25 disturbing facts about the salem witch trials

Make sure to leave us a comment after you watch this video to tell us what you learned and what video youd like to see next! Many parallels have been drawn between the events of Salem and the tactics used by the government during the Red Scare of the 1950s, in which Senator Joseph McCarthy very harshly interrogated and went after anyone suspected of being a communist sympathizer. The hunts were efforts to identify witches rather than pursuits of individuals who were already thought to be witches. Log in or try Ancestry 14 days free to start finding the survivors, the outspoken, or the ones who did things differently in your family tree. Thanks for your time! List three facts about each and three opinions. Let those stories inspire you to start your family history research today. Today, witchcraftis recognized by the government as a protected and legitimate religion under the First Amendment. Given the subsequent spread of the strange behaviour to other girls and young women in the community and the timing of its display, however, those physiological and psychological explanations are not very convincing. The Salem witch trials have gripped American imaginations ever since they occurred in 1692. My mom never told me how her best friend died. Miller did not approve of this, and this was one of the things he tried to criticize allegorically through his depiction of the Salem events. Parriss orthodox Puritan theology and preaching also divided the congregation, a split that became demonstrably visible when he routinely insisted that nonmembers of the congregation leave before communion was celebrated. We've compiled over 4375 history facts in one place, just for you. In October 1692, a girl in Andover accused a neighbors dog of trying to bewitch her. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. The stars of the Salem story were the Puritan community of the Massachusetts Bay colony, a religious groupthat came over to America to escape religious persecution back in England. Well, many workers and service providers will, Being a nurse isnt easy or ordinarybut these nurses had more difficult, and more bizarre,, Sometimes, you hear a story so wild that you heave a sigh of relief when, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex was the darling of Elizabeths old ageuntil he wasnt., Lets face it: Some people are just rude. She added a hog, a great black dog, a red rat, a black rat, and a yellow bird, among other animals, to her storys cast. Unlike the stereotype surrounding witchcraft that indicates that it is primarily done by women, the people of Salem did not discriminate on the basis of gender. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? The village itself had a noticeable social divide that was exacerbated by a rivalry between its two leading familiesthe well-heeled Porters, who had strong connections with Salem Towns wealthy merchants, and the Putnams, who sought greater autonomy for the village and were the standard-bearers for the less-prosperous farm families. Due to its association with the supernatural and the haunted, Salem is now a popular destination for Halloween festivities, which run throughout the month of October. Learn about U.S. history, ancient Egypt, the deadliest wars, historical photos, and so much more. The Salem Witch Hunt: A Captivating Guide to the Hunt and . But by October 1692, his wife Mary found herself the target of sorcery accusations. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. She was an enslaved woman believed to have been from Central America, captured as a child from Barbados, and brought to Massachusetts in 1680 by Reverend Parris. It was a time of hysteria, when courts believed in the devil, spectral evidence and teenage girls. Even during the trials, there were many who objected to the whole procedure, even within the religious Puritan community. The madness of the witch trials eventually resulted in 200 people accused of witchcraft, 140 to 150 arrests for witchcraft, and the hangings of thirteen women and six men. Family History Proves Bewitching to Descendants of Salem Witches : Colonial America: Three Presidents, Clara Barton, Walt Disney, Joan Kennedy and One Unborn Child Are among Those Whose Ancestors Were Accused of Consorting with the Devil 300 Years Ago. Los Angeles Times. The 1942 romantic comedy filmI Married a Witch, starring Veronica Lake and Frederic March, told the story of two witches from Salem placing a revenge curse on the descendants of their accuser. Courts relied on three kinds of evidence: 1) confession, 2) testimony of two eyewitnesses to acts of witchcraft, or 3) spectral evidence (when the afflicted girls were having their fits, they would interact with an unseen assailant - the apparition of the witch tormenting them). Life, woman, life is Gods most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it.. Despite their obvious Christian commitment, the early American Puritans actually banned Christmas in the Massachusetts Bay colony in 1659, deeming it a sacrilege. A complicated and long-lasting feud between the Putnam and Porter families of Salem may have been a motivating factor in some of the witchcraft accusations. Accessed May 6, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Phips. Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, These Jerks Had No Idea Who They Were Messing With, Stabbed In The Back: These Real-Life Betrayals Are Straight Up Brutal, "The Bride Kissed The Best Man" And Other Real-Life Wedding Disasters, Everyone Has A Limit: These Moments Made People Say Enough Is Enough, Bloody Facts About Ivan the Terrible, The Mad Tsar Of Russia. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. George Burroughs had been named the village minister in 1680, but many disapproved of his religious views, and he often wasnt paid his salary. When the first accusations of witchcraft began in Salem Village, they initially targeted women. It was actually the local doctor, likely William Griggs, who first diagnosed the girls as having been bewitched when he couldnt find anything medically wrong with them to explain the strange behavior. Fourteen women and six men were executed for witchcraft, and five others died in prison during the trials. Miller did not approve of this, and this was one of the things he tried to criticize allegorically through his depiction of the Salem events. According to the warrant for her apprehension, she was called for trial on March 23, 1692, under suspicion of witchcraft after being accused by Edward Putnam. We want our readers to trust us. Make sure to watch this video all the way to the end to see which crazy witchcraft fact made our top 10! Although Salem Village was at the heart of the witch trials of 1692, the accused were from a couple dozen towns. Some have suggested that the man who was truly responsible for initiating the witch trial debacle was Reverend Samuel Parris, the father and uncle of the afflicted girls. Learn all about secret burials, door to door witch hunters, the touch test, the swimming test, and the witchcraft act that made all of this possible. Which, yes, is a little ironic. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. The witch trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. To identify witches, authorities used the "touching test", in which victims of witchcraft would become calm upon touching the culprit. Before she was hanged for witchcraft, Sarah Good gave birth to a daughter, Mercy Good, while detained. Lets just, The Crucible (1996), Twentieth Century Fox, Salem (20142017), 20th Century Fox Television, I Married a Witch (1942), Paramount Pictures, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Festive Facts About Bing Crosby, The King Of Christmas, Stormy Facts About Sammy Davis Jr., The Worlds Greatest Entertainer, Sorrowful Facts About Alma Rubens, The Silent Film Siren, Daring Facts About Gina Lollobrigida, Golden Hollywoods Last Survivor. Upon interrogation, the girls named Tituba (an Indian woman enslaved by the Parris family), Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne as witches. Another reason why it sucked that these trials took place before the Bill of Rights existed? The girls are examined by a . His wife, Elizabeth, had been accused of witchcraft and John tried to step in to defend her. Accessed May 6, 2021. https://famous-trials.com/salem/2078-sal-acct. The Salem witch trials would mark her second time being accused of being a witch. Ann Putnam, for example, used spectral evidence to accuse Rebecca Nurse,said, I saw the Apperishtion of [Rebecca Nurse] and she did immediatly afflect me. Such evidence was also used against Bridget Bishop, with many men claiming she had visited them in spectral form in the middle of the night. Omissions? In these records you can find the year the accused stood trial, first and last name, town or village where the trial took place, and the outcome of the trial. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Corrections? Here are three notable facts about the Salem witch trials: About 42-50 people died being accused of witchcraft over the course of 300 years. After that, the next thirty-three witchcraft trials resulted in acquittals. Norman Rockwell, the famous painter and illustrator who created the cover illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post magazine for nearly five decades, was a descendant of Esther Dutch Elwell, accused of wickedly and feloniously sundry acts of witchcraft upon the body of Mrs. Mary Fiche.. What is the legacy of the Salem witch trials? The First Amendment has generally served to protect individuals for opinions that they have expressed, albeit not for violent or illegal conduct. Over 150 people were arrested for allegedly using witchcraft to inflict harm on their fellow townspeople, resulting in the executions of 20 people and the prison deaths of five more. This caused her to be accused of conspiring on behalf of the witches, and eventually of being a witch herself. Giles had actually been accused and found guilty of murdering one of his farm hands years earlier, but was let off with just a fine! As she did when she was accused of bewitching her second husband, Bishop once again claimed innocence during her trial. Giles had actually been accused and found guilty of murdering one of his farm hands years earlier, but was let off with just a fine! Additionally, a man was pressed beneath heavy stones until he died. The Salem witch trials of the late 17th century were a formative episode in America's early