maybe it's because it's theatrical, but a lot of people assume that witches were burned at the stake. Did the Salem Witch Trials have any affect on the way that the American court systems were designed once the United States became a country? This was so helpful for my project! In 1706, afflicted girl Ann Putnam, Jr., also issued a public apology for her role in the Salem Witch Trials, particularly in the case against her neighbor Rebecca Nurse. Although I just found it, it has helped me with what I needed on my Salem Witch Trials report for History. William Stoughton is an ancestor of mine, sorry to say. Also, In 17th century Massachusetts, people often feared that the Devil was constantly trying to find ways to infiltrate and destroy Christians and their communities. The Story of the Salem Witch Trials is a history of that event. Anja Grar is a writer, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He was later exonerated. Judge Stoughton asked the jury to reconsider their verdict. harvnb error: no target: CITEREFRobinson2001 (. Even poor animals were not safe and they could actually get accused and executed as well. She was released from jail shortly after the hangings began, and was never tried or convicted. During the trial, Tituba confessed to having seen the devil and also stated that there was a coven, or group, of witches in the Salem Village area. They hanged the poor souls instead. I need to do a bibliography, and I have this page on it. The bill cleared the names of: George Burroughs, John Proctor, George Jacobs, John Willard, Giles Corey, Martha Corey, Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Mary Easty, Sarah Wildes, Abigail Hobbs, Samuel Wardwell, Mary Parker, Martha Carrier, Abigail Faulkner, Anne Foster, Rebecca Eames, Mary Post, Mary Lacey, Mary Bradbury and Dorcas Hoar. A man of God literally planned out a witch genocide. While Puritanism in New England demanded rigidly defined behaviour (hymns were the only permissible music, while childrens toys were outlawed), the colonys geographical isolation increased the insularity of these communities. Im doing the Salem witch trials for my A-Level coursework, does anyone know the full names of any historians that have spoken about this topic? When visiting Salem, there are so many entertaining shows that were inspired by the real-life tragedies that took place in this spooky town. European Witch trials started at a similar time as Protestantism. We also have kept good records of everything. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria. As for why these victims were targeted in the first place, historians have noted that many of the accused were wealthy and held different religious beliefs than their accusers. These spirits could inhabit any human or any creature. Some of these women were actually witches, though they were entirely innocent of the crimes of which they were convicted. She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal. Now I know it is not only there that it existed. Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, vol. Europe's favorite test was the swimming test. Spanos and Gottlieb argue. In June, Nathaniel Saltonstall resigned and was replaced by Jonathan Corwin. Historians and sociologists have examined this most complex episode in our history so that we may understand the issues of that era and view subsequent events with heightened awareness. They feared many innocent people were being executed. Its a common myth that the Salem Witch Trials victims were burned at the stake. An Account of the Life, Character, & C., of the Rev. Wigington, Patti. Next: Spooky Places: 10 Destinations For Fans Of Witches. Im trying to get my family to visit there- Id even give up my beach trip for it! Massachusetts was an outpost of Gods chosen people in a hostile wilderness in the 17th century. At the announcement ceremony, playwright Arthur Miller made a speech and read from the last act of his 1953 play, The Crucible, which was inspired by the Salem Witch Trials. This series of prosecutions and hangings of those accused of practicing witchcraft provoked a major backlash, and the event still haunts us today. Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2005Upham, Charles Wentworth. Salem Witch Trials Memorial at Proctor's Ledge Went to the library to look for my family history but came across my friends families name. The people had been so determined upon hunting out and destroying witches that they had neglected everything else. Cant wait to visit this place! Wigington, Patti. Thank you for making this blog post! Corey was accused of witchcraft in April during his wifes examination. Let me know if you are related to story too. The witchcraft hysteria in Salem first began in January of 1692 when a group of young girls, who later came to be known as the afflicted girls, fell ill after playing a fortune-telling game and began behaving strangely. This site helped a lot for me to understand the history of Salem. One of the most popular theories as to what could have caused the mass hysteria of Salem is that of ergot poisoning, but recent scholars have questioned this idea. Thank you for the kind comments. In 2017, on the 325th anniversary of the Salem Witch Trials, the newly built Proctors Ledge Memorial was unveiled at the base of the ledge on Pope Street. They left an 11-year-old son, John Jr . Critics such as Proctor were quickly accused of witchcraft themselves, under the assumption that anyone who denied the existence of witches or defended the accused must be one of them, and were brought to trial. When she is not traveling, you will find her reading, drinking coffee and chatting away with her many international friends. