Puritan Beliefs and the Salem Witchcraft Trials

The Salem Witch Trials Background The Salem witch trials were a series of trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. The best-known trials were conducted in 1692 in Salem Town. Over 150 people were arrested and imprisoned, with even more accused but not formally pursued by the authorities. All twenty- six who went to trial before this court were convicted. The courts convicted twenty-nine people of witchcraft. Nineteen of the accused, fourteen women and five men, were executed by hanging. One man, Giles Corey, refused to enter a plea and was crushed to death under heavy stones in an attempt to force him to do so. At least five more of the accused died in prison. The episode is seen as a cautionary tale about the dangers of mass hysteria, religious extremism, false accusations, unfair trials, and local governmental intrusion on individual liberties.

Puritan Beliefs Predestination: You are “elect” (saved) or “unregenerate” (damned). Salvation belongs to the “elect”, or God’s chosen. No good works will help you become saved. Christ died only for the “elect”. Grace: After receiving grace from God in an intense emotional fashion, you were “reborn” have thenceforth full power to do the will of God. The Puritan community was a theocracy, a government which blends church and state. The church’s officials were the government’s officials. Thus, church and state were not separate.

Causes of Witchcraft Hysteria in Salem 1.  Strong belief that Satan is acting in the world. He could cause disease, natural catastrophes, and bad fortune 2.  A belief that Satan actively recruits witches and wizards ---------Witchcraft cases were very common in Europe. Hundreds had been killed in the last two hundred years. 3.  The town had troubles, making it seem likely that Satan was active. ---------Arguments in the Puritan Church in Salem Village ---------Frontier wars with Indians 4.  Imagination of the slave Tituba. She claimed to have spoken with the Devil. Not only did Tituba accuse others in her confession, but she talked about evil black dogs, red and black rats, cats, and riding sticks to different places 5. Teenage boredom. 6. Confessing "witches" adding credibility to earlier charges. 7.  Old feuds (disputes within the town, like property disputes) between the accusers and the accused spurring charges of witchcraft.

Rebecca Nurse Trial Upon hearing of the accusations of Witchcraft the frail 70-year-old Nurse, often described said, "I am innocent as a child” There was a public outcry over the accusations made against her, as she was considered to be of very religious person. Thirty-nine of the most prominent members of the community signed a petition on Nurse's behalf. At age 71, she was one of the oldest accused. Her trial is often credited as the shift in the town's opinion about the purpose of the witch trials. Her trial began on June 30, 1692. In accordance with the procedures at the time, Mrs. Nurse, like others accused of witchcraft, represented herself since she was not allowed to have a lawyer. Many members of the community testified on her behalf including her family members. However the young Ann Putnam (who’s family had been in a land dispute with Nurse’s family) and her siblings would break into fits and claim Nurse was tormenting them. Such so called "spectral evidence" was allowed into the trial to show that Satan was afflicting others in the community at the behest of the accused. In response to their outbursts Nurse stated, "I have got nobody to look to but God.“ In the end, the jury ruled Nurse not guilty. Due to renewed fits and spasms by the girls, the magistrate asked that the verdict to be reconsidered. The jury took this as a sign of guilt and changed their verdict, sentencing Nurse to death on July 19, 1692.

Why the Hysteria Ended 1.  Doubts grow when respected citizens are convicted and executed. -------Rebecca Nurse (jury first acquits, then told to reconsider) -------George Burroughs (recites Lord's Prayer perfectly at hanging) 2.  Accusations of witchcraft include the powerful and well- connected. -------Wife of Governor Phips (and others) 3.  The educated elite of Boston pressure Gov. Phips to exclude spectral evidence. (The fits the girls put on at trial) -------A Judge points out the Devil could take the shape of an innocent person: "It is better that 10 suspected witches should escape than one innocent person should be condemned."

