The Salem witch trials of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, was a notorious episode in American history. This historical event resulted in the execution by hanging of fourteen women and five men accused of practicing witchcraft. Furthermore, one man was pressed to death by heavy weights; at least eight people died in prison; and more than one hundred individuals were jailed while awaiting trial. The political discrimination experienced in Salem was the foundation for the trials. In 1692, the town of Salem, Massachusetts was split into two distinct sections. The residents were divided into two families, the Porters and the Putnams. As stated in Document J, “the Porters enjoyed political prestige in Salem Town and lived in the village’s eastern
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J). This clear bias resulted in political unrest. The Putnam family wanted to exploit the higher class by accusing the eastern half of Salem that their residents were practicing witchcraft. These drastic measures were taken in order for the Putnam people to have their political power restored. As seen in Document I, the majority of accusers resided in the western half of Putnam-owned Salem. The eastern half of Salem consisted of witchcraft defenders, also seen in Document I. The Putnam people wanted to send the Porter family into hysterics by means of witchcraft. The first to be executed was one Bridget Bishop, who was accused of bewitching five young girls. In Bishop’s statement to her Examiner, she says, “I am innocent to a witch” (Doc. F). Being innocent to a witch means that she denies practicing witchcraft and is therefore sentenced to death. The first death of a witch sent the town into hysterics, and this led the Putnam people to accuse the Porter families of witchcraft. Some may argue that this wasn’t political discrimination and was rather just a blatant fear of the unknown. After an Indian slave was caught showing young girls the basis of witchcraft, it breed
J). This clear bias resulted in political unrest. The Putnam family wanted to exploit the higher class by accusing the eastern half of Salem that their residents were practicing witchcraft. These drastic measures were taken in order for the Putnam people to have their political power restored. As seen in Document I, the majority of accusers resided in the western half of Putnam-owned Salem. The eastern half of Salem consisted of witchcraft defenders, also seen in Document I. The Putnam people wanted to send the Porter family into hysterics by means of witchcraft. The first to be executed was one Bridget Bishop, who was accused of bewitching five young girls. In Bishop’s statement to her Examiner, she says, “I am innocent to a witch” (Doc. F). Being innocent to a witch means that she denies practicing witchcraft and is therefore sentenced to death. The first death of a witch sent the town into hysterics, and this led the Putnam people to accuse the Porter families of witchcraft. Some may argue that this wasn’t political discrimination and was rather just a blatant fear of the unknown. After an Indian slave was caught showing young girls the basis of witchcraft, it breed