Austin Bell
Professor Schroeder
Religion 321
25 November 2015
Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch Trials are a very well known piece of American history that is still heavily researched today. These trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts starting in February of 1692 and ending around May, 1693. The trials consisted of a number of different Salem residents being accused of partaking in witchcraft activities. As many as 141 people were arrested for this and out of those, 20 people were executed because of these accusations. Today, these trials are known for the frantic quality in which they were conducted; Many of Salem’s residents were suspected and convicted of witchcraft with insubstantial evidence. The Salem Witch Trials all started off …show more content…
Tituba was the first witch to confess in Salem. A lot of findings propose that she likely did this to avoid further punishment from her slave owners. In Tituba’s confession she apologized for hurting Betty and Abigail, claiming she never wanted that to happen and also expressed her love for the children. She also wrote an in depth story about an active community of witches residing in Salem. In this story she claimed that two other women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne, were also witches. By confessing early and admitting about the others, Tituba avoided the process of going to trial. Her husband John would also fall into the court system and became afflicted with witchcraft. During the whole process and history of Tituba’s accusation, Witchcraft began to take over the town of Salem which included a large portion of the …show more content…
Judge Samuel Sewall publicly announced his own error and guilt. The court ordered an official day of fasting and soul searching for the community. In 1702 the court declared all the past and still pending court trials unlawful. Then in 1711 the court passed a law concerning the good names of previously mistreated and previously charges individuals. This restored restitution for their relatives and heirs still living. One unique fact is that Massachusetts didn’t formally apologize until some 250 years later which was in
Professor Schroeder
Religion 321
25 November 2015
Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch Trials are a very well known piece of American history that is still heavily researched today. These trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts starting in February of 1692 and ending around May, 1693. The trials consisted of a number of different Salem residents being accused of partaking in witchcraft activities. As many as 141 people were arrested for this and out of those, 20 people were executed because of these accusations. Today, these trials are known for the frantic quality in which they were conducted; Many of Salem’s residents were suspected and convicted of witchcraft with insubstantial evidence. The Salem Witch Trials all started off …show more content…
Tituba was the first witch to confess in Salem. A lot of findings propose that she likely did this to avoid further punishment from her slave owners. In Tituba’s confession she apologized for hurting Betty and Abigail, claiming she never wanted that to happen and also expressed her love for the children. She also wrote an in depth story about an active community of witches residing in Salem. In this story she claimed that two other women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne, were also witches. By confessing early and admitting about the others, Tituba avoided the process of going to trial. Her husband John would also fall into the court system and became afflicted with witchcraft. During the whole process and history of Tituba’s accusation, Witchcraft began to take over the town of Salem which included a large portion of the …show more content…
Judge Samuel Sewall publicly announced his own error and guilt. The court ordered an official day of fasting and soul searching for the community. In 1702 the court declared all the past and still pending court trials unlawful. Then in 1711 the court passed a law concerning the good names of previously mistreated and previously charges individuals. This restored restitution for their relatives and heirs still living. One unique fact is that Massachusetts didn’t formally apologize until some 250 years later which was in