What would you do? It's the spring of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts.  You've just been accused by "an afflicted girl" of being a witch.  The reason for the accusation against you might have been any from a long list of possibilities.  Perhaps you're reclusive, talk to yourself, or exhibit some other form of eccentric behavior.  Perhaps you were involved in a previous dispute with the family of the afflicted girl.  Perhaps you don't go to church, or go to the wrong church, or sided with the wrong faction in recent congregational strife within the Salem Village Church.  Perhaps you speak French or are suspected with having aided the Wabanakis in the recent Indian wars.  Or perhaps you expressed support for a recently accused witch or--worse yet--accused the accusers of lying.  Whatever the reason, you're in big trouble now.  What do you do?  (Pick an option below).

Choose One Option Flee Salem Accuse someone else. Quick! Get pregnant! Confess, even though you are innocent. Plead innocent and stand for trial. Refuse to stand trial and face the consequences.

Flee Salem Good idea, if you can swing it.  Several accused witches did escape from jail and survive the 1692 hysteria.  They included Philip and Mary English, John Alden, Hezekiah Usher, and Mrs. Nathaniel Cary.   However, all these accused persons had either money or influence that made their escape possible.  You don't have either.  Try your next option.

Accuse Someone Else The theory here is that if you're afflicted by witchcraft, you can't be a witch yourself.  This theory even convinced some daughters to testify against their own mothers.  It's not a bad idea (if you have no conscience), but--sorry--it's too late now.  You should have thought of this idea a few days ago.  Now, your accusation will look like an obvious attempt to distract attention from your own guilt.  The accusation of witchcraft has been made against you and you're still going to have to deal with it.  Pick another option.  

Quick Get Pregnant This isn't as silly an idea as it sounds.  Pregnant women, even if convicted of witchcraft, would not be executed so long as they remained pregnant.  The theory is that even if you deserve death, the baby inside you does not--so the officials will put off your execution.  This was called "reprieve for the belly." Of course, you still might be executed eventually, but the hope is that the hysteria won't last another nine months. One slight problem, however.  Who will you find in jail to impregnate you?  Sorry, this option is not available: Try another!  

Confess Even Though Your Are Innocent. This route, pioneered by accused witches Tituba and Deliverance Hobbs, turned out to be a life saver.  Confessing witches weren't executed.  Instead, they were kept apart from other prisoners, to be called upon in trials when their testimony might be helpful to the prosecution.  The Puritans believed that once a person made a full confession, his or her fate should be left in God's hands, not man's.  Fifty- five persons in the Salem area confessed to witchcraft in 1692, adding substantial credibility to the initial charges of witchcraft made by the afflicted girls. Do you really want to admit to being a witch?  Is this something you want on your resume?  If not, try another option..  

Plead Innocent and Stand Trial This is the approach that led to nineteen innocent persons being carted off to Gallows Hill during the summer of 1692.  If you plead innocent, you'll have to face trial without a lawyer and without the ability to call witnesses on your own behalf, answer unanswerable questions ("If you're not a witch, how do explain the fact that these afflicted girls fall into fits the minute you enter the room?")--all before a court that unanimously believes in witchcraft and believes that you're guilty.  (Even in the one case that the jury came back with an acquittal, the trial of Rebecca Nurse, the court sent the jury back to reconsider the verdict.  The second time around, the jury found Nurse guilty.) You'll face spectral evidence--and how do you propose to convince the court that your apparition was not doing all this work on the part of the Devil?  Just exactly what was your apparition doing on the night of April 23 anyway? This approach looks hopeless.  You better try another option.

Refuse to Stand Trial Octogenarian Giles Corey gave this option a try.  Knowing the fate that awaited him if he stood for trial, Giles refused to answer the ritual question, "Will you be tried by your God and your country (that is, a jury)?"  The penalty for refusing to answer was peine forte et dure, an especially unpleasant way of going that involves piling heavy stones on your body until you either agree to stand trial or are crushed to death. I don't think you want to go through with this.  Better try another option.