You should know by now that not every colony started in America was founded for religious freedom. Most people think the thirteen original colonies were all about freedom from religious oppression in Europe, but people also came for adventure, profit, to escape a rocky past, for cheap land etc. All of that being said, Massachusetts was known for its religious background. Unfortunately, it was not always positive.
Massachusetts, well actually most of New England, was founded by Puritans. This religious group took their spiritual life very seriously. In fact, only church members were allowed to vote in Massachusetts. Visit this website for a brief description.
The Puritans strict beliefs about the way life should be lived, coupled with their very paranoid attitude about the Devil, led to the infamous Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s. Salem was not the only Massachusetts town that experienced a witch hunt, but it has become the most notorious due to Salem's tourist industry, a recent revival of interest in witchcraft and a famous play called The Crucible about the trials.
I visited Salem, MA last summer and spent some time at this museum. When you visit this website, please look at three of the sections on the left side of the screen: 1692 Salem Witch Trials, FAQ & Kids' Questions. Be sure to watch all of the videos in the Kids' Questions section.
For the comments section this week, reflect on the lifestyle and beliefs of the Puritans, as well as all you learned about the Witch Trials, and discuss whether or not the Salem Trials were legitimate. Do you think there were witches in Salem? If not, why do you think the Witch Trials happen? Can you think of any modern examples where people get caught up in a mass hysteria movement and are blamed/accused of things that are not true?
For the beliefs and lifestyle and beliefs of Salem and surrounding towns, all the things they did was perfectly legal according to the law. If you were found consorting with the devil, and practicing devil worship, you were considered a felon and the crime you committed was punishable by hanging. I don’t think that there were witches in Salem or the surrounding towns. The men and women could have been high of the “nauseous weed” according to King James. Or they could have had hysteria from the diseases from back then, but there is no definite answer. One mass hysteria movement in our society are Muslims, or Middle Eastern people. Every time somebody sees one they get scared because they think that each one is going to blow up something. Contrare to popular belief, not all Muslim are bad.(139)
ReplyDeleteThe Salem witch trials are really hard to understand, although, to understand it we need to look at the times witchcraft occurred. There was a strong belief in the devil, factions among Salem Village fanatics and rivalry with nearby Salem Town, a recent small pox epidemic and also the threat of attack by warring tribes was creating a fertile ground for fear and suspicion. Soon enough, prisons were filled with more than 150 men and women from towns surrounding Salem! For their pain, Their names were being "cried out" by tormented young girls. In June of 1692, In June of 1692, the special Court of Oyer and Terminer would listen to the cases of witchcraft. If you were guilty of being a witch, you would be killed. The court was soon disbanded by Governor William Phipps in October of that year! So I don’t even think those trials were necessary because there wasn’t even any witches! it was soon dismissed because the governor didn’t want his wife to die! They killed a lot of innocent people, but they couldn’t kill the wife so they stopped doing it and didn’t believe that there where any more witches. If they didn’t believe there were any witches after it was dismissed, then why did they believe it in the first place? (218)
ReplyDeleteThe Puritans were a very religious group. They believed that the Bible was the book of laws from God. And that it was what they strived to established their life from. Because of this belief system, they were able to draw a lot of people to their colony. It gave everybody the freedom to execute their beliefs without being persecuted. They even went as far as to only let the church members vote in Massachusetts. Which would really strengthen their religion in the colony. In Salem they struggled with a thing were they thought witches were everywhere. But I think there weren't any witches in Salem. I just think they were all paranoid about the Devil. But don't get me wrong I definitely think that the Devil should not be your friend. But that doesn't mean you should fear he Devil because God has already defeated the Devil. (148)
ReplyDeleteEverything that happed in the Salem witch trials were legal according to their laws, that doesn’t mean that it was the right thing to do. The law said that if you were found worshiping the devil or practicing devil worship. That was one of the major crimes of their town because the puritans were a very religious group of people, they believed the bible was a way of life and if you studied it that it would show you how to live. So I don’t think they people that were caught in the so called “devil worshiping” were really worshiping the devil I say that they were just high from a nauseous weed. But no one but God actuly knows what happened. This is my take on the Salem Witch Trials(139)
ReplyDeleteThe puritans were a group of people that did not like the Church of England. So they came to this country to have their own church, just as other colonies. The city was pretty messed up though in the church. They had the idea of only the church members in the city could vote. In this city the parents of kids were required to tell their kid about the bible. They also had wichtrials. They would try a man or woman if accused of being a witch. If they were found guilty they would be hanged on one of the hand days. There was a plant that had the side effects of hallucinations, so the people would get this and believe that they see spirits. When the people would testify that they see the spirits you can’t really prove them wrong. Although the people of Massachusetts were based on religion; there religion was pretty messed up.