history, and have remained at the forefront of the national consciousness ever since. Tituba initially denied the claim that she was a witch, but notoriously later decided to confess that it was true and accused two other women as well in the process. As the trials continued, accusations extended beyond Salem Village to surrounding communities. After weeks of informal hearings, Sir William Phips, governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, interceded to add some formality to the proceedings. Despite being known as the Salem witch trials, some of the trials actually took place in Ipswich and Andover in addition to Salem itself. He attempted to save himself by writing to clergy in Boston that mass hysteria had taken over the village, but they acted too slowly to save him: He was executed on August 19, 1692. Despite the horrible and senseless loss of life and community divisions that the witch trials caused, some historians believe that the traumatic incident had a silver lining. After her second husband died, Bishopwho had been married three timeswas accused of bewitching him to death, though she was later acquitted due to a lack of evidence. On March 23, 1692, a warrant was issued for the arrest of four-year-old Dorothy Good of Salem Village on "suspition of acts of Witchcraft.". Salem Witch Trials: 25 DISTURBING Facts About The Salem Witch Trials | Salem Witch Trial Full Documentary The Geographic Channel | Samuel Parris | Dorothy Good | Familiar | Giles Corey | Salem Witch Trials - Events, Facts & Victims - HISTORY | George Corwin | Haunted Salem - Where Are the Most Haunted Sites? Music Credit: Spirit of the Dead by Aakash Gandhi#List25 #Didyouknow #WitchTrials One of the people. The Salem witch trials marked a seven-month period of mass hysteria in 1692 Colonial America. Updates? In addition to the twenty people convicted and executed for witchcraft, two dogs were also accused of and executed for the same crime. The Putnams, a prominent family hed borrowed money from, sued Burroughs for unpaid debts and later accused him of witchcraft. Tackling the same twisted subject as Stacy Schiff's much-lauded book The Witches: Salem, 1692, this Sibert Honor book for young readers features unique scratchboard illustrations, chilling primary source material, and powerful narrative to tell the true tale.In the little colonial town of Salem Village, Massachusetts, two girls began to twitch, mumble, and contort their bodies into strange shapes. Abigail Williams and Betty Parris, the two girls at the very center of the trials, made sure to use every trick in the book to accuse others in the town, leading to people not only being tested, but also pressed to death! This evidence was later banned bythe courts, leading to a sharp drop in accusations. Because of the similarity in time period, location, and story, people often mix up the Puritans with the Pilgrims, the group of Dutch settlers who created what we now know as the holiday of Thanksgiving. The phrase witch hunt, commonly used to refer to an unjustified or falsely conjured-up prosecution, is thought to originate as a reference to this time period in American history. In response, John found himself accused as well. Part of the escalation of theSalem trials included investigators literally going door to door and asking homeowners to rat out any suspected witches in their midst. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. This evidence was later banned bythe courts, leading to a sharp drop in accusations. After months of trials, the governor finally decided to put an end to the trials with the last trials being held in May of 1693. So if witchcraft wasnt really happening in Salem, what actually caused those girls to have the fits? Based on these girls accusations, the witch hunt began, and the warrants for the apprehension of Tituba, Osborne, and Good were officially signed on February 29, 1692. Dont feel too embarrassed if you happen to be from Massachusetts, you guys were not the first to do something like this. The Salem witch trials are considered one of Americas most noteworthy cases of mass hysteria. In 1689, through the influence of the Putnams, Samuel Parris, a merchant from Boston by way of Barbados, became the pastor of the villages Congregational church. In 1692, when the Salem witch trials began, the United States Constitution did not yet exist. Get ready to pull out your history books as we bring you the most DISTURBING facts about the Salem Witch Trials. So if witchcraft wasnt really happening in Salem, what actually caused those girls to have the fits? Lynch, Patrick. Spectral evidence was only deemed inadmissible when it was used to accuse Governor William Phipss wife, Mary. The phrase witch hunt, commonly used to refer to an unjustified or falsely conjured-up prosecution, is thought to originate as a reference to this time period in American history. Gallows Hill was discovered on a rocky outcropping now located, very unfittingly, near a Walgreens in Salem. According to her testimony, she had seen four women and a man, including Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good, asking her to hurt the children. Because most of the trials were occurring in Salem . They were eventually assumed to be possessed. Additionally, he is an accomplished scriptwriter, having written the successful AA Meeting series for the stage and the award-winning film Depth of Pyaar. In May of 1693, Phips released from prison all remaining accused or convicted witches. Even more interesting, the summer of 1692 was a dry one, and coincided with the apparent end of the bewitchments. There were two Salems in the late 17th century: a bustling commerce-oriented port community on Massachusetts Bay known as Salem Town, which would evolve into modern Salem, and, roughly 10 miles (16 km) inland from it, a smaller, poorer farming community of some 500 persons known as Salem Village. Those people lived in quite a horrific time. