They feared many innocent people were being executed. Hope that helps with your bibliography. Did the Putnams purchase any of the land from those who were accused and killed? Salem Witch Trials Memorial at Proctor's Ledge People wanted to protect themselves, so they ratted out their own friends, neighbors or anyone they didn't like. in journalism. William Ives and George W. Pease, 1857Session Laws. The 190th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2001/Chapter122The 1692 Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Museum, www.salemwitchmuseum.com/education/salem-witch-trialsBlumberg, Jess. The mayhem all started in 1692, when two cousins aged nine and 11 began experiencing delusions, strange fits, and other mysterious maladies. Many of the accusers were adults and more than a few of them were people who had themselves been accused. Yes, it is loosely based on the Salem Witch Trials. She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal. 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 pair had been bewitched. It will be very easy. I lasted edited this page on October 18, 2015. Everything we know now about the trials comes from just a handful of primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials. During her trial, Bishop repeatedly defended herself, stating I am innocent, I know nothing of it, I have done no witchcraft . 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. Alden was accused of witchcraft by a child during a trip to Salem while he was on his way home to Boston from Canada. Instead, in 1692, hanging was the preferred form of punishment. If they drowned, they were considered innocent. 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.. When was this last edited? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I think it is easy to underestimate the importance of James IIs creation of the Dominion of New England. Thank you, using this as a source! Its good to see that the court system has progressed. The parallels between the Salem Witch Trials and more modem examples ofwitch huntinglike the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, are remarkable. The 17th century Salem has nothing on witch hunts that went down in Europe. The other two accused women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osbourne, werent well liked by the community either. It means that even though supernatural evidence might seem sketchy to us in this day and age, for people like Cotton Mather and the rest of Salem, it was perfectly acceptable in cases of necessity. And insularity bred paranoia, as Schiff sharply explains. Due to overcrowding in the jails, the accused witches were kept in multiple jails in Salem town, Ipswich and Boston. Bishop had been accused of witchcraft years before but was cleared of the crime. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. It is sad where the mind-set was back then. 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. It's also important to remember that there is no evidence, other than spectral evidence and coerced confessions, that any of the accused actually did practice witchcraft. How could so many people believe the afflicted girls without no real evidence. [State v. Dustin, 122 N.H. 544, 551 (N.H. Then they even do a greater injustice by not only torturing folks in prison but hanging 19 of them and then putting rocks on a 71 year old man until he died because he would not state he was guilty or innocent (some old English law if accused refused to make a plea). The primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials offer a wealth of information on these infamous trials. Thanks! Thank you for the kind comments. In Salem for example, the first significant victim of the witch trials was Tituba, a slave from the Caribbean. Sarah Wildes was my 8th great grandmother. ", What does that mean, in laymans terms? There wasnt really any one document or agreement that ended the trials. This illustration shows him speaking at Witches Hill, the site of his execution. 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. At the time, Salem Village was a small New England town populated mostly by Puritans, or religious individuals with a belief in the devil. To identify witches, authorities used the "touching test", in which victims of witchcraft would become calm upon touching the culprit. Legal Legacy of the Salem Witch Trials. The fact is, no accused witches were burned at the stake in Salem, Massachusetts. How did this conflict impact the trials? When a young Lancastrian woman called Alison Device asked for a pin from a travelling peddler but was denied, the peddler apparently became immediately paralysed down his left side. The less-than-thorough procedures of the Salem courtroom also prompted tighter, more rational legal processes that would later be enshrined in the US Constitution. A witness testifies against an accused witch during one of the many witchcraft trials of the 1690s. Heinrich Kramer wrote a whole book on why witches should be all exterminated and how to do that. Since the accused witches were considered dangerous prisoners, they were kept in the dungeon and were chained to the walls because jail officials believed this would prevent their spirits from fleeing the jail and tormenting their victims. On March 1st, Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn were arrested and examined. Or maybe it was the 1711 bill that cleared the names of the accused witches. Ever since those dark days ended, the trials have become synonymous with mass hysteria and scapegoating. One of the most popular theories as to what could have caused the mass hysteria of Salem in 1692 is that of ergot poisoning. Now that spectral evidence was not allowed, most of the remaining prisoners were found not guilty or released due to a lack of real evidence. Her son Richard is one of my 8th great grandfathers and I keep waiting for a DNA match to pop up with one of his other descendants. The leading independent voice for aviation news and insight. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The story is about Susannah English, daughter of accused witches Phillip and Mary English and friend of Ann Putnam, Jr. She was released from jail shortly after the hangings began, and was never tried or convicted. As if the lonely and misunderstood didn't have a hard enough life on its own, they seemed the most suspicious to the crowds. The best way to get people's attention is to start spreading sensational and fake news. Explore 17th-century Salem in the museum's 13 stage sets that bring the witch trials to life. I edit the site in general pretty much every day. History of the Salem Witch Trials. History of Massachusetts Blog, 18 Aug. 2011, historyofmassachusetts.org/the-salem-witch-trials. Hi Sarah, 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. Here's how they got it done. Ergot is a fungus found in bread, and has the same effect as hallucinogenic drugs. To complicate matters further, within Salem Village itself, there were two separate social groups. And this was for a people who saw themselves as ordered by God to build their shining City on a Hill. The Catholic and Protestant churches fought for new followers. Found Guilty and Executed:Bridget Bishop (June 10, 1692)Sarah