Changes

'''''This episode remains a top tourist attraction and topic of popular movies and books'''''. ''[[The Conjuring]]'' and other movies assume that some of the accused really were witches.<ref>https://onceuponawheat.com/top-5-salem-witch-trial-sites/</ref>  The trials were stopped when the governor's wife was accused of being a witch. To this day Salem is a favorite gathering place for people enamored of witchcraft.  Famous [[American]] writer [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]], who wrote a novel against [[Puritan]] [[morality]] called the ''[[The Scarlett Letter]]'' and its successor ''[[The House of the Seven Gables]]'', was born in Salem as a direct descendant of a presiding trial judge who never recanted his actions.  Hawthorne was only 4 years old when his father died at sea, and he felt his family was cursed due to his direct ancestor's actions as the judge in these trials.

'''''This episode remains a top tourist attraction and topic of popular movies and books'''''. ''[[The Conjuring]]'' and other movies assume that some of the accused really were witches.<ref>https://onceuponawheat.com/top-5-salem-witch-trial-sites/</ref>  The trials were stopped when the governor's wife was accused of being a witch. To this day Salem is a favorite gathering place for people enamored of witchcraft.  Famous [[American]] writer [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]], who wrote a novel against [[Puritan]] [[morality]] called the ''[[The Scarlett Letter]]'' and its successor ''[[The House of the Seven Gables]]'', was born in Salem as a direct descendant of a presiding trial judge who never recanted his actions.  Hawthorne was only 4 years old when his father died at sea, and he felt his family was cursed due to his direct ancestor's actions as the judge in these trials.

The European [[Witch trials in the early modern period]] occurred over a longer period of time: people were put on trial and some were executed during more than 300 years.

The European [[Witch trials in the early modern period]] occurred over a longer period: people were put on trial and some were executed during more than 300 years.

[[Witchcraft]] is practiced today by millions of mostly [[obese]] women, and crowds have surged recently on [[Halloween]] in [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]] due to the 1692 witch trials.

[[Witchcraft]] is practiced today by millions of mostly [[obese]] women, and crowds have surged recently on [[Halloween]] in [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]] due to the 1692 witch trials.

==Salem in the 1690s==

==Salem in the 1690s==

Salem was a small Puritan settlement in the Massachusetts woods, not far from the coast. It was not a particularly successful settlement, with its villagers struggling to grow enough food to survive and always wary of the forest surrounding them - in their minds, the trees could be hiding murderous Indian raiders or demons or any number of evils.  Thus, it was not a happy, cohesive community - this was not helped by the recent outbreak of smallpox and the Puritan's sexist practices of women being absolutely deferential to the men in their lives, and the belief that women were more susceptible to the Devil's charms. With everyone living in each other's pockets, it was impossible to keep secrets - everyone knew everyone else's business. There was a lot of fear and tension in this village.<ref>Norton (2002)</ref>

Salem was a small Puritan settlement in the Massachusetts woods, not far from the coast. It was not a particularly successful settlement, with its villagers struggling to grow enough food to survive and always wary of the forest surrounding them - in their minds, the trees could be hiding murderous Indian raiders or demons or any number of evils.  Thus, it was not a happy, cohesive community - this was not helped by the recent outbreak of smallpox and the Puritan sexist practices of women being absolutely deferential to the men in their lives, and the belief that women were more susceptible to the Devil's charms. With everyone living in each other's pockets, it was impossible to keep secrets - everyone knew everyone else's business. There was a lot of fear and tension in this village.<ref>Norton (2002)</ref>

Under the [[Puritan]] beliefs at the time, the existence of [[witch]]es was accepted as clear fact on scriptural grounds. In accordance with [[Exodus]] 22:18, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live," witchcraft was criminalized and considered a capital offense.

Under the [[Puritan]] beliefs at the time, the existence of [[witch]]es was accepted as a clear fact on scriptural grounds. In accordance with [[Exodus]] 22:18, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live," witchcraft was criminalized and considered a capital offense.

Reverend Samuel Parris became the first ordained minister to Salem in 1689, but within a few years his conservative approach to religion and divisive sermons led to strong opposition to his ministry, including the cessation of his salary. Soon after, Parris began preaching of demonic assaults on the congregation, and he pitted members of his church against nonmembers, which led to confessions of witchcraft, most of which were coerced or tortured out of low-status women such as Parris's own slave, Tituba. The most active accusers tended to be the village's elites, who were the most ardent supporters of Parris, while those most often accused were usually Parris's opponents who lived on the outskirts of the village or beyond. Thus, a villager's status, especially within the congregation, was the most distinguishing characteristic between the accused and the accusers.<ref>Benjamin C. Ray, "Satan's War Against the Covenant in Salem Village, 1692," ''New England Quarterly'' 2007 80(1): 69-95</ref>