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. One exception was Giles Corey, who refused to stand for trialhe believed the court had already decided his fate, and he didn't want his property to be confiscated upon his verdict of being found guilty. In February, unable to account for their behaviour medically, the local doctor, William Griggs, put the blame on the supernatural. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? In fact, there was fear in Europe that an entire group of evil witches were consciously attacking Europeans in order to destroy Christendom. Rather, as Salem archivist and historian Richard Trask observes, they also included "second-hand rumors" and "fits of fancy." See Richard B. Trask, Legal Procedures Used During the Salem Witch Trials and a Brief History of the Published Versions of the Records, in Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt (Bernard Rosenthal ed., 2009). . In January 1692 Bettys and Abigails increasingly strange behaviour (described by at least one historian as juvenile deliquency) came to include fits. Today, witchcraftis recognized by the government as a protected and legitimate religion under the First Amendment. Here are 42 wicked facts about the Salem witch trials. January 1692- Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village's daughter, 9-year-old Elizabeth "Betty" Parris, falls ill, soon followed by his 11-year-old niece, Abigail Williams. Arthur Millers play The Crucible played a large role in popularizing many of the details of the Salem witch trials and dramatizing facts that he uncovered in historical records. Not all of the accused witches who escaped hanging did so through the mercy of the governor. The three convicted individuals received pardons. Arthur Miller, the famous playwright who authored Death of a Salesman, responded to the McCarthy hysteria by writing The Crucible, a play about the Salem witch trials, as a metaphor for what the country was going through in the 1950s. Although it provided no answers, its baking outraged Parris, who saw it as a blasphemous act. Children were also accused of witchcraft. The Salem Witch Trials (1692) Cartoon - YouTube (2:10) https://youtu.be/jJJLy5_DlqY Its time for a Halloween special! The number of trials and executions varied according to time and place, but it is generally believed that some 110,000 persons in total were tried for witchcraft and between 40,000 to 60,000 were executed. Photos and Videos See All Videos and Images Related Topics and References Topics witchcraft Here are 10 things you need to know about the notorious witch trials. Not that Salem didnt have its problems to begin with, but the community never fully recovered from the witch trials saga, and the divisions and setbacks to the towns development continued in the years following the trials. The next time Giles wanted to attend, Martha objected and prevented him from going. They found it by following clues in an accused witchs writings and through guesses on where prisoners would be transported. During 1692, in the city of Salem, a little colony in Massachusetts, US, a horrifying trial started against several neighbors accused of witchcraft. Other proof was the touch test, where if a witch who cursed someone touched the cursed person in the midst of a fit, theit fit would stop. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Linder, Douglas O. They argue that the trialscreated a taboo in America against mixing religion and government, and George Lincoln Burr called it, the rock on which the theocracy shattered. There is also no question that the incident remains a constant reminder in our collective minds about the importance of due process in a legal system, and the dangers of premature overreaction and irrational hysteria. Husbands hiding things from wives, mothers from children, and generation from generation. From the role of Abigail Williams to the invention of witch cakes and the devils mark, get ready to learn all you ever wanted to know (and more) about the dark past of the Salem witch trials. The girls were having a type of epileptic fit and would scream out . New Hampshire. One of the turning points in ending public support and enthusiasm for the trials was the conviction and execution of one of the towns former minsters, George Burroughs, who publicly recited the Lords Prayer at the gallows, which was believed to be impossible for witches to do. Good was imprisoned from March 24, 1692, to December 10, 1692. The Multitude of Salem Witch Trials Descendants. New England Historical Society. 