25 disturbing facts about the salem witch trials

The Salem witch trials were also the subject of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, written in the 1950s. Even more interesting, the summer of 1692 was a dry one, and coincided with the apparent end of the bewitchments. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. The Salem witchcraft trials, which began in May of 1692 after months of rumors of Satanic influence, still grip the American imagination more than 300 years later. Here are three notable facts about the Salem witch trials: About 42-50 people died being accused of witchcraft over the course of 300 years. Facts: -"At the time of these events Parris was in his middle forties." -"They did not celebrate Christmas, and a holiday from work meant only that they must concentrate even more upon prayer." -"The edge of the wilderness was close by. Since witches were often shackled in jail . His wife, Elizabeth, had been accused of witchcraft and John tried to step in to defend her. The death warrant, signed on June 8, 1692, ordered for her death to take place by hanging on Friday, June 10, 1692, between 8 a.m. and noon. In response, John found himself accused as well. This obviously meant that you must also be a witch. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. He was the first to suggest the girls may be under the evil influence of witchcraft. The salem witch trials hysteria of 1692 was caused by the Puritans strict religious standards and intolerance of anything not accepted with their scripture. Seven more died in jail. According to her death warrant, through her witchcraft, Bishop had caused bodily harm to five women, including Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. I wonder if what the prescription is for that. 10 The Symptoms That Gave Witches Away Make No Sense At All All witches are women, but not every woman is a witch. One of the turning points in ending public support and enthusiasm for the trials was the conviction and execution of one of the towns former minsters, George Burroughs, who publicly recited the Lords Prayer at the gallows, which was believed to be impossible for witches to do. As the trials continued, accusations extended beyond Salem Village to surrounding communities. The second slain dog was actually thought to be a victim of witchcraft whose tormentors fled Salem before they could be tried in court. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. During the trials, two dogs were killed based on suspicions of witchcraft. So if you celebrate Christmas and live in Massachusetts today, be happy you were born when you were! Tituba eventually confessed to using witchcraft. 1 Most of the accused were women but men were accusedand executedtoo. January 1692- Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village's daughter, 9-year-old Elizabeth "Betty" Parris, falls ill, soon followed by his 11-year-old niece, Abigail Williams. In February, unable to account for their behaviour medically, the local doctor, William Griggs, put the blame on the supernatural. Instead, in 1692, hanging was the preferred form of punishment. Its sad to think that all of the trials and the numerous deaths could have been caused by ergot poisoning, and no one in the town had any idea. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. 4. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. Arthur Millers play The Crucible played a large role in popularizing many of the details of the Salem witch trials and dramatizing facts that he uncovered in historical records. Massachusetts formally apologized for the witch trials in 1957something that Chief Magistrate William Stoughton never did. There have been many other instances of this kind of phenomenon sincemost recently in an outbreak of alleged evil clown sightings across the continent and beyond in 2016. Tituba, an enslaved person born to a South American indigenous tribe, became the first person accused of witchcraft in Salem after Betty, the daughter of Salems minister, Samuel Parris, began acting erratically. Despite the Salem witch trials occurring centuries ago, researchers only just found the execution site for the trials in 2016. Even some members of his congregation at the time wanted to see him dismissed from his pew in response to his aggressive prosecuting role in the episode. (The hallucinogen LSD is a derivative of ergot.) Which, yes, is a little ironic. William Phips. Wikipedia. Omissions? We want our readers to trust us. Today, witchcraftis recognized by the government as a protected and legitimate religion under the First Amendment. The trials came to an abrupt halt when the Governors wife was accused of witchcraft, causing him to immediately order an end to the trials. By late February 1692, when traditional medicines and prayers failed to cure the girls, the reverend called upon a local doctor, William Griggs. Gallows Hill was discovered on a rocky outcropping now located, very unfittingly, near a Walgreens in Salem. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria. These 10 lesser-known facts about the . While Miller maintained that he kept everything historically accurate, some have noted that he made changes to the real record for the sake of the play. Learn about U.S. history, ancient Egypt, the deadliest wars, historical photos, and so much more. Miller did not approve of this, and this was one of the things he tried to criticize allegorically through his depiction of the Salem events. In January 1692, two little girls living in Salem began acting strangely. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The most terrifying part, perhaps, was that anyone could be accused of engaging in witchcraft, and there was little they could do to defend themselves. