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Samuel Parris and the Salem Witchcraft Outbreak Salem’s witchcraft outbreaks shaped the reason for the “Witch Hunt” of 1692. These scandalous accusations marked New England as a time in which evil was found within the locals; endangering, provoking fear and blaming women for the practice of witchcraft. Accusations of witchcraft had been part of Colonial America before Salem in 1692, but the intensity in which cases of witchcraft developed throughout Salem, increased the interest for historians, forming many questions. Why did witchcraft accusations and fear increase during this era? The witch hunt of 1692 originated in Salem, Massachusetts, and surrounding villages. Promoting a panic state between the people living …show more content…
Believing or accusing a person of witch crafting, was very delicate and serious. Reason why this accusation was not simply imposed on a person due to its severity and complexity to deal with. Trials for witch crafting were in fact, very rare among the Puritans, and conviction may as well be considered uncommon to occur. Samuel Parris had sufficient influence over the people of Salem to convince them that the reason for the many unfortunate situations occurring in people’s households are witch crafting. Parris provided his audience with speeches that led people of Salem to think that the Devil was acting in their town by witch crafting and diabolical acts. Convincing his audience was the starting point towards the extensive accusations of witch crafting about to …show more content…
Eleven years old Abigail alleged many people of using witchcraft on her, which led Samuel Parris to find the people responsible and put them on trial. Minister Samuel Parris trialed individuals who were accused by two or more people who had supposedly seen the person committing witchcraft or if the suspect did illegal acts which required devils in order for these acts to occur. Minister Parris chose this method as the most appropriate and so did the rest of the congregation. Along the many flaws in this corrupt system, the most outstanding was the trial suspects had to go through. If the suspect wanted to regain his freedom, the defendant had to pledge guilty. But if the suspect refuses, and does not admit he/she is guilty, the defendant will be executed. Technically individuals suspected of witch crafting had the choice of walk away from Salem alive by admitting guild, or die and keep their soul at ease. False confessions determined their possibility to roam around alive, while innocent souls were executed for denying blatant