The Salem Witch Trials

1. The Salem Witch Trials

2. Witches • What is the definition of a witch? • a person, now especially a woman, who professes or is supposed to practice magic, especially black magic or the black art; sorceress.

3. WITCHES!!!! A GLOBAL ISSUE • Witches were persecuted in France, Italy, Germany and England • Over 300 years • Between 14th and 16th century, 40,000-50,000 people were executed for “witchcraft”

4. The Bible told me to do it… • Persecutions and killings of witches came from the Bible. • Exodus 11:18 “Thall shall not suffer a witch to live.”

5. Tolerance ends • Early Christians were permissive of PAGANS – • Pagan - one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks. Synonyms: polytheist. • 1231 – Pagans were considered heretics. • Heretics - a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church. • Heretics were exposed and punished

6. Heresy = Death • 1484 – Pope Innocent VIII declared witchcraft to be heresy • Punishment was death!

7. Hammer of the Witches • Book that told “how to” find a witch • Satan would leave a mark “devil’s mark” or “witch’s teat” – “Teat” is said to feed the animal spirits that served her • “Swimming Witch” – Woman tied to a lever and dunked in water. If she was a witch, she would float. If she was innocent, she would sink. Woman always found guilty. • Torture

8. Henry VIII • Became head of the church and head of the country • Witchcraft became a sin against church & state • Resulted in TREASON , which was a capital offense

9. 1692 • Pilgrims leave England to settle Massachusetts Bay Colony • “new perfect society” based on Bible • “City on a hill” • Settlers still British citizens • Believed in witches • Called Puritans CREEPY!

10. Witch Hunts and Trials – take 1 • Charlestown – 1648 • 1st witch hunt and trial • Margaret Jones – midwife and healer • Said to have “malignant” touch • Could foretell future • Had a “witch’s teat” • Hanged in 1648

11. Take 2 • Boston – 1688 • 4 children accuse Goodwife Glover • Children cured through prayer and fasting • Glover executed • Cotton Mather – • headed investigation • Boston minister

12. Take 3 – Salem Village, MA - 1692 • Most famous witch hunt • Puritan settlement • Believed in predestination • Believed in Misogyny – belief that women are to be silent, submissive, docile helpers and mothers • By nature, women were considered more likely than men to enlist in the devil’s service • Women considered lustful and wanted certain kinds of knowledge • (Garden of Eden)

13. Salem Witch Trials • Began with 11 year old Abigail Williams and 9 year old Elizabeth Parris • Girls acted strangely • Abigail Williams was Elizabeth’s cousin. Elizabeth Parris was the daughter of the town minister. • Not allowed to have toys or play- this was seen as idleness and sinful • Encouraged to concentrate on chores and studying bible verses

14. Rev. Parris’s House

15. Salem Witch Trials – the beginning • At night Abigail and Elizabeth would spend their nights by the fire with Reverend Parris’s slave Tituba (from Barbados). • Tituba entertained the girls with magic, fortune telling and story telling from her homeland. • This was forbidden by Puritan law.

16. Salem Witch Trials • Girls began speaking in tongues and having wild convulsions. • The village doctor was called in, he was sure the girls were victims of witch craft. • One Sunday in January, as the Reverend began his sermon, the girls in town fell into a fit.

17. Salem Witch Trials • The town concerned for the girls asked who had cast a spell on them. • Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne were named. • Tituba, a slave. Sarah Good, a homeless woman. Sarah Osborne a woman who had married her servant.

18. Salem Witch Trials • When placed on trial both Sarah’s maintained their innocence, Tituba however claimed there were other witches in Salem. • This admission started the wave of hysteria that engulfed Salem. • Behind this paranoia were Elizabeth and Abigail. The hysteria was being controlled by two young girls.

19. Elizabeth and Abigail • Girls accused: • Men • Upper Class • Minister’s wives

20. Traits of a Witch • Singing • Reading • Not conforming to Puritan law • Not getting along with your neighbor • Spending time alone • Writing

21. The Accusation Process • The afflicted person makes a complaint to the Magistrate about a suspected witch.  The complaint is sometimes made through a third person. • The Magistrate issues a warrant for the arrest of the accused person. • The accused person is taken into custody and examined by two or more Magistrates.  If, after listening to testimony, the Magistrate believes that the accused person is probably guilty, the accused is sent to jail for possible reexamination and to await trial

23. The Accusation Process…cont. • The case is presented to the Grand Jury.  Depositions relating to the guilt or innocence of the accused are entered into evidence. • If the accused is indicted by the Grand Jury, he or she is tried before the Court of Oyer and Terminer.  A jury, instructed by the Court, decides the defendant's guilt.

24. The Accusation Process…cont. • The convicted defendant receives his or her sentence from the Court.  In each case at Salem, the convicted defendant was sentenced to be hanged on a specified date • The Sheriff and his deputies carry out the sentence of death on the specified date.

26. Salem Witch Trials – Cont. • 200 accussed • 7 judges, 12 jurors at hearings • Confessions of witchcraft weren’t hanged • Only people who denied it were hanged • 55 of 200 confessed to escape hanging

27. Sarah Goode • Hanged for witchcraft • Cursed Judge Nicholas Noise: • “If you take away my life, God will give you blood to drink.” • 25 years later, Noise died by choking on his own blood. • Dorcus Goode – Sarah’s daughter – 4 years old – youngest accused

28. Reverend George Burroughs • Retired reverend • Hanged for witchcraft • Before being hanged, recited “The Lord’s Prayer” perfectly – supposed to be impossible for a witch to do this

29. TOTALS • Total Accused: 200 • Total deaths: 24 people • 19 hanged • 4 died in prison • 1 pressed to death

30. End of the Trials • Court was dissolved on October 29 • 49 of 52 left to sentence were acquitted • Community realized its wrong-doings. • Girls never publicly apologized • Ann Putman – 1706 – blamed devil for causing her to do it