Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

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Salem Witch Trials The accusers of the Salem witchcraft hysteria were the following: Elizabeth "Betty" Parris, Abigail Williams, Mercy Lewis, Ann Putnam, Elizabeth "Betty" Hubbard, Mary Walcott, Susannah Sheldon, Mary Warren, Elizabeth Booth, Bathsheba (Besheba) Folger Pope, Sarah Bibber, Ezekiel Cheever, Ann Putnam, Thomas Putnam, Benjamin Abbot, Nathaniel Ingersoll, Nathaniel Ingersoll and Sarah Rist. The fears during this time were that Salem, Massachusetts was not alone in its witch hunt. They were also fearful of the after effects of the British war and France because of the spread of small pox, and the feared attacks from the Native Americans because of the continued rivalries. So, with all the tensions going on the witch trails would be driven by resentment and suspicious of their neighbors and the fear of outsiders. Witch trials were held in Europe from the 1300s to thru 1600s. These witch hunts happened for many reasons due to the fear of the devil and they believed that the devil could give witches power to hurt other people for witch loyalty. King Charles I granted the puritans a charter to inhabit the area, but Charles II revoked the charter in 1684 after colonists violated the rules. The violations were grounding the laws on religious beliefs.…show more content…
The last witch trials were held in January 1693, and in May, Governor Phips acquitted the remaining accused. Public support of the trials began to dissolve for several reasons. Ministers started to believe that some innocent people were being accused and executed for witchcraft on unreliable evidence. As the accusations became more, everyone was being accused. The accused that originally made a confession to witchcraft requested wanted to withdraw their former confessions. With the trials slipping, the cries of the afflicted were ignored, and the accusations eventually

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