Salem Witch Trials https://sites.google.com/a/whbschools.org/the-crucible-webquest/the-salem-witch-trials

What were some beliefs about witchcraft and witches people held in the past? People described witches as people using dark magic and causing harm to others. They believed witches can fly. They believed they had a lot of knowledge to create potions and spells.

What were the Salem witch trials? They were trials that occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. More than 200 people were accused of the devils magic.

What are some possible explanations for the salem witch trials? Boredom. One theory claims that it all started because the girls in the village were bored. They had strong belief in the occult. The Puritans strongly believed in the existence of witches and witchcraft. According to the belief, witches were in alliance with the devil that gave the power to do harm.

What options did a accused person in Salem have to do? They could plead guilty confess and be forgiven then be executed, or they could plead innocent…be tried…found guilty, then executed! During a formal trial, the accused were not represented by lawyers but were allowed to directly ask accusers and witnesses questions. This often did not work out in the accused person’s favor because they were often not educated enough or emotionally equipped enough to defend themselves against the accusation of witchcraft.

How quickly did things get out of hand in Salem? They got out of hand pretty quickly considering that everyone was killing each other in some sort of fashion. Things at Salem got out of hand faster than the people thought it would. As the future became closer they found it harder to control everything that was happening around them.

How long did the trials go on for? The Witch Trials lasted less than a year. The first arrest happened on March 1, 1692 The final hanging day was on September 22, 1692.

What sort of evidence was used to arrest accused witches? Much of the evidence used against the accused was “spectral evidence” (testimony of the afflicted who claimed to see the apparition or the shape of the person who was allegedly afflicting them), despite its suspect status in law. Other evidence used in the convictions included the confessions of the accused themselves, the testimony of another confessed “witch”, the existence of so-called “witch's teats” or “Devil’s marks” on the body of the accused, and the discovery of “poppets” (dolls made to represent a person, used for casting spells on that person).

Do “Witch Hunts” still happen? Modern witch hunts still happen in places like Saudi Arabia, Papua New Guinea, India and Sub-Saharan Africa. People often blame “Witches” for natural disasters and disease.

THE END Made by: Blake, Jordan, Ethan, and Austin.

LINKS http://historyofmassachusetts.org/what-options-did-an-accused-witch-have-in-salem/ https://www.reference.com/government-politics/witch-hunts-still-happen-modern-times-c4e0ec607b48e15d http://www.witchcraftandwitches.com/trials_salem.html https://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/education/faqs https://www.historyofmassachusetts.org/the-salem-witch-trials/