dyslexia, none that I know of, but I could easily be wrong. It was just such a social stigma that it doesn't seem like at all a likely occurrence.
-K
dyslexia wrote:just my curiosity but how many of the accused witches were so accusted by their own husbands? perhaps a simple divorce would have suficed?
Or a good old fashoined big piece of _____ !!
(chocolate... you perv )
katealaurel wrote:The ergot theory is pretty widely accepted..
Another possible explanation we talked about briefly in one of my classes deals with social ascension. (Beware, I may get some of these facts wrong offhand, since I don't have the information right here, but the general idea should be right..) If you examine a map of Salem from that time period, and mark where the accusers' and accuseds' houses were, there is a definite pattern. I don't remember which set (I'm inclined to say the accusers) lived at the outskirts of town, but it's been wondered whether the accusations were meant either a) to discredit the older families of the town and thus gain social status, or b) to redistribute the better agricultural land. These strike me as pretty reasonable explanations, considering the things people do nowadays for money and status.
As a side note, one of my ancestors was one of the dead in the Salem Witch Trials- Hannah Basset, I think?
-Kate
Facinating... I would love to see this information. If i gave you my email address do you have some to send me? I would love to see this pattern.
I would agree that status is a HUGE possibility in a situation like that. It would be entirely possible that families, in fear of loosing thier 'status' would wrongfully accuse someone so they could fit in with the new cliques of the chruchs, government etc... Basicaly. to be seen as patriotic
Salem Witch Trials
Crime Library
Notorious Murders -- Not Guilty
The Salem Witch Trials
http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/not_guilty/salem_witches/1.html
Chapters
Parris
Tituba
The Evil Hand
The Magistrates
Goody Good
Fanning the Flames
Hysteria
Increase Mather Returns
The Trials
Summer in Hell
Giles Corey
Reason Returns -- Excerpt:
Quote:The death toll was mounting. Three days after Giles Corey was pressed to death, eight more witches -- Corey's wife Martha among them -- were hanged, bringing the death toll to 20 (19 hanged, one pressed to death). Three people -- including Sarah Good's nursing baby -- had died in prison awaiting trial. At least 40 people had been jailed awaiting trial, several had escaped with the help of family and friends and many simply left the area until the storm blew over.
It was now six months from the time Elizabeth Parris started acting possessed and terror swept the colony. Along with their cadre of afflicted friends, Ann Putnam and Abby Williams were summoned to nearby Andover where they pointed accusing fingers at 50 more people, most of them strangers. Emboldened by their power, the Putnam women and several of the more precocious girls started accusing even more prominent people than the likes of Rebecca Nurse, Mary Easty and Martha Corey. They went too far when they accused Lady Phipps, wife of the governor and forced the ministers of Boston to step in. . . .
property
katealaurel wrote:Another possible explanation we talked about briefly in one of my classes deals with social ascension. (Beware, I may get some of these facts wrong offhand, since I don't have the information right here, but the general idea should be right..) If you examine a map of Salem from that time period, and mark where the accusers' and accuseds' houses were, there is a definite pattern. I don't remember which set (I'm inclined to say the accusers) lived at the outskirts of town, but it's been wondered whether the accusations were meant either a) to discredit the older families of the town and thus gain social status, or b) to redistribute the better agricultural land. These strike me as pretty reasonable explanations, considering the things people do nowadays for money and status.
ABSOLUTELY -- status and greed played a significant role in the witch trials. If the colony found you guilty, it would take your property!
See, e.g., the story about
Giles Corey:
Quote:Standing before the judges, Corey took the only way out he knew. He refused to enter a plea. Under English law, no man could be tried without uttering a plea, so the court was helpless to proceed. Corey knew this would not save his life, for the judges would keep at him until he entered a plea. But he also knew that by keeping his mouth shut, his estate would not be forfeited to the colony after his death. He had already signed over his farm to his sons-in-law, but that would not keep the government from seizing it after they hanged him. If he died in prison without pleading, they could not touch his property.
are witches real
[size=7]I believe that witches are real. Witches are not people that fly around on broomsticks and cast spells on people for personal gain but people who use spells to help themselves whether at school, work or home. Real witches are people who follow the wiccan reed [do what thou will as long as you harm none and whatever you do comes back to you three times three times three][/size]
katealaurel wrote:
Quote:As a side note, one of my ancestors was one of the dead in the Salem Witch Trials- Hannah Basset, I think?
I am a descendent of an executed Salem "witch" myself; her name was Ann Pudeator. I wonder if we descendents should start a Society. After all, our group is much smaller (and therefore potentially more exclusive) than the Mayflower folks.
