Puritanism and the History of the Real Salem Witch Trials

1. Puritanism and the History of the Real Salem Witch Trials

3. Puritans • Group of English Protestants in 16th Century • Felt that English Reformation had not done enough, still involved too many Catholic practices, wanted a return to a greater “purity” of faith • There were various factions within the Puritan movement • Hostility and repression from King Charles I and the Anglican church led to a major migration of Puritans to North America

4. A government ruled by or subject to religious authority. • These Puritans were among the most radical • Built a theocracy in North America General Beliefs/Characteristics of NA Puritan Society: • No dancing, music, celebration of holidays they believed to have Pagan roots, such as Christmas, Easter, etc. • Avoidance of Catholic church practices • Hoped to form a “redeemer nation” in the New World to set a positive example for all of Europe

5. Believed in personal Biblical interpretation (as opposed to via a religious authority – like most Protestants • Morality was interpreted through the Bible, must be pursued to the smallestdetail; (wo)man’s main purpose in lifewas to serve God • Believed in demonic forces (as most Christians of this period did) • Family was at the centre of social organization and part of devotion to God • Husbands were the heads of the household, women demonstrated devotion to God via obedience to their husbands

6. women were considered to be spiritual equals to men, however, and fulfilled this role through their informal authority in the domestic sphere, raising children according to Puritan values

7. Unlike England, which had no mandatory schooling for childhood literacy, by the 1670s all but one of the New England colonies legislated mandatory literacy for children • They did not oppose drinking alcohol in moderation (as mentioned by Miller in Act I) • While celebrating Christmas was forbidden, they could have other town celebrations • No bounds set on enjoying sexuality, as a gift from God, within marriage • Punished public drunkenness and sex outside of marriage

8. Belief in the supernatural was commonplace, and everyday misfortunes were often attributed to Satan’s influence

9. Because the “outbreak” of witchcraft in Salem lasted much longer and had many more casualties than other examples in North America, there is speculation regarding why Salem’s witch hunt was so severe • “in Salem village and its vicinity in 1692, alone, 170 “witches” were imprisoned, and twenty of them were put to death, nineteen on the gallows and one by being pressed under heavy weights until dead” (16)

10. Historical Events in Salem: known for many internal disputes and quarrels, particular rivalry between Putnam and Porter families The prominence, in the historical record, of the testimony of Ann Putnam Jr. as accuser is seen as evidence that a longstanding conflict between the families may have motivated the accusations to some degree

11. first two ministers stayed only a few years each, after the town failed to pay their full salaries • Parris was a severe minister who publicly punished minor infractions, increasing tensions in the town • The colonies also had occasional clashes with the local “Indian” population, though by the time of the witch hunt most had been killed by infectious diseases, or expelled, pacified, or killed in King Philip’s War in the 1670’s

12. Series of Prior Witch Hangings in North America: • 1648, little is known • 1656 Anne Hibbins a “quarrelsome Boston widow,” • 1663 Rebecca Greensmithand her husband, Rebecca confessed • 1688 the Goodwin family and Goodwife Glover