US History 1607 to 1865 [Small Class Set Up No Technology] Topic The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 Purpose: By examining a variety of documents, in a hands-on activity, students will work through critical issues historians face when researching. The pre-class readings are to provide general context. Students ought to take away the significance of socio-economic and socio-cultural aspects. Pre-class Readings Kathleen M. Brown, Murderous Uncleanness: The Body of the Female Infanticide in Puritan New England, in A Centre of Wonders: The Body in Early America, ed. Janet Moore Lindman and Michele Lise Tarter (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2001), 77-94 Richard Cullen Rath, Acoustics and Social Order in Early America, in Hearing History: A Reader, ed. Mark M. Smith (Athens: University of Georgia, 2004), 207-220 In-class assignment: Students will be broken up into small groups. Each group will be provided a set of documents (between 2 and 3 documents). The intent is for students to collaborate with others in identifying key issues and correlations associated with the documents provided. After about 10 minutes or so of group discussion, each group will share what type of document(s) they have and fill in the gap as to how that document helps us understand the Salem Witch Trails of 1692. Each groups is to answer this question: What type of document is this? (Describe) Individual group questions (based on documents examining): Post-class Homework 1. What socio-cultural aspects might we derive from these documents? 2. What might we derive from the recorded written records? 3. What might we derive from geographical data? Writing Assignment (1 to 2 pages in length): Using the documents discussed in class, what do you think were the causes for the Salem Witch Trails of 1692? What is missing from helping you better understand the Salem Witch Trials? What additional documents or materials would you want to consult and why? In what ways do the pre-class readings, in conjunction with the in-class documents, help to better understand the Salem Witch Trails? What board conclusions, if any, may we takeaway about Puritans and rural America at the turn of the century? FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 1
Salem Witch Crisis: Summary The Salem witchcraft crisis began during the winter of 1691-1692, in Salem Village, Massachusetts, when Betty Parris, the nine-year-old daughter of the village s minister, Samuel Parris, and his niece, Abigail Williams, fell strangely ill. The girls complained of pinching, prickling sensations, knifelike pains, and the feeling of being choked. In the weeks that followed, three more girls showed similar symptoms. Reverend Parris and several doctors began to suspect that witchcraft was responsible for the girls behavior. They pressed the girls to name the witches who were tormenting them. The girls named three women, who were then arrested. The third accused was Parris s Indian slave, Tituba. Under examination, Tituba confessed to being a witch, and testified that four women and a man were causing the girls illness. The girls continued to accuse people of witchcraft, including some respectable church members. The new accused witches joined Tituba and the other two women in jail. The accused faced a difficult situation. If they confessed to witchcraft, they could escape death but would have to provide details of their crimes and the names of other participants. On the other hand, it was very difficult to prove one s innocence. The Puritans believed that witches knew magic and could send spirits to torture people. However, the visions of torture could only be seen by the victims. The afflicted girls and women were often kept in the courtroom as evidence while the accused were examined. If they screamed and claimed that the accused witch was torturing them, the judge would have to believe their visions, even if the accused witch was not doing anything visible to the girls. Between June and October, twenty people were convicted of witchcraft and killed and more than a hundred suspected witches remained in jail. From: Stanford History Education Group, Reading like a Historian. Salem Witch Trials Lesson Plan, http://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/salem%20lesson%20plan.pdf FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 2
