Salem Witch Trials Essay -- essays research papers

Deep inside a town in mammy innocent people were accused of the disturbs work, witchcraft. God-fearing Puritans took it upon themselves to extirpate Satans followers influenced by anti-witch ideas and other sources including masss and the words of unhomogeneous priests. Over 100 people were given unfair trials many were incarcerate while quite a few were lynched. Although the capital of Oregon witch trials atomic number 18 considered one of the depressing parts of American history the topic to a fault provides an interesting look at how people thought and lived during the colonials times. The practice of capturing witches didnt start at Salem. For centuries Europeans had been catching supposed witches and burning them at the stake. In 1492 two priests were elected by the Catholic Church to write a book on the evils of witchcraft. The book was read widely and told people how witches worked for the devil and the various ways they could torture and kill people. After reading this book and another anti-witchcraft book, Relating to Witchcraft and Possessions, by Cotton Mather(a local priest) which encouraged colonists that still torture was fine to convict people of sorcerery(since real witches couldnt get pain) it was no wonder that the Puritans of Salem took it upon themselves to expel witches in Gods name. Another cause of the trials was a problem brewing in Salem itself. For many years Salem Town and Salem Village had been disperse parts of Salem. Salem Town had the rich m...