Salem Witch Trials Essay -- Witchcraft Salem Witch Trials History Essa

capital of Oregon Witch TrialsThroughout history millions of people have been scorned, accused,arrested, tortured, put to outpouring and, persecuted as witches. One wouldthink that by the time the United States was colonized, these injustices onhumanity would have come to an end, but that was non so. In 1692 amajor(ip) tragedy occurred in America, the Salem witch trials. It all beganwhen a group of girls accused others, generally older women, ofconsorting with the devil. The witchcraft hysteria in Salem,Massachusetts resulted from the tight Puritan code which aroused thegirls interest in superstition and magic and caused strange behavior. The Salem witch trials were based on the Puritans and their Godversus Satan and his followers and their strict codes. Puritans hadalways thought that they were the new chosen people, abandoning a landof sin and oppression to establish the Promised Land (New England). Puritans beliefs were rooted in contrasts. (1) They believed that if in th at respectwas something dependable there was something bad to contradict it, forinstance since there was a God, there must be a devil. Since there wasgood, there must be evil, and since there were saints chosen to do Godswork on earth, there must be witches who were instruments of the Devil.(2) So if someone did not believe in witches it was considered heresy inSalem. A witch was regarded as a person who had made an actual,deliberate, formal pact with Satan and would do all in her in force play to aidhim in his rebellion against God. (3) The Puritans believed that theywere living in a world of chaos and crime, and directed their efforts toconstantly guard against sin. (4)Life in Salem settlement was not easy at the best of times. Gaiety andmerrymaking were regarded as ir sacred, and the people of the villagewere somber and severe. Their lives were spent in hard work andreligious observance.Even their relaxation was associated with the meeting house. On theSabbath there was a long service in the morning and another in theafternoon. Village residents who came from outlying farms were not ableto get home before the services, and it gradually became a regularpractice for the time before the services to be spent in tour andconversation. This was the time when gossip and news were spread fromone to another. (5) Children would accompany their parent... ...irley, The Witchcraft of Salem Village, Random House, New York, 1956,p.5. 8.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrones House, heritage Books, Browie, MD.,1992, p13. 9.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrones House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD., 1992, p.12. 10.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrones House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD., 1992, p.86. 11.Jackson, Shirley, The Witchcraft of Salem Village, Random House, New York, 1956,p.17-18. 12.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrones House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD., 1992, p.86. 13.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrones House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD.,1992, p.81. 14.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrones House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD.,1992, p110. 15.Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. Witchcraft. 1996 16.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem witchcraft and Hawthrones House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD., 1992, p.80. 17.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrones House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD, 1992, p.206.