...The salem witch trials occurred between 1692 and 1693. They took place in the colonial Salem in Massachusetts. In total there was one hundred and forty-one people put in prison, nineteen were hanged and one person was even crushed to death. These trials were performed to find out what individuals in the colony were practicing witchcraft. Of the nineteen who were hanged fourteen were women and five were men. Some of the individuals that were in jail died before serving their time. When the bewitchings initially started in Salem they were only targeting younger girls but as they expanded, older women were included to the group. Hearings of the salem witch trials were initially passed on to different towns but the main trial was organized and...
Words: 1540 - Pages: 7
...series of trials remarkably similar to the witch trials portrayed in his play The Crucible, written two years previously. Just over forty years later, with HUAC long out of power, The Crucible became a film with a budget of $25 million, produced by the well-known Twentieth-Century Fox Film Corporation (IMDb). The perseverance of this story is a testament to its intriguing portrayal of power struggle during the Salem witch trials that applies to many situations even today. The movie version of the play alters the text and storyline; in particular, the scene in which Tituba is accused and confesses was changed in several ways in order to focus on the details of the witch trials that made them so effective....
Words: 733 - Pages: 3
...The Crucible a play written by Arthur Miller is a story about the the witch trials in Salem. The theme of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, is that dishonesty started and perpetuated the witch trials, while honesty brought about their end . The girls started the witch trials in Salem. Lies from the accused kept the trials going. The Honest brought about their end. The girls started the witch trials in Salem with their dishonesty and lies. It started when Abigail and Parris talking about, why they (the girls) were dancing in the woods. Then Proctor shows up and Abigail tells him the truth, Betty starts to scream and hale shows up Abigail tells him that Tituba’s a witch. “She sends her spirits on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayers”(Miller 46). In this quote...
Words: 665 - Pages: 3
...The Salem Witchcraft trials in Massachusetts during 1692 resulted in nineteen innocent men and women being hanged, one man pressed to death, and in the deaths of more than seventeen who died in jail. It all began at the end of 1691 when a few girls in the town began to experiment with magic by gathering around a crystal ball to try to find the answer to questions such as “what trade their sweet harts should be of “. This conjuring took place in the Parris household where a woman named Tituba, an Indian slave, headed the rituals. Soon after they had begun to practice these rituals, girls who had been involved, including the Master Parris’ daughter and niece, became sick. They had constant fits, twitched, cried, made odd noises, and huddled in corners. The family called in doctors, and they were treated for many illnesses. Nothing helped. Many weeks later after running out of reasons for their strange behavior, all of their symptoms seemed to lead to one belief, “The evil hand is upon them.” They were possessed by the Devil. At first the families of the children could not find anyone to accuse for being the witch responsible for possessing the children. Then, late in February of 1692, Parris’ neighbor, Mary Sibley recommended that Parris’ slaves, Tituba and John Indian, should work a spell to try to find the culprits. Even after trying this solution the girls’ condition worsened, and the people responsible still had not been found. The girls began to see hazy shadows...
Words: 2069 - Pages: 9
...Salem, Massachusetts known as Danvers, Massachusetts today was founded in 1626 by Roger Conant and a group of immigrants from Cape Ann (United States History). Naumkeag was Salem’s name before it was renamed by the settlers. The settlers found it better to rename the village Salem because it is derived from the Hebrew word for peace (United States History). Well known for the witch craft hysteria that has taken place in the town of Salem. The community went through what we have been taught is The Salem Witch Trials, what were these trials about and how were they solved? The Salem Witch Trials took place in the spring of 1692. However, the 1692 trials were not the start, witch hunts started around the 1300 and 1330s and ended in the late 18th century in Europe (The Salem Witch Trials). Three-fourths of the European witch hunts took place in western Germany, France, northern Italy, and Switzerland. A witch hunt is the process of trying to identify witches rather than the ones that were already thought out to be witches. During these witch hunts 110,000 people were tried for witchcraft and between 40,000 to 60,00 were...
