CASE STUDY - SWH Causes

Question 1

What are the 4 points of criteria to consider when evaluating the impact of each cause?

Answer 1

Resonates - underlying hostile feeling.

Results in change - culminates in immediate change.

Remarkable - a significant event takes place.

Reveals something about society.

Question 2

What kind of environment is needed for witch hunts? (3)

Answer 2

Continuous feeling of paranoia
Heightened sense of fear
Tensions worsened by animosity & social differences

Question 3

Cotton Mather was a _____, ___________ ________ ______ with a reputation for being a _______ ________.
He stated _____ people are ________ & sent by the _____ to ______ others.

Answer 3

a) strict, well-respected Puritan minister
b) witchcraft expert
c) some
d) different
e) Devil
f) tempt

Question 4

Who did Cotton Mather target, claiming were different & sent by the Devil?
(4)

Answer 4

(Unmarried) women
Non-Puritans
Indians
George Keith (a quaker)

Question 5

Puritans hated ________, calling it ‘________ _______’. This created _________ and ________.

Answer 5

a) quakerism
b) ‘anti-Christian paganism’
c) differences
d) hostility

Question 6

Mather wrote over ____ books, preaching ______ and often focusing on ________.

Answer 6

a) 400
b) widely
c) witchcraft

Question 7

What was the most important book that Mather wrote & when?

What did it act as & what did it contain?

Answer 7

‘Memorable Provinces’, 1689

Inspiration/guide to those involved in Salem hunt & trials, with 2 sections:
Account of Goodwin Possessions which influenced possessions at Salem.
Sermon delivered by Mather, warning of witches & info on how to detect them.

Question 8

Goodwin Possessions - outline how the Goodwin Possessions began.

Answer 8

Martha (eldest daughter), accused family laundress of stealing material that Mather said was used for witchcraft. The laundress was the daughter of Mary Glover.
When confronted with the accusation, Mary swore & gave the children fits.
Doctor said it was due to witchcraft as the children felt pain at same time whilst in separate rooms.

Question 9

Goodwin Possessions - what was the Goodwin family’s relationship to religion?

Answer 9

Extremely devout Puritans

Question 10

Goodwin Possessions - what did Mather think of Mary Glover?

Answer 10

She was ‘an ignorant and scandalous old woman in the neighbourhood’ and a witch.

Question 11

Goodwin Possessions - why was Mary Glover considered an outsider?

Answer 11

She didn’t speak English and was Catholic.

Question 12

Goodwin Possessions - outline the second half of the Goodwin Possessions.

Answer 12

Mary Glover was arrested admitted to practicing witchcraft.

The Goodwin children had fits at the trial & Mary Glover confessed to communicating with the Devil.

Question 13

Goodwin Possessions - outline the end of the Goodwin Possessions.

Answer 13

Mather failed to rid Glover of the Devil & convert her to Puritanism.
She supposedly named witches who assisted her, but Mather didn’t reveal names as he felt witches were prone to lies.
After being hanged, the fits continued & were exorcised to cure them.

Question 14

Mather IMPACT - his _____ would’ve been _______ and ______ _______.
The ____ would’ve ______ about the _________, suggested by _______ between the two ____.

Answer 14

a) book, well read, shared widely

b) girls, known, possessions, similarities, cases

Question 15

Mather IMPACT - the _______ at Salem impacted were highly _________ and ______ that by ______ witches, they were ________ the _______ they were _______ to keep ____.
They hadn’t _______ them from __________.

Answer 15

a) magistrates
b) impressionable
c) believed
d) chasing
e) protecting
f) community
g) ordered
h) safe
i) protected
j) Indian attacks

Question 16

Impact of Mather - what did Mather’s work embed and reinforce?

Answer 16

People’s fears around ‘different’ (the Devil).

George Keith, a quaker & thought to be ‘a spiritual plague’.

Question 17

Impact of Mather - after Mary Glover gave the names of the other witches, he kept them ______ as he believed ______ were inclined to ___.

If he was _________ in causing the hunts to _____, he would’ve _______ the ______ of the witches from Glover.

Answer 17

a) secret
b) witches
c) lie
d) instrumental
e) begin
f) shared
g) names

Question 18

What are the 4 causes to consider?

Answer 18

Environment
Role of Salem magistrates
Families and their faith
Role of Cotton Mather

Question 19

How did environment contribute to the witch hunts?

Answer 19

An environment was created where paranoia and fear had fostered in it for decades (colonial rule, Indian attacks, theocracy).

Question 20

How did Salem magistrates contribute to the witch hunts?

Answer 20

Once the trial began and the Salem magistrates exposed more witches, the more fear that spread through the area resulted in more victims and witches emerging.

Question 21

How did families and their faith contribute to the witch hunts?

Answer 21

Families like the Parris’ and the Putnams were devout in their faith and were they were known to be involved in the trials and giving names.