[Joseph Hutcheson] what hath Sarah Osburn [Tituba] yesterday shee had a thing with a head like a woman with 2 leeggs and wings Abigail williams that lives with her uncle mr Parris said that shee did see this same creature #(with goode osburn and it turned into the shape of goode osburn & yesterday being(?)) and it turned into the shape of goode osburn [Joseph Hutcheson] what else have you seen with g osburn [Tituba] an other thinge hairy it goes upright like a man it hath only 2 leeggs [Joseph Hutcheson] did you not see Sarah good upon elisebeth #(Williams) Hubbar last Saterday [Tituba] I did see her set a wolfe upon her to afflict her the persons with this maid did say that shee did complain of a wolf [Tituba] shee furder said that shee saw a cat with good at another time [Joseph Hutcheson] what cloathes doth the man #(we) go in [Tituba] he goes in black cloathes a tal man with white hair I thinke [Joseph Hutcheson] how doth the woman goe [Tituba] in a white whood and a black whood with a top knot [Joseph Hutcheson] doe you see who it is that torments these children now [Tituba] yes it is goode good she hurts them in her own shape [Joseph Hutcheson] & who is it that hurts them now [Tituba] I am blind now I cannot see From: Salem Village, March the 1't 1691/2 - [MODIFIED]; Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project, SWT Home Page: http://salem.lib.virginia.edu FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 3
John Aldin Senior, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, Mariner, on the 28th Day of May, 1692, was sent for by the Magistrates of Salem, in the County of Essex, upon the Accusation of a company of poor distracted, or possessed Creatures or Witches; and being sent by Mr. Stoughton, arrived there the 31st of May, and appeared at Salem-Village, before Mr. Gidney, Mr. Hathorn, and Mr. Curwin. Those Wenches being present, who plaid their jugling tricks, falling down, crying out, and staring in Peoples Faces; the Magistrates demanded of them several times, who it was of all the People in the Room that hurt them? one of these Accusers pointed several times at one Captain Hill, there present, but spake nothing; the same Accuser had a Man standing at her back to hold her up; he stooped down to her Ear, then she cried out, Aldin, Aldin afflicted her; one of the Magistrates asked her if she had ever seen Aldin, she answered no, he asked her how she knew it was Aldin? She said, the Man told her so. Then all were ordered to go down into the Street, where a Ring was made; and the same Accuser cried out, there stands Aldin, a bold fellow with his Hat on before the Judges, he sells Powder and Shot to the Indians and French, and lies with the Indian Squaes, and has Indian Papooses. Then was Aldin committed to the Marshal's Custody, and his Sword taken from him; for they said he afflicted them with his Sword. After some hours Aldin was sent for to the Meeting-house in the Village before the Magistrates; who required Aldin to stand upon a Chair, to the open view of all the People. The Accusers cried out that Aldin did pinch them, then, when he stood upon the Chair, in the sight of all the People, a good way distant from them, one of the Magistrates bid the Marshal to hold open Aldin's hands, that he might not pinch those Creatures. Aldin asked them why they should think that he should come to that Village to afflict those persons that he never knew or saw before? Mr. Gidney bid Aldin confess, and give glory to God; Aldin said he hoped he should give glory to God, and hoped he should never gratifie the Devil; but appealed to all that ever knew him, if they ever suspected him to be such a person, and challenged any one, that could bring in any thing upon their own knowledge, that might give suspicion of his being such an one. Mr. Gidney said he had known Aldin many Years, and had been at Sea with him, and always look'd upon him to be an honest Man, but now he did see cause to alter his judgment: Aldin answered, he was sorry for that, but he hoped God would clear up his Innocency, that he would recall that judgment again, and added that he hoped that he should with Job maintain his Integrity till he died. They bid Aldin look upon the Accusers, which he did, and then they fell down. Aldin asked Mr. Gidney, what Reason there could be given, why Aldin's looking upon him did not strike him down as well; but no reason was given that I heard. But the Accusers were brought to Aldin to touch them, and this touch they said made them well. Aldin began to speak of the Providence of God in suffering these Creatures to accuse Innocent persons. Mr. Noyes asked Aldin why he would offer to speak of the Providence of God. God by his Providence (said Mr. Noyes) governs the World, and keeps it in peace; and so went on with Discourse, and stopt Aldin's mouth, as to that. ([MODIFIED] Examination of John Alden Examination), written by John Alden, as Published by Robert Calef (Robert Calef. More Wonders of the Invisible World, Display d in Five Parts. (London: Nath. Hillard, 1700), pp. 98 100). FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 4
In the speech below, Cotten Mather, an influential leader of the Puritans, argues for the existence of witchcraft: I will prove that Witchcraft exists. Those who deny it exists argue that they never saw any witches, therefore there are none. That would be as if you or I said: We never met any robbers, therefore there are none. I have two pieces of evidence that witchcraft exists: First, the Scripture mentions witchcraft. Secondly, many people have experienced the horrors of witchcraft. Source: Cotton Mather, Memorable Providences relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions, from A Discourse on Witchcraft, (Boston, 1689), pp. 4-9. Cotton Mather was one of the most influential religious leaders in America at the time. From: Stanford History Education Group, Reading like a Historian. Salem Witch Trials Lesson Plan, http://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/salem%20lesson%20plan.pdf FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 5
