Salem Witchcraft Trials Of 1692 - 1194 Words

Courtney Gray English III-3rd block Mrs. Gray 19 March 2012 Important Facts in the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 Black magic. The Dark Arts. Voodoo. Sorcery. Conjuring. Witchcraft. No matter what they chose to call it, witchcraft was an evil association with the devil and the use of magic or the alleged use of magic, in the eyes of the Puritans of Salem, Massachusetts. And it was the â€Å"alleged† part that caused the Salem Witchcraft Trials tragedy of 1692. The Puritans believed the signs of witchcraft were apparent if only people knew what to look for. Witches had physical signs, called â€Å"witches’ marks,† such as moles or other skin anomalies (Linder  ¶15). Anyone in league with the devil was also believed to be unable to recite the Lord’s Prayer, and George Burroughs cast serious doubt on the validity of the trials when he recited the Lord’s Prayer flawlessly as he stood upon the gallows (Netzley 215). Sadly, it was not enough to spare his life. The magistrates also believed â€Å"spectral evidence† was an acceptable means of identifying a witch. Spectral evidence was testimony that relied on the accusers, who allegedly saw the accused witch’s specter loose in Salem, causing pain and trouble to the good people in town (Benson, Brannen and Valentine 1362). Spectral evidence was impossible to prove or disprove, since only the afflicted people could see the specters (Benson, Brannen and Valentine 1362). Once a person was accused of witchcraft, he or she had to be put to theShow MoreRelatedEssay The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 16924260 Words   |  18 PagesThe Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692, which resulted in 19 executions, and 150 accusations of witchcraft, are one of the historical events almost everyone has heard of. 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The main reasons why the witch trials occurred were conflicts dealing with politics, religion, family, economicsRead More Exploring Explanations for the Salem Witch Trials Essay1332 Words   |  6 PagesBetween the years of 1692 and early 1693 in the colonial Massachusetts Bay colony of Essex known as Salem Village great paranoia broke out in the form of witchcraft accusations, neighbor against neighbor, and as a result much injustice was done. During this time in our nation’s history at this place more than one hundred and fifty people, residents of Salem Village, were accused of practicing witchcraft and consorting with the devil. At least twenty were put to death nineteen by hangingRead MoreSalem Witch Trials Case Review1377 Words   |  6 Pages The Salem Witch Trials was one of the most out of the box things back in 1692 Massachusetts, but it still seems to be quite unexplainable and at times shady. More than 200 people were accused of practicing the devil’s magic, but only about 20 were executed. Though people were killed, the colonists eventually admitted that the Salem Witch Trials were actually a mistake for which they later compensated the families that were convicted. I picked the Salem Witch Trials to type about because I wouldRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Essay1636 Words   |  7 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials Donnell Campbell Throughout history millions of people have been scorned, accused, arrested, tortured, put to trial and, persecuted as witches. One would think that by the time the United States was colonized, these injustices on humanity would have come to an end, but that was not so. In 1692 a major tragedy occurred in America, the Salem witch trials. It all began when a group of girls accused others, generally older women, of consorting with theRead MoreSalem Witch Trials : Witchcraft Trials1726 Words   |  7 PagesSalem Witch Trials Flaming sermons, bewitched girls, accusations being thrown here and there, and executions terrified colonists during the Salem witch trials. The Salem witch trials are well known, but they are not the first in America and are very small compared to other witch hunts. In 1648 Margaret Jones was hanged for witchcraft in Massachusetts (Brooks). In Europe 110,000 people were questioned during the 1300s to the 1700s, and 40,000 to 60,000 people were executed (New World Encyclopedia)Read MoreEssay on Salem Witch Trials Of 16921061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials of 1692 In colonial Massachusetts between February of 1692 and May of 1963 over one hundred and fifty people were arrested and imprisoned for the capital felony of witchcraft. Trials were held in Salem Village, Ipswich, Andover and Salem Town of Essex County of Massachusetts, but accusations of witchcraft occurred in surrounding counties as well. Nineteen of the accused, fourteen women and five men, were hanged at Gallows Hill near Salem Village. Hysteria had swept throughRead MoreReformation Paper : Salem Witch Trials1368 Words   |  6 PagesReformation Paper: Salem Witch Trials The reformation housed many impressive inventions such as the creation of gunpowder and the printing press along with many divisions like wars and radical religious ideas. The reformation was a period in history that caused many changes to the way Christianity operated forcing many communities to re-divide themselves among different religious loyalties. People like Martin Luther and John Calvin questioned their religion and aspects of the way the greedy and corrupt