Words: 703 - Pages: 3
...trust and faith into possibly two of the evilest children on the planet. Sa-lem’s history is not pretty and the trials are the main reason for it. It is well known that it was not witches that caused the trials, but anything is possible. Those who were accused did not have a happy ending. Luckily the trials had an end. The Salem Witch Trials began in the 1692. Many of the girls from the Salem village began to act strange, the symp-toms were peculiar. The girls would throw fits so bad that all the town was enthralled by the by the behavior exhibited by the girls. The girl’s bodies would bend and be contorted in an unusual grotesque manner. Some of the other symptoms that would occur include, the girls losing their hearing, vision, verbal usage and a loss of memory. They would say things like specters would appear and attack them, leaving marks behind (Hansen 1). Dr. William Griggs was the man who had given the afflicted...
Words: 1373 - Pages: 6
...the Box Death roamed about the court during the Salem witch trials. During the Salem witch trials people were accused of being witches, if they confessed to being a witch they would survive. If they did not confess they would be hanged in front of the whole town. The play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller is all about the idea of the Salem witch trials. The Crucible is a play about people that can be related to a jack in the box that is capable of exploding with drama. The handle of the jack in the box is the stirring of the drama started by Tituba by confessing to being a witch. “No, no, don’t hang Tituba! I tell him I don’t desire to work for him, sir”- Tituba (847). By Tituba confessing to being a witch it is stirring the handle to a whole mess they won’t expect later. The only reason she confesses to being a witch is because Putnam wants to hang her for not confessing. When she confessed it triggered something in Abigail to start a whole parade of blaming people. Tituba is the conductor to spinning the handle of the jack in the box. When the handle is done being spun and toy jack pops out of the small wooden box spreading fear through young kids. As like the jack head popping out Abigail and the girls spread fear through Salem. Abigail is a very dauntless young women who is not afraid to lie to get her way. Abigail and her minions (girls) goal was to get Elizabeth Proctor arrested for being a witch and hanged to death because Abigail was in love with Elizabeth’s...
Words: 657 - Pages: 3
...spring of 1692, the notorious Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts resulted in the deaths of 20 citizens, both men and women as of witchcraft charges. 200 others were accused and were jailed during the time of the trials. Eventually, the colony admitted the trials were a mistake and compensated the families of those convicted (Blumberg, Jess). There are many reasons as to why these trials came about, such as religion, personal conflicts, etc., but why did these trials really happen? “O Christian Martyr Who for Truth could die. When all about thee Owned the hideous lie! The world, redeemed from superstition’s sway, Is breathing freer for thy sake today” (Linder, Douglas). It was 1688 when a man by the name John Putman, a famous elder of the Salem Village, invited Samuel Parris, to preach in the church. Parris came to the Salem Village along with his wife Elizabeth, daughter Betty, niece Abigail Williams, and his Indian slave Tituba. February...
Words: 758 - Pages: 4
...Between February 1962 and May 1693, a series of executions, known as the Salem Witch Trials, occurred in Salem, Massachusetts. One of the most infamous cases of mass hysteria, the trials resulted in accusations being brought against around 200 people, 19 of whom were found guilty and executed. The motivations behind these hearings serve as a subject of debate among historians. Puritan beliefs held by the residents of Salem resulted in an extreme fear of witchcraft for nearly every member of the village. However, many of the executed, accused witches had individuals who stood to gain from their deaths. This essay investigates the extent of which the trials were affected by religion compared to politics. By analyzing both primary and secondary...
Words: 1846 - Pages: 8
...Tragic Times In Salem Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch Trials was a horrific event that occurred in colonial Massachusetts between the years 1692 and 1693. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 ended up being executed. Some researchers believe that there may have been other current events that were affecting the trials during the same time period. Throughout this research paper I will explain the Salem Witch Trials and show the research I have done in terms of the events that may have a connection to the event, along with other factors that may have influenced the Salem Witch Trials. In the late 16 hundreds in colonial North America, the supernatural was highly considered to be a part of everyday life. Many people were strong believers that Satan was present and active on Earth. These beliefs were first formed in Europe during the fifteenth century and later spread throughout North America. Peasants were known for often using a particular kind of witchcraft to help enhance their crops, and to benefit farming and agriculture. Over time, the idea of witchcraft transformed into a very evil act. It started to became associated with demons and evil spirits. From 1560 to 1670, witchcraft persecutions became common as superstitions became associated with the devil. Through out the colonies, the most common cause for a witch hunt was caused by young girls having a mysterious screaming fit; they would often be diagnosed as having been bewitched...
