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The Salem Witch Trials
What caused the Salem witch trials? ... There were numerous factors and events that lead to the trials. ... The Puritan leaders used the trials as a way to control the community and prevent change in the strict social hierarchy. ... ” (Woloch, 30)
Lets start with the political problems of Salem. ... The residents were divided into two groups: those that wanted to separate from Salem town, and those that did not. The farming families in the Western part of Salem Village wanted to separate from Salem Town. The families located in the eastern part of Salem Village and therefore closest to Salem Town wanted to remain part of the town. ... Salem was a seaport community that had been settled early and most of the land within its borders belonged to the first generation settlers. In the 1650’s boundary disputes between Salem residents and those of surrounding towns increased. As a result of a shortage of land, most second and third generation Salem children lived as adults on subdivided land or moved on. The sons and daughter that stayed in Salem to farm found themselves with lower income than their parents. ... (Trials) The outcome was a climate of extreme animosity, and it was this tension that led the Puritans to use the trials to acquire the land from their neighbors. ... (Woloch, 29)
Another reason for the trials was fear and imagination. ...
The trials were intended to control hysteria over witches, but instead had the opposite effect. Hysteria escalated because people could now use the trials as a means to control others. ... People became so vehement that the trials became a means of expressing their beliefs. The trials were an outgrowth of their zealousness. The trials provided them with an outlet to express their views and frustrations over personal or familial misfortune. Thus instead of the trials stopping the hysteria they increased it. ... ”(Woloch, 29)
The trials were also used to keep the social hierarchy intact. ... Some resented this social status change and used the trials to stop it. ... Thus, the trials were used as a deterrent, to keep people from trying to raise their social status. ... The witchcraft trials were used by the farming community as a method of restoring order among the social groups.
Approximate Word count = 1849
Approximate Pages = 7.4
(250 words per page double spaced)
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