The Controversy Of The Salem Witch Trials Essay - 1548 Words

There is much one can learn about this tragic smear in our history as the United States of America. The Salem Witch Trials have been sensationalized as of late, becoming a popular show, and an event that many movies have been made of. Without doing the proper research, one would think that the trials were more violent than it became. There were no witches burning at the stake, or daily hangings, or drownings, but people of the time were frightened nonetheless. The acts of just a few key people drove a whole town to hysteria, and fear. Throughout the trials over a hundred people were accused of witchcraft, and nineteen people were executed solely based on the claims of others that they were using the Devil’s Magic, many without any evidence The fingers of two little girls, driven by the urging of one powerful man created a butterfly effect that caused a wake of destruction within the walls of Salem. It can be shown through research that the Reverend Samuel Parris was the drivin g force behind the hysteria that the townspeople of Salem were subjected to. The Salem Witch Trials began in the year 1692 and concluded in 1693, in the colony of Salem, Massachusetts. The start of the trials began in the aftermath of King William’s War when refugees were funneled down into Salem creating a strain on the people and the economy in the town. This helped to spread the belief that all of the problems they were facing was the work of the devil. The Reverend Parris used the church of SalemShow MoreRelatedThe Controversy Of The Salem Witch Trials1380 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem witchcraft hysteria started because of personal jealousies, it targeted those who went against puritan beliefs, and it was an explanation of all the weird things happening. The events which led to the Witch Trials actually occurred in what is now the town of Danvers, then a parish of Salem Town, known as Salem Village. Launching the hysteria was the bizarre, seemingly inexplicable behavior of two young girls; the daughter, Betty, and the niece, Abigail Williams, of the Salem VillageRead MoreThe Controversy Of The Salem Witch Trials Essay1555 Words   |  7 Pages The Salem Witch Trials have been sensationalized as of late, becoming a highly popular television show, and an event that many movies have been loosely based upon. Without doing the proper research, one would think that the trials were more violent than they became. There were no witches burning at the stake, or daily hangings, or drownings, but people of the time were frightened nonetheless. The acts of just a few key people drove a whole town to hysteria and fear. Throughout the trials over aRead MoreThe Controversy Of The Salem Witch Trials Essay1557 Words   |  7 Pagesan outbre ak of hysteria began in Salem, Massachusetts. Beginning with eight young girls accused of being possessed with the devil, marked the beginning of the Salem Witch Trials. The vast majority of those who were accused of witch craft were people who attempted to turn against Puritan teachings, cultural and economic way of life. The hysteria was the effect of the strict teachings of the puritan lifestyle many were no longer following. The Salem witch trials were ultimately a matter to purge theRead MoreRed Scare And The Crucible Comparison Essay1008 Words   |  5 PagesRed Scare and The Salem Witch Trials were both events that left a mark in American history. The Red Scare began in 1917 and took place across the United States. The Red Scare was known as the widespread promotion of anti-communism. The Salem Witch Trials began in 1692 and took place in Salem, Massachusetts. The Salem Witch Trials were various court hearings and prosecutions of people in Salem accused of Witchcraft. Arthu r Miller wrote The Crucible, a play about The Salem Witch Trials, to send a messageRead MoreThe Crucible And Salem Witch Trials Similarities790 Words   |  4 Pages2017 Salem Witch Trials and The McCarthy Era The United States of America is filled with many historic events, enriching its history. Many events that occur are compared to past events in our history. In particular, the McCarthy Era in the 1950’s was compared to the Salem Witch Trials which occurred in 1692. This correlation was first made by Arthur Miller who wrote the play â€Å"The Crucible†. He connected the time period of McCarthy to where there was a hunt for communists, to the Salem Witch TrialsRead MoreEssay on Salem Witch Trials Of 16921061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials of 1692 In colonial Massachusetts between February of 1692 and May of 1963 over one hundred and fifty people were arrested and imprisoned for the capital felony of witchcraft. Trials were held in Salem Village, Ipswich, Andover and Salem Town of Essex County of Massachusetts, but accusations of witchcraft occurred in surrounding counties as well. Nineteen of the accused, fourteen women and five men, were hanged at Gallows Hill near Salem Village. Hysteria had swept throughRead MoreThe Hysteria Of The Salem Witch Trials1366 Words   |  6 PagesWalter Kirn, an American novelist and literary critic, stated that ‘‘Everyone loves a witch hunt as long as it’s someone else’s witch being hunted.’’ (Web. Walter Kirn Quote) Although the Salem Witch Trials took place over 300 years ago, in 1692, and we claim that we have come a long way since then, the truth is we have not. The hysteria that took place during the witch trials occurred because people refused t o take responsibility for their actions. The same thing is happening in modern day AmericaRead MoreSalem Witch Trials975 Words   |  4 Pagespeople of Salem, Massachusetts, however they struggled to do so. Salem faced a major change as a result of the Puritan ambition. Because of their thought on the ideal community as a straitlaced society, those who portrayed an imperfect model were to be isolated. Suspicion flooded the holy Puritan town, and led to accusations of innocent people. After a close analysis, it may be relevant to look at the Puritan belief system as a possible catalyst for the events that occurred during the Salem witch trialsRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Essay1369 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials The witch trials of the late 1600s were full of controversy and uncertainty. The Puritan town of Salem was home to most of these trials, and became the center of much attention in 1692. More than a hundred innocent people were found guilty of practicing witchcraft during these times, and our American government forced over a dozen to pay with their lives. The main reasons why the witch trials occurred were conflicts dealing with politics, religion, family, economicsRead MoreSuperstition, Panic, And Rumor1042 Words   |  5 Pagesspurred by religious zeal. While the actual trials may have only lasted for less than a year, Salem was indeed previously entrapped in a dangerous illusion of their own making for decades. Such as the nature of superstition and rumor, they curate an atmosphere of distrust, breeding paranoia because they are puzzles waiting to be fully realized. If they are not, then the paranoia only festers into madness and panic—growing anxiety. The divided colon y of Salem devolves into a dramatic opera of fabrications