Reverend Samuel Parris became the first ordained minister to Salem in 1689, but within a few years his conservative approach to religion and divisive sermons led to strong opposition to his ministry, including the cessation of his salary. Soon after, Parris began preaching of demonic assaults on the congregation, and he pitted members of his church against nonmembers, which led to confessions of witchcraft, most of which were coerced or tortured out of low-status women such as Parris's own slave, Tituba. The most active accusers tended to be the village's elites, who were the most ardent supporters of Parris, while those most often accused were usually Parris's opponents who lived on the outskirts of the village or beyond. Thus, a villager's status, especially within the congregation, was the most distinguishing characteristic between the accused and the accusers.<ref>Benjamin C. Ray, "Satan's War Against the Covenant in Salem Village, 1692," ''New England Quarterly'' 2007 80(1): 69-95</ref>

==Reports of witchcraft==

==Reports of witchcraft==

The catalyst for the fears that led to the trials was an Indian woman from Barbados - Tituba.<ref>She was NOT a black; Hansen (1974).</ref> She was a slave in the household of Reverend Samuel Parris, the village preacher. She had entertained Reverend Parris' daughter Betty (9 years old) and her cousin Abigail Williams (11 years old) during the winter of 1692 with stories from her life in Barbados, which involved some sort of magic. She began demonstrating this magic to the girls, and some of their friends who had joined the group. Knowing these activities were forbidden by their Puritan religion, the girls felt guilty - it is then that they began the witchcraft hysteria.

The catalyst for the fears that led to the trials was an Indian woman from Barbados - Tituba.<ref>She was NOT a black; Hansen (1974).</ref> She was a slave in the household of Reverend Samuel Parris, the village preacher. She had entertained Reverend Parris' daughter Betty (9 years old) and her cousin Abigail Williams (11 years old) during the winter of 1692 with stories from her life in Barbados, which involved some sort of magic. She began demonstrating this magic to the girls, and some of their friends who had joined the group. Knowing these activities were forbidden by their Puritan religion, the girls felt guilty - it was then that they began the witchcraft hysteria.

The girls began to exhibit strange behavior - they said strange things, screamed, threw things, crawled under furniture, complained of being pricked and cut by invisible pins and knives, and covered their ears during Reverend Parris' preaching as if it hurt them to hear it. The Reverend described their antics as "beyond the power of epileptic fits or natural disease to effect" - naturally, when the village doctor (William Griggs) could not find out what was wrong with them it was assumed that they had been bewitched.

The girls began to exhibit strange behavior - they said strange things, screamed, threw things, crawled under furniture, complained of being pricked and cut by invisible pins and knives, and covered their ears during Reverend Parris' preaching as if it hurt them to hear it. The Reverend described their antics as "beyond the power of epileptic fits or natural disease to effect" - naturally, when the village doctor (William Griggs) could not find out what was wrong with them it was assumed that they had been bewitched.

Five men were convicted and hanged, and one man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death for refusing to cooperate with the court. [http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/education/faq.shtml]</ref>  

Five men were convicted and hanged, and one man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death for refusing to cooperate with the court. [http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/education/faq.shtml]</ref>  

After many executions, a change in the rule of evidence for these trials excluded "spectral evidence," which was testimony by afflicted persons that they had been visited by a suspect's specter.  With that change the subsequent trials resulted overwhelmingly in acquittals rather than convictions, and the later pardons were issued for several of those who had been convicted.<ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM</ref>

After many executions, a change in the rule of evidence for these trials excluded "spectral evidence," which was testimony by afflicted persons that they had been visited by a suspect's specter.  With that change, the subsequent trials resulted overwhelmingly in acquittals rather than convictions, and later pardons were issued for several of those who had been convicted.<ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM</ref>

A common misconception about the executions is that people were burned at the stake.  The misconception arises out of the fact that during the 300 year time period of [[European Witch Trials]], where people were in fact burned alive, that the practice must have also been happening in the colonies.<ref>[https://www.pastfactory.com/history/untrue-myths-about-colonial-america/10/ Untrue:Witches Were Burned At The Stake During The Salem Witch Trials]</ref>

A common misconception about the executions is that people were burned at the stake.  The misconception arises out of the fact that during the 300-year time period of [[European Witch Trials]], whereby people were in fact burned alive, the practice must have also been happening in the colonies.<ref>[https://www.pastfactory.com/history/untrue-myths-about-colonial-america/10/ Untrue:Witches Were Burned At The Stake During The Salem Witch Trials]</ref>

