Towns and Countryside Flashcards
Where were most witches found?
Small, rural communities
How could enmity develop in local communities?
Intimate environments and maintained traditional beliefs
Who played an important role in village life?
Cunning folk/wise women
What were people who carried out white magic prone to?
Accusations of maleficium
Why were women more likely to be accused?
Maintained popular culture of white magic
Why were village committees setup?
Investigate claims from neighbours
Why were committees more likely to find people guilty?
Lacked the objectivity of external judges
Who dominated these committees?
People just below the elite (learned elite)
Why were forming the committees a political motive?
Members able to take out their opponents
What happened in Winningen, Germany?
Younger men used accusations to attack the old elite that ran the village
What meant witch craft accusations were less likely in towns?
Anonymity
