7- Cotton Mather and the Salem Witch Hunt Flashcards
Continuation- Trials
- Law is not followed precisely (George Burrows executed despite reciting the Lord’s Prayer)
- Spectral evidence considered in court (Dreams, visions, ghost sightings, apparitions)
-Gossip considered in court - Judge replaced by a prosecution lawyer (Normal rules not followed)
- Many people could not afford a legal defence and so would have to stand on their own in court. This made defences impossible as people did not understand how the law worked
- New one issue court set up (Court of Oyer and Terminer) perhaps leading to manipulation of the judges and lawyers involved who have to deal with all of the cases
- Also allowed for normal procedures and rules to be ignored to an extent. Made it easier for the new practises to be gotten away with
Continuation- Religion
Strong puritan beliefs
- Ignored the scientific revolution, believed any issues socially and economically were due to the devil. Increased susceptism of witchcraft
- Targeted outcasts of society- low social standing was associated with the devil
- Salem and Massachusetts was governed as a theocracy (a system of government in which God is held to be supreme ruler and clergy are involved in the day-to-day running of the state)
- Anyone who did not conform to the Puritan ideal was viewed with suspicion- non-English settlers, Indians, beggars and women
- Women mainly accused- salem puritans believed women were inferior to men and preachers reinforced this idea in their sermons.
Continuation- Authority Figures
Samuel Parris - minister of Salem village at the time
- Very powerful figure within Salem
- Heightened fears about witches throughout the craze
- Preaching about the devil to people of Salem, which creates frenzy and fear amongst the population
Cotton Mathers - Puritan Clergyman
- Wrote over 400 books, gave sermons on witchcraft to stoke fears, continues belief in witchcraft amongst the people of Salem
- Went to Harvard at 15, from a well-respected family of Puritans, and so was very influential in Salem, people would believe him when he spoke about the evils of witchcraft and how they had perpetrated Salem
- Salem was governed as a theocracy, so religious leaders had a lot of power
Governor Phips - governor of Massachusetts
- Heavily influenced by Mathers - appointed to governorship post by Phips
- Supported the accusations immediately, ordered the prisoners to be put in chains
- Eventually closed the Court of Oyer and Terminer on 26 October 1692, so he had the power to stop the trials but chose not to
Cause- Glorious Revolution
April 1687- James II issued DECLARATION OF INDULGENCE IN ENGLAND= suspending penal laws against Catholics
Dissolved parliament- increased opposition from the political establishment
William ensured that a Toleration Act was passed granting many Protestants religious freedom
Revolts in Massachusetts, felt immense resentment towards James already so revolted against Governor Andros
Messenger was arrested by Andrés who delivered news on the Glorious Revolution
Revolts- Led by Increase and Cotton Mather. Increase spent years in London making negotiations over a new charter- Salem witch trial already starting when he returned
Rebels supported William of Orange and started arresting officials
New charter meant that:
-voting eligibility was based on property ownership rather than religious domination
-All officials had to be appointed by the Crown
- Governor could block any laws by council
LED TO LACK OF AUTHORITY AND LESS REPRESENTATION FROM LOCAL PURITAN LEADERS
PURITAN POPULATION BELIEVED THE DEVIL WAS AT WORK
Cause- Native Attacks
Happened since the earliest days of European settlement. Toward end of the century they intensified
First Indian War 1675-78= devastated towns across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Maine. 1/10 of military were killed in Salem
Attacks became more common after overthrow of Andros
Indians= devil-worshippers doing everything they could to prevent a godly society from being created. Allies of the hated French and Spanish. Treated as sub-human.
PARANOIA CONCERNING GOD’S WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW THE DEVIL’S AGENTS IN THE FORM OF INDIANS TO PUNISH PURITAN SETTLERS
Cause- Tituba
Household servant/slave for Paris.
Mary SIbley, aunt of Mary Walcott told her to make a witch cake to counter the possessions- urine of affected children, fed to Parris family dog. Dog was supposed to sniff out any witches that had bewitched the girls but it didn’t work. Girls fits became worse. Samuel Parris became suspicious of her
Assumed to mixed of Caribbean and African heritage, she was purchased in Barbados. Likely that Mary Sibley turned to them for magical assistance.
Looked after Elizabeth and other children and stories told to them from her homeland were tinged with tales of demonic possession and Voodoo.
Quickly confessed to a pact with the Devil and named over witches.
Said she was forced to confess by Samuel Parris as he beat her
Cause- Children
Samuel Parris’s 9 year old daughter, Elizabeth and cousin, Abigail began to experiment with fortune telling. Used a Venus glass
Started to exhibit strange behaviour. Local doctor, William Griggs decided that witchcraft was to blame.
More children started to exhibit symptoms of possessions:
Ann Putnam- Putnam family was one of the most influential in Salem Village and were instrumental in the spreading of accusations. Friends with Abigail and Elizabeth, and claimed she was possessed and showed similar symptoms. Name is mentioned 400 times in the court documents
Mary Walcott- one of the first to suffer fits and her aunt decided to use counter-magic against some of the suspects, especially Tituba. Cousin-in-law of Ann.
Mercy Lewis- accused 8 people and gave evidence against them. Her parents were killed in an Indian attack. Sent to the household of Thomas Putnam and became friends with Ann and Mary
Elizabeth Hubbard- acted as one of the leading accusers. Went to live in Salem with her great aunt and Dr William Griggs. End of trial- testified against 29 people
Ending- Governor Phips
Increase Mather’s scepticism led to him to have discussions with Governor Phips
Baptised in Cotton Mather’s church and began to take religious more seriously therefore deeply interested by the Mather families interest in witchcraft.
Worked with Increase in London for the new charter
Only returned when the craze already happened. At first he agreed with the trials and accusations.
Stoughton was appointed chief judge at the trials in which he was relentless in his pursuit of witches and took the lead in demanding that spectral evidence be heard.
Increase Mather played a large role in influencing Phips to close down the Court and his attempt to reprieve Rebecca Nurse demonstrates his softening position.
Cause- Samuel Parris
Puritan minister of Salem
Preacher- impact on widening divisions that already existed in Salem. Delivered a sermon that claimed the Church was under siege by the Devil who was being assisted by wicked men in the community i.e his opponents in Salem
Viewed as self-centred and deceptive. Role and motivation have never been understood. All initial accusations were people from his household. Was a key witness in the trials
Ending- Closing of the courts
26 October 1692, Phips closed the Court of Oyer and Terminer and released those who were still under investigation.