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. She was taken into custody the next day and jailed with her mother, Sarah, who had been accused of the same capital crime three weeks earlier. Sarah Good also gave birth to a daughter, Mercy, while in custody. Ann Putnam, for example, used spectral evidence to accuse Rebecca Nurse,said, I saw the Apperishtion of [Rebecca Nurse] and she did immediatly afflect me. Such evidence was also used against Bridget Bishop, with many men claiming she had visited them in spectral form in the middle of the night. It was believed that witches had animal helpers that could take almost any animal form and do their dirty work for them. The Salem Witch Trials began in spring 1692 and lasted for seven months, during which more than 150 people where arrested, 19 were hanged and one was tortured to death. Directed by Guy Ferland. Other girls and young women began experiencing fits, among them Ann Putnam, Jr.; her mother; her cousin, Mary Walcott; and the Putnamss servant, Mercy Lewis. They soon spread to individuals regardless of their gender, class, or power in the community. Well, many workers and service providers will, Being a nurse isnt easy or ordinarybut these nurses had more difficult, and more bizarre,, Sometimes, you hear a story so wild that you heave a sigh of relief when, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex was the darling of Elizabeths old ageuntil he wasnt., Lets face it: Some people are just rude. In October 1692, a girl in Andover accused a neighbors dog of trying to bewitch her. Accessed May 6, 2021. https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/salem-witch-trial-descendants/. Lets just, The Crucible (1996), Twentieth Century Fox, Salem (20142017), 20th Century Fox Television, I Married a Witch (1942), Paramount Pictures, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Festive Facts About Bing Crosby, The King Of Christmas, Stormy Facts About Sammy Davis Jr., The Worlds Greatest Entertainer, Sorrowful Facts About Alma Rubens, The Silent Film Siren, Daring Facts About Gina Lollobrigida, Golden Hollywoods Last Survivor. Villagers killed that second dog and sent the man fleeing for his life. The Evil Justice William Stoughton Was the Ultimate Hanging Judge at the Salem Witch Trials and Heres Why. HistoryCollection.com, January 29, 2018. https://historycollection.com/william-stoughton-ultimate-hanging-judge-salem-witch-trials/. So if witchcraft wasnt really happening in Salem, what actually caused those girls to have the fits? Almost 150 people were accused of being witches and 20 were killed. Around the same time, in Salem Village, village girls accused a man of tormenting a different dog with his evil spirit. They were during the Colonial times. For those who are unaware, Salem is located in Massachusetts, which, as you might remember from history class, was New Englands first established colony dating back to the arrival of the Pilgrims of the Mayflower at Plymouth in 1620. They screamed, made odd sounds, threw things, contorted their bodies, and complained of biting and pinching sensations. Just when did the Salem witch trials take place in the timeline of American history? They had seizures, hid under chairs, talked in gibberish, and ran fevers. Many read Miller's play as a criticism of McCarthyism, the Red Scare, and intolerance. Salem was . Tituba was not the only one who thought animals were capable of engaging in the devils work. Witch hunts Dont feel too embarrassed if you happen to be from Massachusetts, you guys were not the first to do something like this. Even more interesting, the summer of 1692 was a dry one, and coincided with the apparent end of the bewitchments. Seventeenth century Salem also gave birth to stories of courageous stands for reason, hopeful births, and acts of clemency and mercy. Tituba ultimately survived the saga and was not hanged. Log in or try Ancestry 14 days free to start finding the survivors, the outspoken, or the ones who did things differently in your family tree. Witches were people who followed Satan and traded their souls for his help. Tituba initially denied the claim that she was a witch, but notoriously later decided to confess that it was true and accused two other women as well in the process. The three convicted individuals received pardons. The late comedian Lucille Ball is a descendant of Rachel Vinson, who was acquitted in the witch trials. The haphazard fashion in which the Salem witch trials were conducted contributed to changes in U.S. court procedures, including rights to legal representation and cross-examination of accusers as well as the presumption that one is innocent until proven guilty. This series of prosecutions and hangings of those accused of practicing witchcraft provoked a major backlash, and the event still haunts us today. Animals in the Salem Witch Trials. History of Massachusetts Blog, February 20, 2012. https://historyofmassachusetts.org/animals-in-the-salem-witch-trials/. Here are 10 things you need to know about the notorious witch trials. For everyone who remains intrigued by Salem, here are a few lesser-known facts about the witchcraft trials. Even some members of his congregation at the time wanted to see him dismissed from his pew in response to his aggressive prosecuting role in the episode. A complicated and long-lasting feud between the Putnam and Porter families of Salem may have been a motivating factor in some of the witchcraft accusations. Credits: Danvers Lunatic Asylum: CHRONICLES- Danvers State Hospital | Danvers The girls contorted their bodies into odd positions, made strange noises and spoke gibberish, and seemed to be having fits. For more than 300 years, the complex drama of the 1692 Salem witch trials and its themes of