Dbq Why Do Witches Exist

In 1692, the infamous Salem witchcraft trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts. In 1692, the village minister’s daughter became sick. She felt like someone was pinching her body. Weeks later, 3 girls felt the same symptoms. Reverend Parris thought witchcraft was involved. He was making them say the names of the witches that were torturing them. The three girls named accused three women one of whom was Parris’s Indian slave, Tituba. Tituba confessed and said that there four woman and a man that was causing the girl's illness. Cotten Mather, one of the most influential religious leaders in America caused the witchcraft trials. According to Document A, states that people think that witches do exist. “We never met with any robbers on the road, therefore there never was any padding there.” Mather was using a false equivalent which means if robbers exist, why can witches exist as well. Most people were convinced because Cotten Mather was an influential person at that time. Therefore people believed that witches do exist and he help caused the …show more content…
The Testimony of Abigail Hobbs helped people be convinced that there are witches because she confessed. She was mostly confessing and seeing things that are not normal. “I have seen dogs and many creatures/ I mean the Devil.” Abigail Hobbs confessed because the jury said that if the accused confessed, they would escape death. but would have to tell them who else are witches and what were they to do. So since they proved they “witches”, then there would be more witch hunts. The loss of acres for the farmers help cause the witchcraft trials. In 1640 the acres from families were pretty good, especially in 1653 ish. Then from there on, the acres were decreasing and the Salem witchcraft trials started in 1692. The whole reason why the acres were lowering was because people were starting to accuse people of being witches which then to the trials in