Words: 1224 - Pages: 5
...SPEECH” Topic: Salem Witch Trials Organization: Topically, Specific Purpose: For the audience to understand what happened before, during and after the Salem Witch Trials I. INTRODUCTION A. Attention getter: The biggest witch hunt in American history took place 322 years ago in Salem, Massachusetts where twenty innocent people were convicted and executed for practicing the Devil’s magic. B. Relevance: My immediate audience should care about my topic because it is informative about the biggest witch hunt in American history. It affects them by having the ability to go home having more knowledge about the Salem Witch Trials. They can relate to my topic by being aware of what happened in 1692. C. Credibility...
Words: 938 - Pages: 4
...The Salem Witch Trials was a series of prosecutions where nineteen people were convicted of being a witch, hung, and many other suspects were jailed. The trials took place in the Salem Village located in the Massachusetts Bay Colony which is now Danvers, Massachusetts. The focus of the Salem Witch Trials was the evidence of being a witch, the hunts, trials, executions, and the aftermath. If the people in the town wanted to convict a person of being a witch, they had to have evidence. “The evidence consisted of whether they sank or floated when they were tied with rope and pushed into a body of water. Even if they did sink, they would have drowned. Other evidence included simply acting differently and being subject to bodily fits or seizures”...
Words: 1169 - Pages: 5
...In the Salem Witch Trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village. They claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused a lot of women of being witches. More than 200 people were accused of being a witch. They were doing the devil's work and 20 of them were executed. Similarity and difference of the Salem Witch Trials and the Muslims. Muslims are being accused of something they did not do. In the Crucible They are being accused of doing the terrorist attacks. In the Salem Witch Trials, women were being accused of being witches. They compare by both of them are being accused.They both are being accused of something they did not do. People are accusing people that had nothing to with that crime. They just blame...
Words: 648 - Pages: 3
...Who was Really Responsible? “Don’t touch me-- don’t touch me!... You’re the Devil’s man!” (Miller 110). These words come from Mary Warren, a simple, yet nice, caring assistant for the Proctor family whose feelings were changed about his master within a minute by a Devilish girl who’s name is Abigail Williams. Abigail was the Proctor family’s assistant while Elizabeth was sick throughout seven months of her life. During this time, John Proctor, and Abigail had an unexpected affair behind Elizabeth's back, which eventually led to Abigail being fired. During this time, Abigail’s cousin, Betty, became very ill and would not wake up, which began to get people wondering what exactly happened go her. Betty’s dad, Reverend Parris was worried sick about...
Words: 468 - Pages: 2
...accused of performing witchcraft and were jailed, nineteen people were executed . The accusations that led to the Salem Witch Trials were brought on by a combination of preconceived knowledge on the topic, religious beliefs, and precocious imaginations. These accusations shed light on the natural human need to find explanations for misfortunes occurring during the time period and to justify themselves in a Puritan dominated society. In 1689, only three years before the events that occurred in Salem, a similar case of possession happened to the four children of John Goodwin of Boston. The children, the oldest aged thirteen and the youngest five, began displaying symptoms of a diabolical illness and caused the adults in the community to gather together to not only pray for the health of the children but to determine the cause of their illness. It was soon discovered that the eldest Goodwin child had an argument with the elderly women who did the family’s laundry and received harsh words and insults from the laundress . The accused was Mary Glover, a single woman who had emigrated from Ireland to New England. During her trial, Glover spoke in her native tongue, Gaelic and often whispered words. This was seen as characteristics of a witch in the eyes of the court. Soon after her execution Puritan minister Cotton Mather, who questioned Glover before and during the trial, wrote a report that depicted the symptoms of the Goodwin children and his views on witchcraft, called Wonder of...
Words: 2688 - Pages: 11
