Salem Witch Trials AKA When the Puritans lost it!

1
Salem Witch Trials AKA When the Puritans lost it!
2
A day in the life of children . . .

• Farm work for boys beginning at age 5
• Girls helped with spinning/sewing
• Punished for laughing on the Sabbath day
• Running, whistling, humming considered sinful any
  day
• Parents developed Sunday toys

3
Puritan Beliefs

• Wanted to PURIFY the Catholic Church
• Did not like selling of indulgences
• Disliked the massive ornamentation of the church
  and the priests
• Original sin
• Hellfire and brimstone sermons Sinners in the
  Hands of an Angry God

4
Puritans Beliefs continued

• Predestination John Calvin
• Work hard for success but DONT enjoy it
• The Devil is real
• Dancing ok but not sexual dancing
• Drinking was ok but do not become a drunkard
• Adultery punishable by death

5
The Salem Witch Trials

• The Salem Witch Trials began in what is now known
  as Danvers, Massachusetts.
• The Salem Witch Trials lasted from June of 1692
  to September of 1692.
• By the end of the trials 150 people had spent
  time in jail and 20 innocent people were
  killed.

6
The Salem Witch Trials

• The trials began with 11 year old Abigail
  Williams and 9 year old Elizabeth Parris.
• These girls acted in a manner that was strange to
  the Puritans of the time.
• Abigail Williams was Elizabeths cousin.
  Elizabeth Parris was the daughter of the town
  minister.

7
The Salem Witch Trials

• Abigail and Elizabeth were not allowed to have
  toys or play like most children of the time
  would, this was seen as idleness and sinful.
• Instead the girls were encouraged to concentrate
  on chores and studying bible verses.

8
The Salem Witch Trials

• At night Abigail and Elizabeth would spend their
  nights by the fire with Reverend Parriss slave
  Tituba (from Barbados).
• Tituba entertained the girls with magic, fortune
  telling and story telling from her homeland.
• This was forbidden by Puritan law.

9
(No Transcript)
10
The Salem Witch Trials

• Abigail and Elizabeth began acting strangely
  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 as the Reverend began his sermon the
  girls in town fell into a fit.

11
The Salem Witch Trials

• The town concerned for the girls asked who had
  cast a spell on them.
• Three women were named by the girls.
• Tituba, a slave-servant. Sarah Good, a homeless
  woman. Sarah Osborne a woman who had married her
  servant.

12
The Salem Witch Trials

• When placed on trial both Sarahs 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.

13
The Salem Witch Trials

• Many of those accused were prominent members of
  the Salem community.
• Many of these characters are seen in the play The
  Crucible.

14
Traits of a witch

• Singing
• Reading
• Not conforming to Puritan law
• Not getting along with your neighbor
• Spending time alone
• Writing

15
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.

16
The Accusation Process

• The Magistrate issues a warrant for the arrest of
  the accused person.

17
The Accusation Process

• 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
  re-examination and to await trial.

18
(No Transcript)
19
The Accusation Process

• The case is presented to the Grand Jury. 
  Depositions relating to the guilt or innocence of
  the accused are entered into evidence.

20
The Accusation Process

• 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.
• 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.

21
(No Transcript)
22
If you were accused would you

• a. Flee Salem!
• b. Refuse to stand trial and await the
  consequences
• c. Accuse someone else
• d. Get pregnant
• e. Confess, even though youre innocent
• f. Plead innocence and await trial

23
THERE IS A WITCH AMONGST US! Could it be you?
24
There is a witch amongst us

• Do you know what a modern witch does, has anyone
  around you displayed the following
  characteristics?
• OR have you?

25
Traits of modern witch

• Listening to tiny people play music
• Watching people move in a magic box
• Wearing open toed shoes

26
Traits of modern witch

• Having vast amounts of information available
  instantly
• Standing on water
• Moving great distances in short periods of time

27
A modern witch also

• Cant sit still
• Likes to sing
• Makes animal noises
• Imitates other witches

28

• So who were are the witches in this class room?