The Salem Witch Trials Causes And Delusions - 1994 Words

What led to the Salem Witch Trials was merely domino effects and delusions. Whether possessed or not, many residents of Salem Village made a substantial amount of false accusations that resulted in nearly twenty deaths. Reverend Samuel Parris was elected minister in 1689 - three years prior to the mania of the Salem Witch Trials. His fervent urge of Puritanism further separated Salem Town, a prosperous town, and Salem Village, an agriculture based community. In January of 1692, nine-year-old Betty Parris, daughter of Samuel Parris, and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams of Salem Village started acting strange and began accusing people in Salem Town of witchcraft for possessing them. These accusations, quickly spreading by many of Salem†¦show more content†¦The election of Reverend Samuel Parris only fueled the lunacy, his austere Puritan views fitting in with those of Salem Village effortlessly. The disunion of Salem Village and those on Ipswich Road played a major role in th e accusations of the trials. Most of the accusers of witchcraft happened to be Salem farmers, while those accused were near Salem Town. Religious disputes and property feuds, like hostility from the removal of Puritan values and jealousy over the newly developed wealth, were likely to be the leading factors in the exorbitant amount of rapid and sudden accusations. The accusations became frequent, one family in particular who seemingly had many names on their list of witches. The family that was inclined to be the dominant source of accusations, other than Abigail Williams, was the Putnams. Thomas Putman was thought to be the â€Å"ringleader† of accusations and was, himself, evidence of the tactic of accusing Salem Townees and Ipswich Road of witchcraft for revenge. He testified against forty-three people and his daughter who was one of the afflicted girls, Ann Putman Jr., testified against sixty-two, however, Abigail Williams accused many more, and fifteen of the twenty tota l deaths of the accused in the Salem Witch Trials were of the people that Williams accused herself. In only a matter of six months were over two-hundred people accused ofShow MoreRelatedA Delusion of Satan: Great Insight Into the Past Essay1301 Words   |  6 PagesA Delusion of Satan was written in 1995 by Frances Hill, and published by Da Capo Press. Frances Hill, an accomplished writer and journalist from London, has been writing for a decent period of time. Aside from publishing two novels, Hill has written fiction reviews for The Time (London) and has worked as a reporter in in both New York and London. With such an accomplished journalist, reporter, and writer, we are due to receive a good read in A Delusion of Satan. 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START OF WITCHCRAFT HYSTERIA A considerable lot of the American settlers carried with them, from Europe, a faith in witches and the devil. Amid the seventeenth century, individuals were often executed for being witches and worshiper of Satan. The Puritan town of Salem was home to where many executions of witches took place, more commonly known as the Salem witch trials. A scandalous scene in American history, the Salem witch trials of 1692