For thousands of years, people have had a fascination with the art of magic. What was once considered as a counterculture of witches and other deviants, magic has evolved into a unique performing art that not only has the ability to give people a sense of childlike wonder, but also connect with people in a much deeper way than any other form of entertainment (Jandt, 18). It has the power to make people believe in the impossible and inspires people to follow their dreams. Recently, a new bill has been introduced to Congress to “establish magic as a rare and valuable art form and national treasure” (Magic is Art). This bill would allow the art of magic to be preserved and protected for generations to come. With a world captivated by magic, in
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The earliest known mention of magic as a performing art was in the ancient Egyptian text The Westcar Papyrus, dating all the way to 2700 B.C. For a long time, displays of magic were thought of as witchcraft. The practice of witchcraft had been considered to be against the church, and witches were said to be evil, having made pacts with the devil (Purdy). In the 1400s, witchcraft outbreaks in Europe caused many people to be wrongfully accused and prosecuted for practicing witchcraft (Purdy). In 1584, Reginald Scot published the first book about magic and deception by an English author titled The Discoverie of Witchcraft (Davies). Scot did not accept the existence of witchcraft and wrote the book to expose the methods of deception used by charlatans to make the public believe in the practice (Davies). In the book, Scot explained many sleight of hand demonstrations and claimed that mental illness and ignorance was to blame for people’s belief of witchcraft (Purdy). The Discoverie of Witchcraft was met with much controversy and any writers refuted Scot’s opinions on witchcraft. There is even a myth that King James I of England ordered copies of Scot’s book to be publicly burnt, although there is no evidence of this actually occurring (Davies). The most well known witch hunts were conducted in Salem, Massachusetts in
The earliest known mention of magic as a performing art was in the ancient Egyptian text The Westcar Papyrus, dating all the way to 2700 B.C. For a long time, displays of magic were thought of as witchcraft. The practice of witchcraft had been considered to be against the church, and witches were said to be evil, having made pacts with the devil (Purdy). In the 1400s, witchcraft outbreaks in Europe caused many people to be wrongfully accused and prosecuted for practicing witchcraft (Purdy). In 1584, Reginald Scot published the first book about magic and deception by an English author titled The Discoverie of Witchcraft (Davies). Scot did not accept the existence of witchcraft and wrote the book to expose the methods of deception used by charlatans to make the public believe in the practice (Davies). In the book, Scot explained many sleight of hand demonstrations and claimed that mental illness and ignorance was to blame for people’s belief of witchcraft (Purdy). The Discoverie of Witchcraft was met with much controversy and any writers refuted Scot’s opinions on witchcraft. There is even a myth that King James I of England ordered copies of Scot’s book to be publicly burnt, although there is no evidence of this actually occurring (Davies). The most well known witch hunts were conducted in Salem, Massachusetts in