Essay On Salem Witch Trials

A Witches Presence In Salem, Massachusetts

The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 was an event of great tragedy and ignorance. Many people, both men and women were brutally and unfairly tried and executed based on impractical evidence. The accusation of witchcraft brought a terrible fate to 25 residents of Salem, Massachusetts. Nineteen of the accused were hung, with many lynchings occurring on the same day, one victim was tortured to death by pressing, and five died while serving their sentence in prison. The tragedy did not end there. Over two years, over a hundred persons are jailed, their reputation stained, and left to live a hardened life. Other than being wrongfully accused, the big similarity all of these incidents had was that each ‘witch’…show more content…
It was said that the townsfolk would go into hysterics simply by looking at the dog. Just like the humans who were tried for witchcraft, the dog also met a tragic end. Being charged for witchery was not biased towards species or age. In Salem, a woman named Sarah Good had one of her children apprehended and taken to be examined. The persons who claimed to be afflicted by the child claimed that they had been bitten during the examination and showed small teeth marks. The child was found guilty of witchery and…show more content…
Once somebody was accused, the damage to their reputation was done. The trial to determine whether the accused was a witch seemed something very fickle. All someone had to do was pretend that the accused had caused them some sort of supernatural physical harm or pretend to act crazily in the presence of the accused. Petty things like jealousy, lust, and anger were just a few of the motivators that many afflicted had to power their performances. Every afflicted played their roles so perfectly that many ‘witches’ were violently punished or barbarically murdered.

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[ 1 ]. “The Background”. In Francis Hill, The Salem Witch Trials Reader. (New York Da Capo Press, 1974). 1.
[ 2 ]. “From Deodat Lawson, A Brief and True Narrative of Witchcraft at Salem Village (Boston,1692)”. In Francis Hill, The Salem Witch Trials, Reader. (New York Da Capo Press,1974).61.
[ 3 ]. “From Deodat Lawson, A Brief and True Narrative of Witchcraft at Salem Village (Boston, 1692).”. In Francis Hill, The Salem Witch Trials, Reader. (New York Da Capo Press, 1974).64.
[ 4 ]. “From Robert Calef, More Wonders of the Invisible World (1700)”. In Francis Hill, The Salem Witch Trials, Reader. (New York Da Capo Press, 1974).83.
[ 5 ]. “From Deodat Lawson, A Brief and True Narrative of Witchcraft at Salem Village (Boston, 1692).”. In Francis Hill, The Salem Witch Trials, Reader. (New