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History KS3 Witchcraft. In the 16 th and 17 th century people had simple beliefs, they believed in good luck, bad luck and the power of the supernatural. People were highly religious and superstitious, and therefore would naturally turn to these beliefs when scared.
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History KS3 Witchcraft
In the 16th and 17th century people had simple beliefs, they believed in good luck, bad luck and the power of the supernatural. People were highly religious and superstitious, and therefore would naturally turn to these beliefs when scared. Crops suffered due to drought and disease and starvation was a big problem….People were scared that the Devil was at work. When lucky charms and prayers failed, people looked for someone to blame… Freak weather conditions Crop failures and famine Storms at sea Illness and sudden deaths
…Witches! Witches proved to be a popular target and in 1542 witchcraft was punishable by death. During this period, witches were believed to have been in a pact with Satan and capable of inflicting harm upon their enemies. However, people were happy to use their religious beliefs as an excuse to take revenge on people they mistrusted or disliked by accusing them of witchcraft. The Catholic church used witches and witchcraft to keep people believing in God.
Most people accused of witchcraft in Wales, Scotland and England were poor, lonely, isolated and rather defenceless old ladies.These women were often blamed for anything that went wrong within the community – from crop failures to sudden deaths and violent storms that caused damage and destruction. • Draw a picture of your idea of a witch...
How to spot a witch... • A list of ‘evidence’ which King James I • said showed a true witch... • Old woman, usually poor • Lives alone • Has a ‘familiar’ (an animal) usually a cat or a toad • Has a ‘Devil’s mark’ this can be a mole, third nipple or discolouration of the skin and when this is stabbed produces no pain or bleeding • If the person does not know the Lord’s Prayer • If a person dies or has an accident after arguing with the accused.
Matthew Hopkins • Self-appointed ‘witchfinder general’, who went about the counties of Eastern England preying on weak, elderly women. • His reign of terror began in 1644 when he was employed by towns to seek out and destroy witches. • He was commissioned by parliament, and received large payments – 20 shillings per witch. • He claimed he was an expert and examined suspects himself to obtain ‘proof’ of witchcraft, using methods including sleep deprivation.
His Methods • He was convinced that witches had familiars that would feed off them, so suspects were watched at all times. • Suspects were forced to sit on a stool, both day and night, and were periodically ‘walked’ to ensure they did not fall asleep. A large number of women confessed after a few nights of this treatment. • Hopkins also claimed that if a witch was stabbed she would not bleed. It is said he used a knife with a retractable blade to prove this. • Confessing or being found guilty of witchcraft often led to a death sentence, either by drowning, hanging or being burned at the stake.
Source A 1582: the confession of Ursula Kemp: “Yes I had four familiars: Tilly and Jack, my cats used to kill people and Tiffin and Piggin (pigeons) punished and made people lame and destroyed goods and cattle. I confess that I killed my brother’s wife, and Grace Thurlow’s child ( I made it fall out of its cradle and break its neck). I bewitched the little babe of Annie Letherdall”.
Discussion time... In your groups discuss whether or not you think Ursula’s confession is real...
What happened to him? • People started to grow tired of Hopkins and his greed. • In 1647 he was forced to take one of his own tests. He was bound, thrown into a river, floated, and was sentenced to death. • However he left a strong legacy. During his reign he was responsible for the killings of over 230 alleged witches, far more than any other witch-hunter during the peak of the witch craze.
Mother Shipton? • Mother Shipton was born in 1488 and died in 1561 at the age of 73. She was a famous prophetess (could foretell the future), however as she was born in such superstitious times she was feared throughout as a witch. • Cardinal Wolsey, the Archbishop of York publicly accused her of witchcraft as Mother Shipton prophesied that despite being the Archbishop of York, he would never actually set foot in York itself. Furthermore she prophesied that he would fall. • After hearing of this Cardinal Wolsey decided to visit York and consequently arrest her as a witch. However before he could reach York itself, he was taken to London on suspicion of high treason and executed. • Mother Shipton was never accused of witchcraft again and she went on to foretell the Spanish Armada, the discovery of the potato and even the end of the world!
Quiz • Why did people believe in witches? ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. • Who was Matthew Hopkins? ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. • What happened to people who were accused of witchcraft? ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. • How could you spot a witch? ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Why was Mother Shipton accused of being a witch? ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. • What did Mother Shipton prophecy would happen to Cardinal Wolsey? ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. • What happened to Matthew Hopkins? ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Why do you think people believed in witches in the 17th century?
Witch Hunt Factors • Economics – Rising prices on food and other economic changes such as enclosure made people want to blame someone for the hard times. Furthermore, if a person was convicted of witchcraft their property would be confiscated. Thus, people accused others through greed. • Civil War – The civil war set neighbour against neighbour. People had old grievances and didn’t trust each other. If they disliked someone, they could easily get rid of them by accusing them of witchcraft. • Religion – Everyone believed in the Devil and Hell. If things went wrong people would accuse witches of doing the Devil’s work. Anyone involved in any rituals would be accused of witchcraft.
Witch Hunt Factors • Superstition – Linked to religion but slightly different. People believed in magic, were very superstitious, and were afraid of anything that was strange to them. They believed completely in the idea of witchcraft. • Lack of Scientific Understanding – It had not yet been discovered how different weather could occur, or how climate could affect crops. People had little understanding of illnesses. Because these things could not yet be explained, witches were blamed for any misfortune that occurred.
A Range of Accusations My beer went sour in the barrel. My crops failed and now I have nothing to sell. The roof of my house caved in because of a raging storm. My baby died. My cow fell sick and died. My daughter was bewitched – she stole a loaf of bread. My brother had such terrible fits that six men could not hold him down. What explanations could we offer for these happenings now? Why did people believe witchcraft was the cause then?
Findings from trials... 1. It was often richer people who accused women of being witches. 2. Nearly all the people accused of witchcraft were female, old and poor. 3. Often the problem began with a small quarrel between neighbours. 4. Witches were nearly always accused of causing harm to their neighbours rather than worshipping the Devil. Why do you think this was? For each finding explain your reasoning.
Activity 1 Imagine you are involved in a witchcraft trial. It is the night before the trial and you are about to write your thoughts and feelings on the situation in your diary... • You must include: • Information about you, e.g. your age, your class, etc. • Information about the place and time in which you live. • Why you have been accused / Why you are accusing someone. • Your thoughts and feelings about the impending trial.
Activity 2 Produce a role play re-enacting a witch's trial: • 1 person takes on the role of the witch • 1 person takes on the role of the judge • Half of the class act as the defense and the other half as the prosecution *Spend 10 minutes thinking about possible arguments for and against the execution of the suspected witch.
Activity 3 Produce a poster that warns people about witches...
Activity 4 Write a 17th Century newspaper report about Matthew Hopkins. You have a choice of two viewpoints: • Supporter • Protester You must use the information we have just heard plus some extra research. Remember you must think as a 17th Century person would!
Decline of the Witch Craze... • Witch hunts sometimes ended because many people feared they were going too far and innocent people were being executed. Witch trials became more rigorous and higher standards of evidence were demanded. • Many people felt that witch hunters such as Matthew Hopkins were becoming too greedy and were attacking innocent people for personal gain. • People still believed in witches and magic, but began to accept that misfortune could happen of its own accord • Eventually educated people gradually stopped believing in witches and magic, and during the 18th century it became fashionable to regard witchcraft as just a superstition
