THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS

Dylan Discher

Mrs. Martin’s 2nd Period

10-13-11

WHAT'S A WITCH ?

Witch- somebody with magic powers: somebody, especially a woman, who is supposed to have magical or wonder-working powers that are most often used to cause harm

Picture1 http://familycrafts.about.com/od/halloweencoloringpages/ss/Witch-Hat-Coloring-Page.htm

Picture2 http://tradingphrases.com/witch-moon-halloween-decals.html

WHY DID THE W ITCH TRIALS HAPPEN ?

The puritans being extremely religious & superstitious had not attempted to find a scientific explanation for the symptoms of the girls that were bewitched. So they blamed people.

TITBUANo one knows anything about her before witch trials and after she was released and sold

Her main job (as a servant) was to care for the Parris children while there parents where away.

She liked to entertain the children with stories of magic, fort ion telling, and spirits.

The children began to act strangely under her care behaving strangely, this lead to Mr. Parris to feel suspicious.

Titbua was beaten by Mr. Parris until she confessed to being a witch then imprisoned.

ANN PUTNAMBorn in Salem Massachusetts, Died 1706

Listened to Tibua's stories in secrete and eventually broke out into fits.

She made the most and the wildest accusations this made her the ring leader of the girls that have been bewitched.

She was used to identify witches during the trials.

Unlike outher accusers she apologized for her behiver

SARAH GOOD

Excited July 19th, 1692

She hade many failed marriages leaving her and her last husband to beg for food and shelter.

She mumbled angrily when people denied to help, this lead people to believe they were curses on them or their livestock.

Her daughter confessed to being a witch to be with her in prison.

Before she was excited she said to minister Noyles “you are a liar I am no more a witch than you a wizard , if you take my life god will give you blood to drink.’’ (he died many years later from internal bleeding).

GILES CORY

Excicuted September 19, 1692 (first person to ever be pressed to death in Salem).

He was a wealthy farmer member of church, and always involved in lawsuits.

He was accused (with his wife)stayed in prison for mouths before finally getting a trial.

He refused to plead guilty or innocent. the reason for this was because no one was on his side. That lead him to his punishment, pressed to death

SAMUEL SEWALL

Born 1652 Hampshire England, Died Boston 1730

He was a judge for the trials (interrogator).

After the trials he wrote a confession out of guilt because of the trials.

He set aside one day each year to honor dead and pray for forgiveness. He was the only judge to publically express regret for his role in the trials.

CONCLUSION

I thing that the trials were an unnecessary event in our history. It’s a shame that it happened. If I was accused of practicing witchcraft I would attempt to leave town if possible. I wouldn't want to be caught up in all that mess!

ttp://www.mattsmetalworks.com/holiday.htm

WORKS CITED

Orr Tamara. The Salem witch trials. San Diego, CA: Blackberch press, 2004.