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ReplyDeleteThe puritans worked toward religious morals and societal reforms. They believed that the bible was God’s true law and it provided a plan for living. They also attempted to purify everybody in the church. The puritans were definitely not a small group. Most of them settled in New England. Their numbers arose as they immigrated and formed individual colonies. Puritans constantly were working to do well because of the doctrine of predestination. Religion provided a stimulus and prelude for scientific thought of those Americans who were admitted into the Royal society of London the vast majority were New England puritan. They were the first people to write books to children and to see how hard it is to interact with them. (122)
ReplyDeleteWhat happened during the witch trials was understandable. Given the environment they were in with all the paranoia circulating about devil worshipers it can get in your head. In a way it was like physiological warfare. It was just a matter of time until a little girl, who would be easier influenced than an adult, started seeing things. There also could have been something that poisoned them and messed with their logic. They also could have been high from a weed that grew back then. But I don’t think there were witches in Salem or around it. I think it was one those thing people hear about once and it never goes away. And if there were witches why would the trials stop when on person was accused. Another hysteria like the trial we have to day is with guns. Guns don’t kill people, people do. I mean Timothy McVeighn killed 168 innocents including 19 children, but he didn’t use a gun. But you can still buy fertilizer, racing fuel, and can still rent box trucks. That is a hysteria of today guns aren’t the problem people are.
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The Puritans were trying to be different from England but weren't. Think about it. They only allowed people to live in their colonies IF they followed their ways of Christianity--which would be good, except it wasn't. Why? Because it was England all over again! If you didn’t live life their way, you had to find another place to live--this went for both English and Puritans. So when you really think about it, they weren't much different from England.
ReplyDeleteI think the Puritans were almost afraid of God. They lived off of intimidation that they would not obtain everlasting life unless they lived a "perfect life". That's close to impossible! No, it IS impossible. They would "prove" they were going to live and eternal life in heaven by their actions because they believed that people should see that you are living a pure life, WHICH is good…to some extent. They were so paranoid that they thought that God would only bless them if they were perfect. If a Puritan wasn't and something, say, unfortunate was to happen, then this person would automatically think that God wasn't blessing him/her because they did something--wrong. It's true that God wants us to live a life for him and do our best, but he won't punish us for making a little mistake here or there. We're human and live in a sinful flesh, after all. And, the Puritans were also very afraid of the devil. That's a mistake because God wants us to be CAUTIOUS not scared of Satan. But just to know that the devil is behind sin (although technically it is WE who sin) is enough for them to be fearful.
So it can be seen that the Puritans were a pretty paranoid group of people. But they were WAY too paranoid. Why? Because they thought normal people were witches! That's just imbecilic! So if some crazy girl (most likely high from ergot poisoning) claimed she saw a woman (it could be a man, too) practicing witchcraft. It wasn't necessarily the person physically in the room (or scene) but the person's ghost or spirit spotted practicing with craft--BAM! Trial. But who would determine this? The Court of Oyer and Terminer was formed in June 1692. The judges would determine if someone was practicing witchcraft by the accounts of the crazy girls and other crazy people, and it was all just decisions without genuine evidence. The person was most likely found guilty and hanged. They did this to a lot of people, meaning a lot of innocent people were killed or put into jail for a really long time (over 150 to be semi-exact). But Salem Massachusetts didn't start the witchcraft theory. The Puritans learned about this in England. The only reason why the Salem Trials were discontinued was because General William Phipps' wife was accused of witchcraft. Therefore, the trails ended. How bias can you get!? If he really believed in witches then he should be paranoid that he was living with someone who was a possible "devil-powered-freak". But of course he didn't.
Once paranoid, it's hard to stop being paranoid without hearing the truth about God's word. The Puritans ended up being just like England was back then. Only difference: They had a different religion.
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DeleteThe Puritans were people who wanted to "purify" the church if you will. When they came to America they wanted religious freedom as did a lot of the colonists who settled in America. When they arrived they believed that only church members in there city should be able to vote. They were also required to teach there children to read so they could read the Bible. If they didn't they would get in trouble. The craziest of there beliefs were the Witch Trials. Men or women would be taken before a judge if accused of being a witch. If they were accused of being a "witch" or using "witch craft" then they were tested to see if they were witches by being thrown in a lake with weights on them and if they lived they were a witch and killed and if they died it was "whoops I guess he/she wasn't a witch"... This kept going until the governors wife was accused of being a witch. Then it was dismissed and not to be used anymore. I don't believe there were any witches in Salem. I just think the girls who accused the people of being witches were either sick or high on "nauseous weed." (205)
ReplyDeleteThe Puritans were very religious people. They believed the Bible was a book of laws from God. They try to establish their life from the laws. Because of this they were able to draw in more people to their colony. It gave people freedom execute their beliefs without being persecuted. They even let church members be only people who could vote in Massachusetts. That strengthened the religion more. In Salem, they had a big struggle with witchcraft. They thought witches were everywhere. I don’t think there were any witches in Salem. I think were too obsessed with Satan. A modern day example would be the doomsday fanatics.
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