Root Causes and Trials of the Salem Witch Hysteria

The year 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts was defined by fear, suspicion, and deception during the notorious Salem witch trials. Allegations arose from family disputes, peculiar actions, and the discovery of dolls within households. With religious zealots and attention-seeking youths fueling the frenzy, individuals were at risk of being accused as witches. This essay seeks to delve into the root causes of this hysteria, analyze particular trials conducted in 1692, and investigate the eventual decline of the witch hunt fervor.

The Salem witch trials began with a small group of girls in Salem Village, including Betty Parris and Abigail Williams.

Betty, a nine-year-old girl in poor health, lived with her father Rev. Samuel Parris, the local minister, her sick mother, and her cousin Abigail. Abigail, a twelve-year-old orphan who worked for her keep, took care of Betty and did most chores due to Betty's illness. To pass time since games were not allowed by Rev. Parris, they read books on fortune telling and prophecy.

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Many young girls and teenagers also read these books and some formed small groups to practice divination techniques they had learned from the readings with help from the family's black slave Tituba.

Originally from Barbados, Tituba shared her knowledge of voodoo, witchcraft, and demons with a group of girls who were fascinated by her stories and fortunes. Betty and Abigail reacted strangely to their fortunes, displaying fits, strange noises, and contorting their bodies. Rev. Parris witnessed this behavior and sought the help of Dr. William Griggs, who found no medical explanation and concluded that the girls were under a bewitchment spell.

The girls accused Tituba, Sarah Osborne, and Sarah Good of being witches based on reasons such as Sarah Osborne's absence from church and Sarah Good's homelessness potentially leading to curse use. The Salem Village Meetinghouse investigated the cases of these three women.

During their interrogation, Betty, Abigail, and six friends reported being bitten or pinched by spirits in the form of animals or birds. While Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne denied any involvement, Tituba confessed to practicing witchcraft. She spoke of encounters with "red rats," talking cats," and a tall man in black. Tituba also claimed to have flown on a pole to witch meetings with others accused individuals. Her confession over three days confirmed villagers' beliefs and triggered the Salem witch trials. (http://www.salemwitchtrials.com) (http://www.paralumun.com)During the trials, individuals of all ages and backgrounds were targeted with accusations of witchcraft. From young children like Dorcas Good to elderly women like Rebecca Nurse, no one was exempt from suspicion. Abigail Hobbs admitted to practicing witchcraft and implicated nine others, leading to their arrests. Bridget Bishop, who had faced prior allegations of witchcraft, was retried and ultimately executed in June 1692 after poppets with pins were found in her cellar. (source: http://www.paralumun.com)

Rebecca Nurse was put on trial on June 29, 1692 and initially cleared by the jury. However, the courtroom descended into chaos as a result of the girls' reactions, prompting the judges to reconsider their verdict. She was ultimately convicted and put to death on July 19, 1692. Rev. George Burroughs, also known as the "Black Minister" to the girls and accused of leading all witches in Massachusetts, stood trial on August 5, 1692. He was found guilty and executed by hanging on August 19, 1692. Despite his execution, he surprised many by flawlessly reciting the Lord's Prayer during his hanging - an act that contradicted Puritan beliefs regarding wizards making errors.

During the winter of 1692-93, as support for the witch trials waned, Giles Corey chose to be crushed rather than face trial for witchcraft. This, along with Rev. Burroughs' prayer and a letter from an accused pleading for no more innocent bloodshed, caused a shift in perspective. The Governor's wife being accused also influenced his decision to issue protection orders for the accused and ban further arrests unless absolutely necessary on October 12, 1692. As people began to dismiss accusations of witchcraft, the final trial took place in January 1693. In May 1693, the governor pardoned all remaining accused individuals officially bringing an end to the Salem witch trials which saw nineteen executions and one crushing. (source: http://www.salemwitchtrials.com)

The Salem witch trials started and finished in a revolting manner, with innocent lives being destroyed. It is my belief that the supposed "witches" were merely creations of a few attention-seeking girls seeking power.