Lesson 10 C1500 - C1700

Question 1

The witch hunts of

Answer 1

1645 - 47

Question 2

These years saw an increase in what and why?

Answer 2

number of executions for witchcraft, partly due to Matthew Hopkins, who called himself the ‘witchfinder General ‘

Question 3

What were the witch - hunts? When did they take place and where?
Who was investigated and what did it lead to?

Answer 3

When people actively tried to discover witches. The hunts of 1645-47 occurred the English civil war, a period of great upheaval. They were concentrated in certain areas , particularly the east of England.

Hundred of women and few men (mostly clergymen ) were investigated. Those convicted were usually executed mostly by hanging

Question 4

What did Matthew Hopkins create, when was it published and why did it spread around?

Answer 4

• Pamphlet, The discovery of Witches published in 1547, The invention of the printing press in 1440 meant information was spread more quickly

Question 5

2 Reasons for the intensity of the 1645-47 witch - hunts

Answer 5

-Social changes
The war left many women widowed or on their own as their husbands went away to fight. There was also more strangers around as people travelled with the armies or searched for work

-Influence of individuals
Since 1603, James I has promoted witch-hunting. People like Matthew hopkins stirred up fear of witches through their writing and taking part in witch hunts themselves

Question 6

3 Reasons for the intensity of the 1645-47 witch - hunts

Answer 6

• Lack of authority
  Civil war weakened the control of local authorities, in some areas law and order completely collapsed
• Religious change
  Religious differences were increased by the civil war. Many puritans on the side of the parliament believed that witchcraft was being used by the Royalist, some of whom were Catholic
• Economic problems
  The civil war and poor harvests caused huge economic problems .People looked for scapegoats.

Question 7

Who was Matthew Hopkins and his role?

Answer 7

Employed by JP to find witches in Essex and East Anglia
- He received money for each person prosecuted for being a ‘witch’, his work led to 300 people being investigated for WC , 112 were hanged
- He used torture to extract confessions (Other witches names)
- He helped stir up mass panic and fear ( through prosecutions and pamphlets )

Question 8

Evidence for witchcraft ( used to convict people of witchcraft )

Answer 8

• unusual marks on body of accused
• witness accounts
• when pricked with needle = no blood
• When thrown into water = accused float
  confessions from accused
  if proven witches swear accused is a witch
  possessed children acting as accusers