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Second, everyone got their food from the same place, so symptoms would have occurred in every household, not just a select few. It is pretty sad. A total of 19 accused witches were hanged at Proctors Ledge, near Gallows Hill, during the witch trials. Oh well, live n learn, Its sad when you can pick out names of your relatives in every list. It was not difficult for the people of Salem to believe they were involved in witchcraft. Hope that helps with your bibliography. When was this site last edited? Salem was . And if you take away my life, God will give you blood to drink.. hope you in joy it was really helpful to my students and i, Thankyou this helpedme a lot for my 3 page essay in english 11 class. Alden spent 15 weeks in jail before friends helped break him out and he escaped to New York. The infamous Salem witch trials lasted for approximately one year. And, of course, theres the theory that it was all down to good old fashioned spite. Some (incredibly mean) people devoted their time to making a science out of witchcraft. Most of the eyewitness accounts can be found in the court records and the books written by the ministers involved in the trials. There were many critics of the witch hunt, such as a local farmer John Proctor, who scoffed at the idea of witchcraft in Salem and called the young girls scam artists. i need it for my bibliography, do you have any websites that could help me to find the secondary source? As the years went by, the colonists felt ashamed and remorseful for what had happened during the Salem Witch Trials. Bettys alarmed father, the Reverend Parris, immediately called on a doctor to examine the girls. Thanks for sharing, it really helped me with an article I am currently writing! They were during the Colonial times. Two days before the court convened, a Puritan minister from Boston named Cotton Mather wrote to one of the judges expressing his concern over the admissibility of such evidence. One of them was shot but I dont know how the other one died. One of the greatest tragedies of the Salem Witch Trials was the concept of the familiars. Also I was curious to know what the specific compromise was. No more restricting property ownership and voting rights to only church members. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. I know that the accusers, at least some of them were aligned with the Putnam family who was known to have land disputes with several of the villagers. The slave Tituba, because of her background in the Caribbean (or possibly the West Indies), could have practiced some form of folk magic, but that has never been confirmed. They were a means of crowd control that gave way to changes in power structures. To complicate matters further, within Salem Village itself, there were two separate social groups. A 1976 study, printed in the journal Science, attributed the girls hysterical and possibly hallucinogenic behaviour to the ingestion of rye bread made with grain infected with ergot of rye. Sarah Wildes was my 8th great grandmother. Ever since those dark days ended, the trials have become synonymous with mass hysteria and scapegoating. Other victims include two dogs who were shot or killed after being suspected of witchcraft. "Essay IV Against modern Sadducism in the matter of Witches and Apparitions" in Essay on several important subjects in philosophy and religion, 2nd Ed, London; printed for John Baker and H. Mortlock, 1676, pp. Hi Indigo, Im assuming you mean eyewitness accounts. As years passed, apologies were offered and restitution was made to the victims families. He knew the clergy did not fully approve of the witch hunts. Thirteen womenand five men from all stations of life followed her to the gallows onthree successive hanging daysbefore the court was disbanded by Governor William Phipps in October of that year. Hysteria was from little girls facin threat of death by torture. A Reply. Bridget Bishop was convicted at the end of her trial and sentenced to death. In addition to official court records there are also several books written by the ministers and other people involved in the trials: A Brief and True Narrative of Some Remarkable Passages Relating to Sundry Persons Afflicted by Witchcraft, at Salem Village: Which happened from the Nineteenth of March, to the Fifth of April, 1692 by Deodat Lawson circa 1692 The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England by Cotton Mather circa 1692 More Wonders of the Invisible World by Robert Calef circa 1700 A Modest Enquiry Into the Nature of Witchcraft by John Hale circa 1702.