Good (July 19, 1692)Elizabeth Howe (July 19, 1692)Susannah Martin (July 19, 1692)Rebecca Nurse (July 19, 1692)Sarah Wildes (July 19, 1692)George Burroughs (August 19, 1692)Martha Carrier (August 19, 1692)John Willard (August 19, 1692)George Jacobs, Sr (August 19, 1692)John Proctor (August 19, 1692)Alice Parker (September 22, 1692)Mary Parker (September 22, 1692)Ann Pudeator (September 22, 1692)Wilmot Redd (September 22, 1692)Margaret Scott (September 22, 1692)Samuel Wardwell (September 22, 1692)Martha Corey (September 22, 1692)Mary Easty (September 22, 1692), Refused to enter a plea and tortured to death:Giles Corey (September 19th, 1692), Found Guilty and Pardoned:Elizabeth ProctorAbigail Faulkner SrMary PostSarah WardwellElizabeth Johnson JrDorcas Hoar, Pled Guilty and Pardoned:Rebecca EamesAbigail HobbsMary Lacy SrMary Osgood, Died in Prison:Sarah OsburnRoger ToothakerAnn FosterLydia Dustin, Escaped from Prison:John Alden Jr.Edward Bishop Jr.Sarah BishopMary BradburyWilliam Barker Sr.Andrew CarrierKatherine CaryPhillip EnglishMary EnglishEdward Farrington, Never Indicted:Sarah BassettMary BlackBethiah Carter, JrBethiah Carter, SrSarah CloyceElizabeth HartWilliam HobbsThomas Farrer, SrWilliam ProctorSarah ProctorSusannah RootsAnn SearsTituba, Evaded Arrest:George Jacobs JrDaniel Andrews. Nevertheless, we cannot but humbly recommend unto the government, the speedy and vigorous prosecution of such as have rendered themselves obnoxious, according to the direction given in the laws of God, and the wholesome statutes of the English nation, for the detection of witchcrafts. Other evidence used in the trials included confessions of the accused, possession of certain items such as poppets, ointments or books on the occult, as well as the presence of an alleged witchs teat, which was a strange mole or blemish, on the accused persons body. Another interesting fact about the witch trials is not everyone in Salem actually believed in witchcraft or supported the trials. Native History & Indigenous Acknowledgement, The Journey from 1692 to Salems Modern Witch Community. However, the subtlety of the ministers response was largely sidelined by the grand jury, who drew their energy from one particular concluding line from Mather: we cannot but humbly recommend unto the government, the speedy and vigorous prosecution of such as have rendered themselves obnoxious. In possession of such a mandate, the trials moved up a gear. 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. http://www.easybib.com/cite/view. The two communities were three hours apart, by foot, which was the most common method of transportation at the time. Through the loss of 20 lives, the episode continues to warn of the dangers of insularity and isolationism, of intolerance, of religious extremism. The ages of the accused ranged from 12 to 72 years old, with the average age being 41. This legal tactic was known as peine forte et dure which means strong and harsh punishment.. "Examination and Evidence of Some Accused Witches in Salem, 1692. Every March, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of women as part of Womens History Month. In mid-January 1692, Elizabeth "Betty" Parris, the 9-year-old daughter of the local Reverend Samuel Parris, and. The punishment was hanging. Thank you for making this blog post! While the Salem of today is a thriving metropolitan area, in 1692 it was a remote settlement on the edge of the frontier. The governor released the last few prisoners the following May. Went to the library to look for my family history but came across my friends families name. If you want to learn more about the Salem Witch Trials, check out this article on the best Salem Witch Trials books. Massachusetts State Archives. 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. In additionone man was pressed to death; several others died in prison, and the lives of many were irrevocably changed. Great post, this helped a lot with my Witch Trials report for history class! (University of Kansas, 1997). 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. Wigington, Patti. They were said to have helped witches and were referred to as their familiars. And, of course, theres the theory that it was all down to good old fashioned spite. 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. The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of By the end of May, more than 60 people were in custody; the vast majority were women, but a handful of men were also detained. thank u. Also, when was his last updated? Does anyone know who was the last one to be accused of witchcraft and died , all she did was healing and someone who she knew turned her in. 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. Just pay for a month and go nuts adding records to a tree. 62, No. In addition to this constant sense of fear, Salem residents were also under a great deal of stress during this period due to a number of factors. How inhumane! Well, Sharis, the Salem Witch Trials are quite complicated and cant be accurately summed up in a short article. The Salem witch trials began because a group of girls claimed they were possessed by the devil. They hanged the poor souls instead. Good and Osbourne insisted they were innocent. There are many theories that explain why the witch trials began in Medieval Europe. Yet another crucial moment during the Salem Witch Trials was the public torture and death of Giles Corey. An allegory of the intolerant McCarthyism discolouring the nation at the time Miller would himself be called before the Committee on Un-American Activities three years later the parallels were undeniable. 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 is like the only website i found most helpful on Salem Witch Trial. What source other than A Story of Witchcraft would you recommend to look up more information about the trials? Visit this site's About page to find out more about Rebecca. Fresh witchcraft cases continued to come before the new Superior Court of Judicature that, while again presided over by William Stoughton, was ordered not to accept spectral evidence. The exact cause of the Salem Witch Trials is unknown but they were probably a number of causes. Which brings us to. It also silenced any opposition to the idea that the Devil had infiltrated Salem. All would await trial for a crime punishable by death in17th-century New England the practice of witchcraft. These unsettling facts will shed light. Salem Witch Trials: The Hysteria Spreads Salem Witch Trials: Conclusion and Legacy The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem. 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. (2021, September 9). Titubas confession was the trigger that sparked the mass hysteria and the hunt for more witches in Salem. 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. Keeping to yourself and minding your own business seemed suspicious. See, the concept of fake news is nothing new. In 1813, the wooden structure of the jail was remodeled into a Victorian home and in 1956 the home was razed. Five more people were hanged in July, one of which was Rebecca Nurse. The eight-point response, penned by Cotton Mather, advised prudence when it came to procedure, cautioning that hastiness shouldnt overwhelm lawfulness.