Witchcraft And The Law Flashcards
What were witches portrayed as being?
Having familiars, being old and ugly, being poor beggars, cursing people for not giving them money, had evil powers from the devil
What evidence was used for a witchcraft accusation?
Claims of curses e.g. Ugliness or bad luck. They would have been based on behaviour and appearance like age and begging or being seen with familiars
What was it believed that witches had done?
It was believed that they had sold their souls to the devil to gain evil powers
What law against witchcraft was introduced by Henry VIII in 1542?
The Witchcraft Act which meant witches would be punished by death
What law against witchcraft was introduced by Elizabeth I in 1563?
Act against conjurations, enchantments and witchcraft. This meant witchcraft crimes against other people were punished by death and minor crimes meant time in the stocks
What law against witchcraft was introduced by James I in 1604?
The witchcraft conjuration act which meant the death penalty was given to anyone summoning spirits
What law against witchcraft was introduced by George II in 1735?
The witchcraft act which meant witches seen as confidence tricksters and meant punishments were fines and imprisonment
Why did James I introduce harsh witchcraft laws?
Due to his paranoia after the gunpowder plot
How did economic problems cause an increase in witchcraft accusations?
Falling wages, rising unemployment, poor harvests led to rises in numbers of vagabonds leading to witchcraft being an excuse for rich people to get rid of beggars and an excuse for poor harvests
How did changes in religion lead to an increase in witchcraft accusations?
Due to the growth of Protestantism, people feared Catholicism leading to more attempts to catch witches.
How did attitudes to women cause an increase in witchcraft accusations?
Women were viewed as property of their father/husband so were seen as cunning and wise and more likely to be swayed by the devil especially if they were widowed or not married
How did the English Civil War lead to an increase in witchcraft accusations?
The war led to massive disruption and uncertainty and the climate of fear from the wars led to people being more attracted to superstitious ideas
What was demonology?
It was a book describing the nature of hell, how to catch and trial witches and even included a story of how witches had tried to drown him and his wife
Who was Mathew Hopkins?
He was the witch finder general. Who was a former lawyer and had set out the task of hunting down witches in the east of England
What trials did Mathew Hopkins use?
He use a range in interrogation methods including restricting restricting the accused food to bread and water and depriving them of sleep