my thoughts
i'm in 8th grade and i'm the middle of a huge project concerning the salem witch trials for school, and i'd like to share my thoughts on it with you. i don't believe it had anything to do with ergot poisoning because the people of salem village got lots of vitamin a from all the dairy they comsumed. therefore, hallucinations wouldn't be included in the symptoms. what prompted the accusations was mass hysteria and the overwhelming guilt of young girls who thought they were damned for etenity. they had no source of entertainment and they were desperate, so when tituba began to share her stories of barbados and performed simple magic tricks and fortune tellings, they were entranced. but the girls were puritan, and their religion strictly forbode all of this. they were so frightened and guilty afterwards, they began to show signs of epilepsy and hysteria, so they probably couldn't feel much pain as they twisted their bodies and wrenched their limbs, screaming blasphemies. once the village learned of these fits, they concluded the evil hand was upon them and pressured them to name their accusers. well meaning neighbors, or perhaps not, asked them was it tituba? is it sarah good? goody osburne? most likely, they had personal quarrels with these people and saw it as a way to get revenge, especially sarah good. she went from house to house begging food and when she was refused, stomed off muttering curses. of course, it was easy enough for the girls to agree and say that yes, these women were witches, and relieve themselves of the pressure. other people realized this was a way to get back at their neighbors for old disagreements, and perhaps gain power so they forced their daughters to join in the hysterics. twelve year old ann putnam's parents may have forced her to accuse certain people for their own benefits. for example, rebecca nurse, one of the most kind, pious women in the community was accused only because she owned a wealthy farm and people were jealous of her. the reverend's zealous sermons also helped to fan the flames of hysteria during these months. soon, little distinction was made between the accused and they were arrested and sent to jail, with no incriminating evidence whatsoever. the girls grew more and more hysterical and more and more people were hanged to try to 'cure' them. the puritans lived in fear all the time, and now they had someone to blame for their failed livestock and crops, indian attacks and sicknesses. they could blame witches. it was perfect. they could blame witches for their misfortunes, and they showed them no mercy.
I recently heard mention that as recently as the 1910's, several suspected witches were killed by vigilantes on a Southwest Indian reserveration- Navaho perhaps? Anybody heard about this?
Hello. The reason I am posting this up is because I am currently doing a research project. As you can probably guess, the subject is about the Salem Witch Trials. I am almost done with my project, but the only thing missing is a person interviewed. So if anyone has some sort of qualification (ex. SS Teacher, history, had a family member in Trials, etc.) then could you supply me with your name and your qualification and answer these questions:
1) What caused the Salem Witch Trials and when did it start?
2) What is the difference between witchcraft and Satanism?
3) How were the witches executed during the Trials?
4) How many people died due to the Trials?
5) Who is Tituba, and what did she have to do with the Trials.
6) What could have caused those strange fits of hysteria?
7) What finally brought an end to the trials and when did it end
So, if anyone could answer these questions, I would really appreciate it! Thanks ^^
Wicca
Hi Shewolf:
Sorry for posting this way if it is incorrect, but every time I go to the home page of this thing, I cannot find you again. I tried to post privately to you but it said that I am not qualified because I am new here.
I am trying to decide on my final research paper topic (it is 75% of my final grade - so it has to be the best one yet). It is for an argument based writing class. I am trying to decide whether to research/write about the Wiccan religion.
Question 1 (dumb though it may be): Are you a Wicca/Wiccan (not sure of the correct term)?
Question 2: May I ask/interview you?
Thanks:
Dazed and Confused (seriously - after all it is near the end of the semester
)
D & C - I suggest you start a topic heading asking your question. I'm sure SheWolf will find it and probably a bunch of other people within the catagory you are researching.
Try posting it in the Religion & Spirtual forum.
Re: Wicca
Dazed and Confused wrote:
Hi Shewolf:
Sorry for posting this way if it is incorrect, but every time I go to the home page of this thing, I cannot find you again. I tried to post privately to you but it said that I am not qualified because I am new here.
I am trying to decide on my final research paper topic (it is 75% of my final grade - so it has to be the best one yet). It is for an argument based writing class. I am trying to decide whether to research/write about the Wiccan religion.
Question 1 (dumb though it may be): Are you a Wicca/Wiccan (not sure of the correct term)?
Question 2: May I ask/interview you?
Thanks:
Dazed and Confused (seriously - after all it is near the end of the semester
)
In case you cant get my PM
you can write me an email.
just use my screen name as it is here, and add at yahoo dot com on the end.
Salem Witch Trials
Hi Green Witch:
Thanks for the help - I am still struggling just to figure this thing out (replying that is).
Shewolf found me - thanks!
D&C
Just a quick note D&C - the Salem Witch Trials and Wiccan really have nothing in common. If you want to learn about the Wiccan movement I suggest you read "Drawing Down The
Moon " by Margo Adler. If you want to learn about Salem read the books mentioned in this thread. Every Wiccan you speak to will have a different version of the beliefs and Atwood does an excellent job exploring where all the different ideas came from.
If you want to find out how the concept of witchcraft came about read The God of The Witches by Margaret Murray. Murray goes into the history of the broom, the cauldron, the pointed hat, the coven etc. and shows how these things came to be associated with what we call witches.
Hey Green Witch:
Thanks for the info.
Whatever my argument is, it has to come from logos instead of pathos. The latter is where I do my best writing from, but it does not work for argument based writing.
I am supposed to choose something that A)I am interested in and B) Know little or nothing about - this topic filles that bill *IF* I can pull off a valid argument.
My take on this topic is that I don't understand why isn't it recognized as a valid religion, so I am asking questions to see if I can make a plausable argument for or against it after I have the facts.
I have a great instructor, and he has been very supportive and helpful this semester but he kind of has to let me fly out of the nest without a parachute this time. I am scared to death because if I fail this paper, I fail for the semester. Plus he has to give approval of our topics which means that we have to have some evidence that we can prove what we are saying.
As for the witch trials, people still fear what they do not understand. My focus is Wiccan - thanks for the book title.
D&C
Use this in your argument:
Death of A Wiccan Soldier
There's more info on the web if you need details.
Wiccan Soldier
HEY! Green Witch!
THANK YOU for sending me the link to that post on NPR. That just happens to be my instructor's favorite news source.
What symbol does she want on her husband's headstone?
D&C