injustice and the frailties of human nature have captivated and fascinated the public imagination. Here are 12 Salem witch trials facts that will send chills down your spine. Jeff Wallenfeldt, manager of Geography and History, has worked as an editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica since 1992. At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. In fact, there was fear in Europe that an entire group of evil witches were consciously attacking Europeans in order to destroy Christendom. Between February 1692 and May 1693 in current day Massachusetts, more than 200 people were accused of witchcraft. Not even ministers could escape. How Rye Bread May Have Caused the Salem Witch Trials, Order in the Court: 10 Trials of the Century, https://www.britannica.com/event/Salem-witch-trials, Bill of Rights Institute - The Salem Witch Trials, World History Encyclopedia - Salem Witch Trials, Salem Witch Trials - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Salem witch trials - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). The Start of the Salem Witch Trials. Probably stimulated by voodoo tales told to them by Tituba, Parriss daughter Betty (age 9), his niece Abigail Williams (age 11), and their friend Ann Putnam, Jr. (about age 12), began indulging in fortune-telling. The next time Giles wanted to attend, Martha objected and prevented him from going. I wonder if what the prescription is for that. In the process Salem divided into pro- and anti-Parris factions. Her testimony added fuel to the fire, making the witch hunt spiral out of control. All Rights Reserved. This evidence was later banned bythe courts, leading to a sharp drop in accusations. One of the people who perished in prison was only an infant. Giles had actually been accused and found guilty of murdering one of his farm hands years earlier, but was let off with just a fine! The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between early 1692 and mid-1693. Apparently they felt that giving gifts took away from ones ability to focus on serious religious thought, and they did not like the pagan origins of some aspects of the holiday. If you think its all dramatic court rooms and burning at the stake, then you need to see these 25 Disturbing Facts About the Salem Witch Trials! If a dog was fed a cake made with rye and the urine of an afflicted person, and it displayed the same symptoms as the victim, it indicated the presence of witchcraft. He brought to Salem Village his wife, their three children, a niece, and two slaves who were originally from BarbadosJohn Indian, a man, and Tituba, a woman. Interestingly, dogs role did not end here. This is the event that Salem is most known for, in only three months' time 19 innocent people, 14 women and 5 men, were hanged, and one man was pressed to death. A period of less than a year caused such turmoil that Salem, Massachusetts, is still widely known for the trials. Accessed May 6, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_of_the_Salem_witch_trials. Several episodes of the original Bewitched TV series were actually filmed on location in Salem. Large rocks and boulders were then laid on the planks, which slowly crushed him., After Governor Phips put an end to the witch trials, many involved in the proceedings expressed guilt and remorse about the events that occurred, including judge Samuel Sewall and the governor himself. The phrase witch hunt, commonly used to refer to an unjustified or falsely conjured-up prosecution, is thought to originate as a reference to this time period in American history. Many possible answers have been proposed, but one likely explanation is that they were suffering from some kind of natural medical afflictions. Thomas Maule, a Quaker who found himself at odds with the Puritan community at times, was beaten and imprisoned for speaking out against the trials, despite the fact that he himself believed in witches. The Salem Witch Trials, the events of 1692 in Salem Village which resulted in 185 accused of witchcraft, 156 formally charged, 47 confessions, and 19 executed by hanging, remain one of the most studied phenomena in colonial American history. In May of 1693, Phips released from prison all remaining accused or convicted witches. Spooky stories abound at the Witch House in Salem, Massachusetts. Ergot causes hallucinations, convulsive fits, and sometimes death, and LSD derives from the substance. The Salem Witch Trials (1692) Cartoon - YouTube (2:10) https://youtu.be/jJJLy5_DlqY Its time for a Halloween special! Which, yes, is a little ironic. Statistical Analysis of the Accused. Salem Witch Trials . Courts relied on three kinds of evidence: 1) confession, 2) testimony of two eyewitnesses to acts of witchcraft, or 3) spectral evidence (when the afflicted girls were having their fits, they would interact with an unseen assailant - the apparition of the witch tormenting them). I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. The panic and fear over witches hiding amongst the colony began when two young girls, Abigail Williams and Betty Parris, developed strange symptoms including having fits and screaming in pain at mysterious moments. Accessed May 6, 2021. https://famous-trials.com/salem/2078-sal-acct. Witch trials had actually been a fairly common phenomenon in Europe during that period. The Salem witch trials have gripped American imaginations ever since they occurred in 1692. Rather, as Salem archivist and historian Richard Trask observes, they also included "second-hand rumors" and "fits of fancy." See Richard B. Trask, Legal Procedures Used During the Salem Witch Trials and a Brief History of the Published Versions of the Records, in Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt (Bernard Rosenthal ed., 2009).