Puritans strict religious standards and intolerance for anything not mentioned in their scriptures caused the Salem Witch Trials. Salem in Massachusetts, where Puritans are heavily populated, is the place with the most witch trials. It was clear that most of the trials were held in Salem. The Puritans could be accused of making the allegations, but it is possible that they were not aware of the facts. In order to keep the trials going, religious intolerance fuelled the accusations.
Witchcraft was considered a serious crime in those days, and often faced severe punishments. The Salem Witch Trials saw twenty women executed. Many others were sentenced to death for their poor and unsanitary living conditions. The trials were controversial because of the brutality with which they were conducted and the loss of many lives. They have been studied by historians, writers and poets. The Salem Witch Trials show the rigid beliefs and disastrous consequences of these beliefs on the legal and political systems. Although witchcraft was a common belief throughout colonies, formal executions and accusations were reserved for Puritan communities. The Salem Witch Trials were marred by false accusations, religious extremism, social isolationism, and mass hysteria. In 1692, the Salem witch trials hysteria was caused by changes in marital status, sexual orientation, as well as age. Black magic was a common problem in women, but not for men. Puritanism and its restrictions on women’s rights meant it was inevitable that they would join Satan’s cause. It was agreed that women were also obliged to accommodate the devil. This was used by some to exonerate witches. They charged more women for this than men. The majority of those accused were married, which explains why villages denounced people based on marital status. This shows that marital status was a major factor in the denouncing of individuals. It caused panic in Salem. Notable was the fact that most of those accused were between the ages of 41-60. That means anyone between this age and married, or female, is likely to be charged with witchcraft.
Hearsay historians today have seen evidence of emergency and subsequent agitation in Puritan towns. Pioneer Massachusetts’ networks were extremely vulnerable against starvation and attacks by neighboring clans as well as pandemics. In times of crisis, communities would often join hands, but once the crisis was over, they would release their fear and tension by accusing their neighbors of sorcery of being the root cause. Puritans felt nervous and reckless due to the increased emphasis on satanic effects and the belief that women have an evil, negative impact, especially when considering all of the hysteria. Salem was a place of paranoia, constraint, neutrality in 17th-century Massachusetts.
History has focused on socioeconomic factors in an attempt to understand the causes of the hysteria. Many of these young women were from rural Salem. They worked as domestic servants. Many of those accused were women from Salem Town who were well-off and more wealthy. The colony itself was in a state for progress and change and many of the accused girls had lost a parent due to Indian attacks. Simon Bradstreet (1603-1697), currently the governor of the colony, failed to prevent the delirium. Sir William Phips (c.1651-c.1695) attempted to address this issue by creating what he believed to be legitimate trials courts. His courts revived an old law which made black magic a capital crime, leading to the death penalty.
These are the lines that historians believe that Elizabeth Parris may have been involved in influencing class standing and social changes.
It is possible that her interest in becoming an accuser stems from her plausible fear of having done damage to the sacred fundamentals of her faith, wherein her father was a well-respected leader. Samuel Sewall (1652-1730), a trial judge, was so upset about his job that it led to him making a public statement asking God for forgiveness.
The Salem Witch Trials represented a pivotal moment in history. Before the Salem Witch Trials, the colonial concept of justice was chaotic. Individuals charged with a crime or suspected of it were sent to prison without being examined or verified by legal counsel. Today, reality was shaped by the Salem Witch Trials. They gave the world a new view of the Justice System and how it works. During 1692’s trials, several people were charged with witchery and dark magic. They were accused of witchery and black magic. The town agreed with them that they were guilty in black magic and they were quickly sentenced to their death. Even though they may have expressed opinions throughout the trial, nobody believed them. However, there was no jury. No legal counsels. There were no rights. 1692’s Justice System was inexcusable and sloppy. Sentences were often given out of the blue. They were also given quickly and were serious, despite being spontaneously given. If you were found guilty, there wasn’t any prison time nor network administration. You were swiftly executed if you were convicted. Our government today has increasingly stringent standards. Some of the political issues include the Puritan beliefs. Salem Witch Trials were a catalyst for the restriction of spectral evidence in trial, something that was never done before. It is not true that you can be supposed to be a witch. Today’s government is just like the Constitution of America. It declares that everyone can be equal. Equal opportunities and equal justice. It was not possible to be tried like the Salem Witch Trials witches. This also negated moral convictions.
It appears that religion and government issues clash. For example, Puritans believed that God was the only way to get everything. They had their own religion of black magic and the Salem Witch Trials were against God. It changed American political and religious perspectives. Puritans began to separate protestant orders. The Salem Witch Trials discouraged religious and political disconnection. This also led to the idea’separation between church and State’ that is reflected in the U.S. Constitution. The Puritans believed strongly in God and would almost berate anyone who did not coordinate the work of God. For their strict beliefs, witches were brought to trial. Because individuals can choose their religion, this influenced religious views today. Black magic, however, is not considered to be God-like. Today, religious and government perspectives are less concerned about the possibility that someone could become a witch by engaging in witchcraft. America has benefited over the years and so has its society. This is due to America’s religious and political social views. The results were generally more positive than negative.
