The Salem Witch Trials of 1692: Causes and Consequences

Supernatural Belief in Colonial America

The notion that supernatural phenomena were associated with everyday life emerged in 15th-century Europe and spread to the New World with the influx of European colonists (Bonomi, 2003). Seventeenth-century colonists in the New World had been using charms to foster the growth of crops, control the weather, and achieve other practical ends, as these beliefs served to provide a sense of control over otherwise uncontrollable conditions (Bonomi, 2003). However, the notion of dark magic was also prevalent during this time, and the belief that demons and evil spirits could possess people was a common superstition in the New World during this period (Bonomi, 2003). The Salem witchcraft trials did not represent the first time people were executed for witchcraft in the world; however, these particular incidents have endured over time as a representation of the mindset of individuals during the period, as well as serving as a metaphor for accusations that are unfounded and based on fear — giving rise, for example, to the modern term "witch hunt" (Ray, 2003).

The Outbreak of Accusations in Salem Village

Salem Village, Massachusetts was first settled in 1626 and was primarily an agricultural community (Goff, 2009). The infamous witch trials began in 1692 when a group of young girls in the village claimed to be possessed by Satan and accused several local women of witchcraft. Prior to this, there were rumors of witchcraft in neighboring villages that had already created tension in the surrounding areas (Ray, 2003). In January of that year, nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams, the eleven-year-old niece of the minister of Salem, began to display violent fits, bodily contortions, and seemingly uncontrollable screaming episodes (Norton, 2007). The local doctor, William Griggs, diagnosed the girls as suffering from "bewitchment" (Goff, 2009). Following this diagnosis, several other young girls in the village began to display similar symptoms, including Elizabeth Hubbard, Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Mary Warren (Norton, 2007).

Accusations of practicing witchcraft and bewitching the girls were made against particularly vulnerable female residents, beginning with a Caribbean slave named Tituba, a homeless beggar named Sarah Good, and an elderly woman named Sarah Osborn (Doty & Hiltunen, 2002; Norton, 2007). This led to a wave of hysteria spreading throughout the village, and a special court was convened to hear the cases (Doty & Hiltunen, 2002).

The three accused women appeared before the magistrates Jonathan Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin and were questioned with their accusers present, who continued to display bodily contortions, screaming, and spasms (Doty & Hiltunen, 2002). This most likely resulted in a highly dramatic scene and provoked considerable emotional behavior among the magistrates, defendants, and accusers alike. Osborn and Good denied practicing witchcraft; however, Tituba confessed — most likely to protect herself from the harsh inquisition that would follow and to offer herself as an informer (Doty & Hiltunen, 2002). Tituba claimed that there were more witches who had been recruited with her by Satan to act against the Puritans in the Salem colony (Doty & Hiltunen, 2002).

Because belief in magic — both white and black — was firmly entrenched in colonial American life, Tituba's confession led to massive hysteria spreading through the community and beyond (Doty & Hiltunen, 2002). Tituba named several others as practicing witches, including Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey, both previously regarded as upstanding Christian members of the community (Doty & Hiltunen, 2002). In addition, the four-year-old daughter of Sarah Good was accused (Doty & Hiltunen, 2002). Several of the accused confessed and named still other women as witches, and this downward spiral of accusations led to increased hysteria and fear spreading throughout the region (Doty & Hiltunen, 2002).

The Court of Oyer and Terminer

In May of 1692, the governor of Massachusetts, William Phips, established the Court of Oyer (meaning "to hear") and Terminer (meaning "to decide") to handle witchcraft cases in three counties (Ray, 2003). On June 2, the court convened in Salem to hear the case of Bridget Bishop (Ray, 2003). Bishop was accused of not living a "Puritan lifestyle," as she wore unusual black clothing. A particularly contentious point in her trial was the presence of several cut or torn spots in her coat, which, combined with her perceived "immoral" lifestyle, resulted in her conviction as a witch (Goff, 2009). She was hanged in June (Ray, 2003).

Five additional people were hanged for the crime of witchcraft in July of that year, five more were hanged in August, and eight others were executed in September (Ray, 2003). In addition to the hangings, seven other people accused of witchcraft died in jail, and one man — Giles Corey, the husband of Martha Corey — was pressed to death with heavy stones after he refused to enter a plea during his arraignment (Ray, 2003).

References

Bonomi, P. U. (2003). Under the cope of heaven: Religion, society, and politics in Colonial America. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Doty, K., & Hiltunen, R. (2002). "I will tell, I will tell": Confessional patterns in the Salem witchcraft trials, 1692. Journal of Historical Pragmatics, 3(2), 299–335.

Goff, J. V. (2009). Salem's witch house: A touchstone to antiquity. Clarkston, SC: The History Press.

Norton, M. B. (2007). In the devil's snare: The Salem witchcraft crisis of 1692. New York: Random House.

Ray, B. (2003). Salem witch trials. OAH Magazine of History, 17(4), 32–36.