Essay on Salem Witch Trial Theories - 2283 Words

Brennyn Mackey 2 May 2011 The Secret War of Salem Exposing the Culprit behind the Mass Hysteria The Salem Witch Trials were a series of infamous events that demand an explanation for their occurrence. The trials that took place in 1692 caused neighbors in the community of Salem Village in the colony of Massachusetts to turn on one another out of paranoia, accusing one another of witchcraft. According to Carol Karlsen, a longtime author of the subject, nineteen people were hanged and about 200 others were imprisoned (40). A few theories have been offered in order to explain the root of this mass hysteria. The theories in question need to be examined to see which holds the most credibility. Most historians who have†¦show more content†¦According to their research: Ergot poisoning in individuals with adequate vitamin A intakes leads to gangrenous rather than convulsive symptoms. Vitamin A is found both in fish and in dairy products. Salem Village was a farming community and Salem Town, which bordered the village, was a well-known seaport; cows and fish were plentiful. There is no evidence to suggest a vitamin A deficiency in the diet of the inhabitants, and it would be particularly unlikely for the so-called afflicted girls, some of whom came from well-to-do farming families. The absence of any instance of gangrenous symptomatology makes it highly unlikely that ergot played any role in the Salem crisis (Spanos). The theory that there was an ergot infestation does not seem to hold up to the accounts of Spanos and Gottlieb. The theory of ergot infestation has slowly lost credibility due to these pieces of evidence. Another theory that attempts to explain the paranoia is the theory that witchcraft was being practiced in the community. The word â€Å"witch† came into English from Wicca, an Anglo-Saxon word that means â€Å"wise one† (Buckland 26). Witches have been viewed throughout history as servants of Satan, spreading misfortune. This is an exaggerated stereotype similar to the misconception that witches fly around on broomsticks and transform intoShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Theories of the Salem Witch Trials1135 Words   |  5 PagesThe Theories of the Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch trials and what caused them is very debatable. Some theories lead to Rye poisoning from bread to even people faking it. The most believable claim is that people were faking it. Everyone had a motive and they all just wanted to save themselves. It was a time when people were selfish and only cared for themselves. This time in Salem was a troubling time, making it seem likely that satan was active (Linder). The townsfolk are believed to haveRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Is Unknown1590 Words   |  7 Pages It is due to contrasting views and opinions that the real cause of the Salem Witch Trials is unknown. It is through major factors like the personal context of the historian that there are these differing thoughts. The people and society that a person is surrounded by for an extended amount of time can help to mold and create the personal opinions that a historian may hold. Historian’s thought have been shaped and changed by the people and places that they spent a large amount of time around, theyRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials691 Words   |  3 Pageswere the Salem Witch Trials? The Trials happened in 1692 in Puritan Massachusetts, in a town called Salem. Nineteen men and women were hanged on grounds of practicing dark magic and making a pact with Satan (in other words, for being witches). Hundreds of people were imprisoned; several died there. Additionally, one man (of over seventy years!) was crushed to death with heavy stones and the lives of many were irrevocably changed. 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In the story, The Crucible, mass hysteria broke out all through Salem being caused by the witch trials. The witch trials, however, may not have been the only thing causing the hysteria. Argot poisoning in the water along with puritan pressure causing the little girls to actRead MorePuritanism And Salem Witch Trials1332 Words   |  6 PagesPuritanism and the Salem Witch Trials started in 1692. Many people wonder what the Puritanism and Salem Witch Trials are. Puritanism is the act of colonists who had left England seeking religious tolerance. Puritanism and the Salem Witch Trials were a very important movemnt in history. The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. The Salem Witch Trials started due to a group of youngRead MoreWhat Caused The Salem Witch Trials?1331 Words   |  6 PagesWhat Caused the Salem Witch Trials? 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I can not confess to witchcraftRead MoreIs Witch Trails A Thing Of The Past?923 Words   |  4 Pages Being that the Salem Witch Trails date back to over three hundred years, many people believe witch trails are a thing of the past. However, modern day witch trails are still extremely prevalent. Modern-day witch-hunts are reported to still be happening in Africa, the Pacific, Latin America, even in the U.S. and Europe. According to a New York Times article, within the last fifteen years alone, more than 2,000 Indians have been killed after being accused of witchcraft. Almost all of the accused haveRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1441 Words   |  6 PagesCrucible was based off the events in a small town/ village called Salem in 1692. There were no more than 600 residents all together so everyone knew each other. The Crucible focused on the Salem witch trials that took place, and started from young girls claiming to be possessed by the devil. The people who lived in Salem were so obsessive about the possible threats in their town that they came up with unreasonable reasons on who was a witch, which made many innocent people die. Many innocent people were