37 Have you ever been wrongly accused of something? How did that feel, explain?

what is a theory? A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena. An assumption based on limited information or knowledge. Phenomena-something that is impressive or extraordinary.

The Salem witch trial theory 1 1. Mass hysteria caused by an over zealous religious faith all fueled by superstition, panic, and rumor. Tituba, A West Indian indentured servant recently imported to a household in Salem, had been telling stories and folklore about demons and spells to several young girls who, in turn, spread the stories through the neighborhood. Such stories of witches and demons and spells to ward them off or attract them had always been in circulation, but under the influence of an “authority” like Tituba, they took root in the minds of some very impressionable adolescent girls and spread.

Theory 1 cont’d… Tituba was the arguable instigator of the Salem witch trials. As the first confessor, Tituba ignited a fire of witch-hunts that would grow to consume many of Salem’s female residents, either their reputations or lives.

Theory 2 2. Rye mold which contain the chemical basis for LSD. Mold on rye bread and mushrooms containing a hallucinogenic chemicals have been blamed for many historical incidents from the Spanish Inquisition to a form of Medieval mania called Dancing Mania. Ergotism-a toxic condition produced by eating grain, grain products (as rye bread), or grasses infected with ergot fungus or by chronic excessive use of an ergot drug . Ergot- a type of mushroom that is toxic, as well as an hallucinogenic much like LSD.

There are 32 species of Claviceps that form sclerotia referred to as ergots. They are fungi that resemble small mushrooms in which the perithecia are embedded in the capitate tip.

Theory 3 3. Economic jealousy of fringe groups in the small culture who felt disenfranchised and relatively deprived and who intended to get revenge on the landholders and wealthy citizens. There was a division within the Salem Village. Those who stayed close to the commerce of Salem Town, became merchants, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, and innkeepers. They prospered and supported economic growth.

Theory 3 cont’d… Many of the farmers who lived far from this prosperity believed the worldliness and affluence of Salem Town threatened their Puritan values. Historical records indicate that, worldwide, witch hunts occur more often during cold periods, possibly because people look for scapegoats to blame for crop failures and general economic hardship. Fitting the pattern, scholars argue that cold weather may have spurred the infamous Salem witch trials in 1692..

Theory 4 4. A Spiritual realm invisible to the eye which is inhabited by demons and angels and who interact with humans either to cause grief and havoc or protect and give good counsel. This, of course, is the traditional theory subscribed to by religious folks world-wide. Many children learned to read, but most households owned only the Bible, and other religious works. Teenage boredom. ---------No television, no CDs, and lots of Bible reading ---------Strict and humorless Parris household

Caption: "Accused of Witchcraft." Description: In this scene a young girl, who has been accused of witchcraft, clings to her father who gestures towards the authorities come who have to arrest her. A clergyman raises his head helplessly towards the heavens while the accuser, standing next to him and concealed under a cape, points towards the girl.

Caption: "Witchcraft at Salem Village." Description: A generalized courtroom scene showing an "afflicted" girl fallen on the floor in front of the judges bench. An accused woman stands in front of the judges holding her right hand over her heart and gesturing upwards, as if in the act of declaring her innocence before God.