Hysteria, Religious Freedom, and the Rest of the 13 Colonies

Salem Witch Trials Group of Puritan girls were acting strangely in the woods of Salem, Massachusetts Directed toward the poor, elderly, and the homeless. Colonists started to accuse people of witchery Occurred in Massachusetts Bay colony Most notorious case of mass hysteria

Possible Witch Trial? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXtqorkL-v8

4 Theories behind the Salem Witch Trials 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. 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. Some believe that because Puritan society marginalized women so much that these young girls were simply acting out. The ability of going into the woods and acting out gave them a sense of freedom. Additionally, making these accusations against others also gave them a sense of power that they had never experienced. 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.

The First Great Awakening Intense religious revival movement that swept through the colonies in the 1730’s and 1740’s Encouraged people to question authority and to worship on a personal level Led to the expansion of many different sects of Protestism

John Edwards and George Whitefield Two main leaders of the First Great Awakening Used very emotional sermons to reach people

Roger Williams Unlike the leaders of the Massachusetts Bay colony, Roger Williams believed in the separation of church and state His ideas challenged the leaders of the colony which eventually led to his banishment from the colony

Anne Hutchinson Another citizen of the Massachusetts Bay colony who challenged the religious leadership of the colony She slandered many of the Puritan leaders and held home prayers She too was eventually banished from Massachusetts Bay

Rhode Island Williams and Hutchinson went on to establish Rhode Island in 1636 Purpose of the colony was to provide a place for religious freedom

Many more colonies were founded for different reasons… 1623- New Hampshire- religious freedom for Pilgrims, fishing outpost 1636- Connecticut- Religious Freedom, Thomas Hooker 1632- Maryland- religious freedom, Catholic colony, Lord Baltimore 1663- North & South Carolina- Given to group loyal to King Charles II 1664- New York- created by Duke of York 1664- New Jersey- Lord Beverly and Lord Carteret 1681- Pennsylvania- religious freedom, Quaker colony by William Penn 1682- Delaware- settled by Lord De La Warr 1732- Georgia- created buffer between English colonies and Spanish Florida