George Burroughs George Burroughs was the only Puritan minister indicted and executed in Salem in 1692. He served as minister of Salem Village from 1680 until he left in 1683. As one of the succession of three ministers who left the Village in the years leading up to the trials, he became involved in the Village's social conflicts. During his stay in Salem he borrowed money from the Putnam family and when he was unable to pay it back, conflict with the Putnams arose. It was at this point that he left. Although he eventually repaid his loan, twelve years later, he was charged, arrested and brought back to Salem from Wells, Maine. Many members of the Salem Village and Andover testified against him and called him the "ring leader" of the witches, a virtual priest of the devil. Cotton Mather also took particular interest in the trial because of Burroughs' unorthodox religious beliefs and practices. He was found guilty and executed on August 19, 1692. His hanging was the only one attended by Cotton Mather, who urged the sympathetic crowd against him. Ann Putnam, Jr. Ann Putnam, Jr. played a crucial role in the witchcraft trials of 1692. She was twelve years old at the time, and she was one of the first to join Betty Parris and Abigail Williams as an "afflicted child". Though she is easily despised for her role as one of the most persistent accusers in the trials, it is important to view her in the context of her socially prominent family. Her mother was also afflicted, and her father and many other Putnams gave testimony against the accused during the trials. When attempting to make a judgment on Ann, it is important to remember that she was very young and impressionable and thus easily influenced by her parents and other adults. Fourteen years later she admitted that she had lied, deluded by the Devil. Sarah Osborne In February of 1692, Sarah Osborne became one of the first three victims to be accused of witchcraft in Salem Village. As the widow of Robert Prince-a Salem Villager who purchased a 150-acre farm next to his friend Captain John Putnam's, Osborne was required (by Prince's will) to carryover their estate to their two young sons. However, by attempting to overtake possession of the property for herself and her new husband, Irish immigrant Alexander Osborne, Sarah Osborne upset social norms that consequently resulted in accusations of witchcraft by the Putnam family. She died in prison on May 10, 1692. Biographical Data: Important Persons in the Salem Court Records From: Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project, SWT Home Page: http://salem.lib.virginia.edu Memorable providences, relating to witchcrafts and possessions. FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 6
A faithful account of many wonderful and surprising things, that have befallen several bewitched and possessed persons in New-England. Particularly, a narrative of the marvellous trouble and releef experienced by a pious family in Boston, very lately and sadly molested with evil spirits. Whereunto is added, a discourse delivered unto a congregation in Boston, on the occasion of that illustrious providence. As also, a discourse delivered unto the same congregation; on the occasion of an horrible selfmurder committed in the town. With an appendix, in vindication of a chapter in a late book of remarkable providences, from the calumnies of a Quaker at Pensilvania. Written by Cotton Mather, minister of the gospel. And recommended by the ministers of Boston and Charleston. Mather, Cotton, 1663-1728. [Boston] Printed at Boston in New-England by R[ichard] P[ierce] 1689. Sold by Joseph Brunning, at his shop at the corner of the Prison-lane next the exchange, [1689] http://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435011994365 FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 7
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Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project SWT Home Page: http://salem.lib.virginia.edu FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 14
From: Stanford History Education Group, Reading like a Historian. Salem Witch Trials Lesson Plan, http://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/salem%20lesson%20plan.pdf Regional Accusations Map for the year 1692 FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 15
From Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project SWT Home Page: http://salem.lib.virginia.edu FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 16
From: Stanford History Education Group, Reading like a Historian. Salem Witch Trials Lesson Plan, http://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/salem%20lesson%20plan.pdf FUENTES, SEBASTIAN M 17