Research Paper On The Salem Witch Trials

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The Wicked Witches of Salem
The Salem Witchcraft trials in Massachusetts during 1692 resulted in nineteen innocent deaths. Many men and women were hanged and one man was pressed to death. Although Salem was home to the witchcraft trials, the hysteria spread to many towns around Massachusetts. The witchcraft trials are responsible for hundreds of innocent deaths over time. It began at the end of 1691 when a few girls in the town of Salem were seen dancing in the woods. Dancing and partaking in amusing activities was against the Puritan religion. This type of activity, brought on associations with the Devil. The girls gathered in Reverend Samuel Parris' house where their Indian slave named Tituba, headed the rituals. Soon after Tituba and the girls had begun to practice these rituals, the girls who had been involved became very sick and crazy. …show more content…
"A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials." Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, 23 Oct. 2007. Web. 01 Mar. 2017.http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/
Brooks, Rebecca. "History of the Salem Witch Trials." History of Massachusetts. N.p., 18 Feb. 2017. Web. 10 Mar. 2017. http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-salem-witch-trials/
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Puritanism." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 14 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.
History.com Staff. "Puritanism." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 14 Mar. 2017. http://www.history.com/topics/puritanism
History.com Staff. "Salem Witch Trials." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2011. Web. 09 Mar. 2017. http://www.history.com/topics/salem-witch-trials
"Salem." Famous Trials. UMKC School of Law, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2017. http://www.famous-trials.com/salem
Schiff, Stacy. "Inside the Salem Witch Trials." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2016. Web. 11 Mar. 2017.

Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

In 1692, a small village in Massachusetts was trapped in a bubble of fear and paranoia, leading to one of the worst events in American history known as the Salem Witch Trials. This hysteria was caused by religious beliefs, social tensions, and revenge, resulting in the unfair accusations of innocent people. The Salem Witch Trials began when several young girls in the village started showing strange behavior, such as spasms and fits. Unable to explain these occurrences, the Puritan community became…

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Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

I have decided to research the hoax of the Salem Witch trials. This was something that started in the spring of 1962. It was a hoax that began because of a group of girls who claimed that they were being possessed by the devil. This led the people of Salem to begin to believe in witches. After this, the people of Salem started slowly believing in witches. People became paranoid and there the Salem Witch Trials began. Young innocent people were being charged with witchcraft and killed. People attempted…

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Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

took shape in the form of very strict ideals, including the belief that women should be submissive, uneducated, and silent. As rumors and accusations of nonconformity began, they gained yet another similarity with Europe- the witch hunt craze. In the 1690’s, the Salem witch trials sparked a wave of fear of witchcraft and nonconformity, which influenced stereotypical gender roles for future generations.…

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Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

being bewitched. A tale was created by the girls that spread from neighbor to neighbor, causing mass hysteria and chaos in the town of Salem. Later that year, over 150 men and women were imprisoned on the accusation of witchcraft. By the end of the trials, 19 people were unfairly hung and executed; it was the largest witch trial to occur in the U.S. The Salem Witch Trials were unfair executions of the innocent caused by hearsay and mass panic. Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams were born into wealthy…

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Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

Witchcraft The Salem Witch Trials is a big historical event in the 17th century relating to Witchcraft. The Salem Witch Trials started in the spring of 1692. A hysteria had gone throughout Massachusetts about people being possessed by the devil. Over 150 men, women, and children were accused, September 1692. As many were puzzled on this topic, other people had come up with theories. Some believed smallpox epidemic caused Witchcraft and others believed it was caused by a fungus ergot showing symptoms…

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Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

The Salem Witch trials continue to captivate many up to this day, though many centuries later. This panic throughout the town heightened accusations of witchcraft provoking massive destruction along with endless fear, doubt, and injustice. As a result, the blame is on children, men, and women. There were several created hysterias, like if family livestock perished out of coincidence, it was supposed a witch cursed their family. Ongoing beliefs like this erupted in madness within the village. Many…

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Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

The events leading up to the Salem witch trials began with a merchant from Boston named Samuel Parris coming to Salem. He brought with him his wife, their children, a niece and two slaves. His daughter, niece, and their friend were named Betty, Abigail Williams, and Ann Putnam, respectively. The former two, Betty and Abigail, showed odd behavior in January 1692. They were throwing things, screaming, contorting their bodies, making strange sounds, and complained about pinching and biting feelings…

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Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

The story of the Salem witch trials continues to fascinate people because it has the potential to teach us important lessons about fear and prejudice. The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft. In fact, a group of girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, said they were possessed by the devil and accused many women of witchcraft. The reason they accused these women of witch craft was because they had something that the girls desired. In all honesty…

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Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

Trials of Conspiracies Something that is so controversial and still stirs up paranoia is witch trials. Witch Trials have been around for centuries and follow the practice of magic and use of spells and spirits towards others. The Salem witch trials in specific were significant because the public had let this topic become out of control and so widely spoken of so soon. In Massachusetts 1692, three young girls had a strange feeling coming over them. They started feeling controlled and would convulse…

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Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

convicted of witchcraft, to gladly confess to being a witch. According to the information that I was given, the only real plausible decision during that time would to say “yes” to being a witch for even though I would know better than to think myself a witch I would rather stay alive by confessing to such an outrageous crime rather than deny the accusation to later be killed for telling the truth. I believe that many other people during the Salem Witch Trials did the same in order to say themselves from being…

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