==Victims==

==Victims==

Due to the continued notoriety of the trial, tourists have streamed here since 1854; Salem is now known for a high density of [[occult]]-themed shops.<ref>Stephen Olbrys Gencarella, "Touring History: Guidebooks and the Commodification of the Salem Witch Trials," ''Journal of American Culture'' 2007 30(3): 271-284,</ref>

Due to the continued notoriety of the trial, tourists have streamed here since 1854; Salem is now known for a high density of [[occult]]-themed shops.<ref>Stephen Olbrys Gencarella, "Touring History: Guidebooks and the Commodification of the Salem Witch Trials," ''Journal of American Culture'' 2007 30(3): 271-284,</ref>

==Other communities==

==Other communities==

Salem had the only mass witch hunt in American history. However, there were 152 accused witches in over two dozen other communities. Latner (2008) challenges the traditional image of Salem as the site of a year-long epidemic of hysteria. Instead, accusations progressed as a sequence of limited and brief flare-ups and the accused were generally logical targets. Within most nearby communities, the witch-hunt passed quickly and the number of accused was small. Even in the high-profile centers of the storm, such as Salem and Andover, the episode was limited in duration. The victims of 1692 most often resembled those who were traditionally associated with witchcraft in 17th century England and New England, generally. Despite its reputation for irrationality and excess, the Salem witchcraft experience demonstrated the kind of constraints, limits, and coherence that scholars have found in other forms of collective violence. Such an approach helps explain how the outbreak spread to numerous communities as well as why the episode came to an end in relatively short order.<ref>Richard Latner, "The Long and Short of Salem Witchcraft: Chronology and Collective Violence in 1692," ''Journal of Social History'' 2008 42(1): 137-156,</ref>

Salem had the only mass witch hunt in American history. However, there were 152 accused witches in over two dozen other communities. Latner (2008) challenges the traditional image of Salem as the site of a year-long epidemic of hysteria. Instead, accusations progressed as a sequence of limited and brief flare-ups and the accused were generally logical targets. Within most nearby communities, the witch-hunt passed quickly and the number of accused was small. Even in the high-profile centers of the storm, such as Salem and Andover, the episode was limited in duration. The victims of 1692 most often resembled those who were traditionally associated with witchcraft in 17th-century England and New England, generally. Despite its reputation for irrationality and excess, the Salem witchcraft experience demonstrated the kind of constraints, limits, and coherence that scholars have found in other forms of collective violence. Such an approach helps explain how the outbreak spread to numerous communities as well as why the episode came to an end in relatively short order.<ref>Richard Latner, "The Long and Short of Salem Witchcraft: Chronology and Collective Violence in 1692," ''Journal of Social History'' 2008 42(1): 137-156,</ref>

==Historigraphical debates==

==Historigraphical debates==

The trials are fascinating to ordinary people and to professional historians. Latner (2007) refute Boyer and Nissenbaum (1974) claim that the 1692 witch-hunt was rooted in an economic-based factionalism between Reverend Samuel Parris's agrarian supporters in Salem Village and the capitalistic opponents to witch-hunts in Salem Town. Latner's analysis of multiple tax lists, rather than just the 1695 record used by Boyer and Nissenbaum, shows that the ''Salem Possessed'' book exaggerated the degree that Salem Town's residents experienced financial advancement and the extent to which Salem Village inhabitants suffered economic decline. Similarly, the article suggests that economic status does not necessarily reveal someone's feelings about or connection to capitalism.<ref>Richard Latner, "Salem Witchcraft, Factionalism, and Social Change Reconsidered: Were Salem's Witch-hunters Modernization's Failures?" ''William & Mary Quarterly'' 2008 65(3): 423-448,</ref>  

The trials are fascinating to ordinary people and to professional historians. Latner (2007) refutes Boyer and Nissenbaum (1974) claim that the 1692 witch-hunt was rooted in an economic-based factionalism between Reverend Samuel Parris's agrarian supporters in Salem Village and the capitalistic opponents to witch-hunts in Salem Town. Latner's analysis of multiple tax lists, rather than just the 1695 record used by Boyer and Nissenbaum, shows that the ''Salem Possessed'' book exaggerated the degree that Salem Town's residents experienced financial advancement and the extent to which Salem Village inhabitants suffered economic decline. Similarly, the article suggests that economic status does not necessarily reveal someone's feelings about or connection to capitalism.<ref>Richard Latner, "Salem Witchcraft, Factionalism, and Social Change Reconsidered: Were Salem's Witch-hunters Modernization's Failures?" ''William & Mary Quarterly'' 2008 65(3): 423-448,</ref>  

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Boyer, Paul, and Stephen Nissenbaum. ''Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft'' (1974), classic social history

* Boyer, Paul, and Stephen Nissenbaum. ''Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft'' (1974), classic social history