Salem Witch Trials and Cotton Mather Essay examples

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Assignment 8 Cause and Effect Writing Essay

Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 was a volatile place where death by execution was a strong fear for many. One did not have to be a murderer, thief or rapist in order to be frightened, you could be just old, a governor’s wife, or have unfortunate neighbors. The majority of residents of Salem from February 1692 until October of the same year were either accused or accusers of witchcraft. During these eight months, 20 people were executed. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of this trend of increased accusations and rapid executions. The atmosphere surrounding Salem was ripe for this hysteria. It was the combination of the Puritan religion and cultural values, politics, and the rifts between the agrarian society of West Salem and the seaport of East Salem that made this event in history possible. In the process of trying to define the trend of the Salem Witch Trials, one must make use of all of these factors.

The acceptance of witchcraft was widespread in New England originating from Europe. The crime of practicing witchcraft had been tried in Massachusetts since 1630. There were two crimes associated with being a witch; being in allegiance with the Devil and harm to others. The disappearance of a knife, soreness around heart, breast and shoulders, cattle unable to produce milk, sensations of being pricks with pins and daggers, were thought to be caused by witchcraft. What makes these trials worth noting is that they were conducted in a very different manner from those preceding them. The amount of time spent on the entire trial was greatly shortened. Susanna Martin, one of the first executed, was previously charged of witchcraft in 1669 while fighting for an inheritance. She was acquitted after a trial that lasted nine months. In 1692, she was executed ten days after her conviction. The accused did not enjoy representation due to the fear that supporters would also be accused. In Central Europe and England, the proof of confession was necessary before sentencing and confessions were elicited through torture, guile and deceit. Since the act of torture was illegal in Massachusetts, confession was not necessary for a conviction. If you were accused you were automatically presumed to be guilty. The question was whether you would admit to your guilt and name other witches or if you would proclaim your innocence and die. In Salem, the accused that confessed and named others were freed.
The legal system was a farce. The first Royal Governor William Phipps ordered the Court of Oyer and Terminer to proceed with the hearings and returned to England. Three of the five magistrates chosen to oversee the trials belonged to the Cotton Mather’s congregation where he provided his followers with numerous sermons regarding witchcraft. None of the chief justices had any legal background and most were former clergy. The Judges acted as prosecutor and magistrate. Salem did not have an unbiased judicial system. Prior to the trials Judge John Hathore pressured to have Reverend George Burroughs replaced whom he later sentenced and executed for witchcraft. No restrictions placed on the accusers no matter how unbiased or unreliable. Upon Governor Phipps return, he noticed that along with his own wife persons of good reputation were being accused. He promptly cancelled all indictments and freed all prisoners. Many of the official players in the Salem Witch trials later tried to invalidate and reverse the findings including Cotton Mather and his father Increase Mather. There was a rapid decline of witchcraft prosecutions after a dramatic increase.

The first to be accused of witchcraft were outcasts but that quickly changed. The vast majority of the accusers lived in West Salem or Salem Village. East Salem was considered an upcoming seaport. There was a strong resentment of the rural populace of the West toward the town’s wealthy and powerful residents. The trials and accusations restricted
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