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Salem Withch Trials
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Imagine the birth of a new America, where life focused on religion and serving God. In 1692 Salem Massachusetts was that place. The town of Salem is located on an arm of Massachusetts Bay, 16 miles northeast of Boston. Many individuals who were unhappy with life in England made the decision to migrate to the New England shore and settle in small seaside towns. The promise of riches and freedom mesmerized the working class citizens as they dreamed of a future filled with wealth and opportunity. Due to the frenzy created by the Puritan Clergy of Colonial Massachusetts over witchcraft, many innocent people were hanged without substantial proof of guilt. The assembly of the Puritan church was the first congregation settled in America. Puritan belief labeled everyone as a sinner. The only way to change this was by entering into a “covenant of grace” or a legal compact with God. This happened by way of being born again as a “visible Saint” (Rosenthal 11-13). The Puritan assumption that a country could enter into this covenant as well was the very basis for life and how it was lived in Salem. To become a member of the Puritan church one had to be voted in by the members of the church congregation. Adults and children were required by law to attend church services a minimum of three times per week. Male church members were the only persons permitted to vote in elections. This insured that the church had control of the local government as well as any officially elected position in the town, including the Constable and Mayor. The church could also maintain control of whom served on a jury as well as decisions about daily life. When strange behavior began to affect several children, the immediate conclusion was that the Devil had invaded the town of Salem. Cotton Mather would later state in his diary: The Devils, after a most preternatural manner, by the dreadful judgment of heaven, took a bodily possession of many people in Salem, and adjacent places; and the houses of the poor people began to be filled with the horrid cries of persons tormented by evil spirits. There seemed to be an execrable witchcraft in the foundation of this wonderful affliction. Many persons, of diverse characters, were accused, apprehended, prosecuted, upon the visions of the afflicted. (150) Samuel Paris, the local minister of Salem Village was under a great deal of stress due to the high taxes levied on his congregation and a long frigid winter (Trask 27). This caused Reverend Paris to spend much of his time away from his family. To pass the time during the winter young girls began to form small reading groups. They read books on fortune telling and prophecy which led them to the chanting of incantations and the practicing of divinations. This conjuring took place in the Paris household where a woman named Tituba, an Indian slave, headed the rituals. Soon after they had begun to practice these rituals, the girls who had been involved, including Reverend Paris’ daughter and niece became sick.
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