The Afflicted Women: The Salem Witch Trials

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The Salem, witch trials began in January of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. When this mass hysteria hit over 200 people were killed because they were thought to be practicing witchcraft. It all began with a group of girls who be came the “Afflicted girls”. They some how became ill after playing a fortune-telling game and they began to act strange. The first girls of the group were Betty Parris and Abigail Williams followed along right after her and then the other girls followed. The symptoms that the” Afflicted girls” group had were “fits,” hiding under furniture, contorting in pain and experiencing fever. Brooks, Rebecca B. "The Salem Witch Trials." History of Massachusetts. N.p., 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 26 Oct. 2014. Betty Parris father Samuel Parris…show more content…
From what Samuel Parris knew that three were social outcast, which of course made them easy targets to be considered to be practicing witchcraft. In March the three women were arrested and examined Tituba told them that they had been approached by satin himself and were suppose to do his bidding for him as witches. Of course when that broke out many more people were hunting a being accused of witchcraft. By the end of March four more women were arrested Rebecca Nurse, Martha Corey, Dorothy Good and Rachel Clinton from Ipswich. In April men and women were accused. As the cases grew larger and larger the governor had to put a hearing together so he could hear each case. The court consisted of eight judges. The number of cases and of arrested we over 30 by May. The jails were filled up to more than 200 people. As many cases as there were there were still some people who didn’t believe or support the witch trials the many thought it was…show more content…
Furthermore, Bishop had also been accused of witchcraft years before but was cleared of the crime. Bridget was accused by five of the afflicted girls, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott and Elizabeth Hubbard, who stated she had physically hurt them and tried to make them sign a pact with the devil. During her trial, Bishop repeatedly defended herself, stating, “I am innocent, I know nothing of it, I have done no witchcraft. I am as innocent as the child unborn…” Bishop was quickly convicted and hanged on June 10th at Gallows hill.” Brooks, Rebecca B. "The Salem Witch Trials." History of Massachusetts. N.p., 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 26 Oct. 2014. In July five people were hung one of them was a very well respected women and a very loved member of the community he name was Rebecca nurse at first he trail was initially not guilty but in the court room the “Afflicted girls” were very unhappy and they had to reconsider there verdict a week later they declared her guilty and she was hung. A lot of the younger girls were trying to point fingers at the older

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