Salem Witch Trials

Salem Witch Trials

Introduction to Salem Witch Trials

Until the sixteenth century, trials for witchcraft were common; the first sign that a person differed from that of others it was immediately a witch (or wizard). Salem is a city in the U.S. Atlantic coast, about 25 miles from Boston, in the State of Massachusetts. The Salem witch trials refer to a famous episode of the period of colonization of the United States in 1692 in the village of Salem (present state of Massachusetts ), in which, as a side effect of family infighting and fanaticism colonial Puritans coated paranoia, were sentenced to death 25 people accused of witchcraft , mostly women, were imprisoned and many more. It is known as the "City of Witches" by the famous hunt that took place in the village in 1692, which is why the city receives millions of visitors each year, curious to know the places where the events staged, and have been carefully preserved by the authorities.

The most widespread insists that the Puritans, who ruled the colony of Massachusetts Bay from almost no real control 1630 until the enactment of the Magna Carta in 1692, went through a period of mass hallucinations and hysteria caused by religion. Most modern historians find this explanation at least "simplistic." Other theories are based on analysis of child abuse facts, guesses invoking the evil, egotism (poisoning fermented rye bread contains chemicals similar to LSD), the Putnam family plot to destroy the rival Porter family, and some others relate to the issue of women's social strangulation.

Reasons the Trials Occurred

City built by British settlers around 1630. The city was ruled and established a base on Puritan, the population was clearly conservative, and society of the time was characterized by a strong belief in the devil, a clash between families and the continuous wars of the tribes, and this explains part of the events that occurred in 1692.

City minister, the Rev. Samuel Parris, came to Salem from the Antilles, where they brought a slave, Tituba, a black woman who married a Native American. Tituba spoke their language Antillean and West Indian religious rites practiced, probably the voodoo practices incomprehensible to their fellow citizens. Parris' daughter, barely 9 years old, and cousin of 12, was interested in Tituba practices, organizing some sessions with her ??and some friends.

Given this admission started the witch hunt, girls hundreds of people accused of witchcraft, most low class and frowned with attitudes such as celibacy or infidelity. Serious disputes with neighbours accused each other. But research still happen to know what really happened, some believe they were "spells" caused by the consumption of certain mushrooms, others believe they may be unknown diseases such as smallpox or Huntington's syndrome. Other researchers believe that the motivations were social. Parapsychologists continue to believe that some of the cases of witchcraft were real.

Puritan Religion

The Puritan community lived in fear. After losing its charter during the second English revolution, it still did not know, in spring 1692, what his ...