The discrimination against older, widowed women in control of property is seen in the demographics of those accused as 66 of the 144 accused were women over 40, 12 of which were executed, the highest ratio of accused to executed amongst the age groups, and 22 of the 132 women accused were widows (Karlsen 66, 72). The rights women acquired made men feel insecure about their positions in society resulting in a hyper-masculine attitude reflected in the demographics of the accused. The increase of women’s sovereignty in the mid-17th century and the hyper-masculine attitude that rose in response to it fostered the perfect atmosphere for the Salem Witch Trials to occur.
The changing gender roles also contradicted Puritan culture, which put the society
The changing gender roles also contradicted Puritan culture, which put the society