8. Here are 12 Salem witch trials facts that will send chills down your spine. Interesting Facts about the Salem Witch Trials. Thanks for your help! Ms Mades-Byrd said there were many misconceptions about the Salem witch trials and the truth had been lost in stories told over the centuries. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. Descendants of the Salem community have made constant efforts to clear the names of those ancestors and relatives who were falsely accused and convicted back in the 1690s, with some being officially recognized as innocent by the Massachusetts government as recently as the beginning of the 21st-century. After Governor Phips's wife faced accusations of witchcraft, he outlawed spectral evidence in October 1692. Image of The Salem Witch Trials. Nige Tassell explains how hysteria in the village of Salem, Massachusets, gave rise to a horror that bedazzled the world Published: June 10, 2020 at 4:45 pm Subs offer Seven more died in jail. Witchcraft was considered a crime against the church and the state. Maybe theres another reason that people still find themselves intrigued with the Salem witchcraft trials, besides the possibility of sorcery or the specter of mass delusions convulsing into violence. The extraordinary series of events in 1692 led to the deaths of 25 innocent men, women and children. They had seizures, hid under chairs, talked in gibberish, and ran fevers. One of the turning points in ending public support and enthusiasm for the trials was the conviction and execution of one of the towns former minsters, George Burroughs, who publicly recited the Lords Prayer at the gallows, which was believed to be impossible for witches to do. Squabbles over property were commonplace, and litigiousness was rampant. When all was said and done, 25 people lost their lives because of the trials. List of People of the Salem Witch Trials. Wikipedia. In fact, there was fear in Europe that an entire group of evil witches were consciously attacking Europeans in order to destroy Christendom. Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The events in Salem in 1692 were but one chapter in a long story of witch hunts that began in Europe between 1300 and 1330 and ended in the late 18th century (with the last known execution for witchcraft taking place in Switzerland in 1782). His sixth great grandson was Walt Disney. Regardless of the cause -- whether it was ergot poisoning, a teen prank, a vendetta against past wrongs, a grab for land or mass hysteria -- the Salem witch trials stand as a . Which, yes, is a little ironic. Sarah Good also gave birth to a daughter, Mercy, while in custody. Another more disturbing theory proposed by researchers like behavioral psychologist Linnda Caporael suggests that Salem suffered from ergot poisoning. They soon spread to individuals regardless of their gender, class, or power in the community. The Salem witch trials are a defining example of intolerance and injustice in American history. A crucible is a kind of container used for heating substances at very high temperatures, and the term is often used to describe high pressure situationssuch as the onethe witch trials creates for the accused. Unfortunately for Bishop, that allegation of witchcraft would not be her last. This period of witch trials later came to be known as the Salem witch trials, named after the town of Salem and Salem Village (present-day Danvers). Salem witch trials, (June 1692-May 1693), in American history, a series of investigations and persecutions that caused 19 convicted "witches" to be hanged and many other suspects to be imprisoned in Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony (now Danvers, Massachusetts). Sir William Phips. Famous Trials. Some of the families now only remembered for their connection to the trials had actually been important and well-known people before that. The magistrates then had not only a confession but also what they accepted as evidence of the presence of more witches in the community, and hysteria mounted. Call them ignorant, call them malicious, the, Life, woman, life is Gods most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it., 20 Brave Facts About the House of Gryffindor, 25 Money-Making Facts About Hollywood Industry, Hero to Zero Facts About Robert Devereux, The Rebellious Earl of Essex. The punishment for witchcraft was death. They were also used for identifying witches in Salem, using the Witch Cake test. Witches were people who followed Satan and traded their souls for his help. Instead, in 1692, hanging was the preferred form of punishment. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. All Rights Reserved. One person was even executed for refusing to testify at the hearings. But not just adult women and men were impacted by the trials. On August 21, 1692, aided by two Boston ministers, Philip and Mary fled for New York, forfeiting a 4,000 bond and leaving their daughter in the care of a friend. No other mode of punishment was entertained by the Salem puritans. Back in the 17th - century there was a great amount of stress caused by many different things in that era. As the weeks passed, many of the accused proved to be enemies of the Putnams, and Putnam family members and in-laws would end up being the accusers in dozens of cases.

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