In Salem, Massachusetts, a series of ridiculous witch trials led to the death of many innocent people. In the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, he portrays the main cause of the witch trials was jealousy in the town. There are numerous theories about why so many people were falsely accused, but there is no agreed upon explanation as to why people were put on trial. The Salem witch trials were known to be fueled by hysteria, causing intolerance, irritability, and capriciousness, but some theories say otherwise. These theories include ergot poisoning, cold weather, jealousy among the townsfolk, the spread of Huntington 's disease, and the deep belief of religion. In the following paragraphs, each theory will be analyzed and explained whether
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HD is a hereditary disease marked by degeneration of the brain cells and causing chorea and progressive dementia (Google). An early sign of the disease was spotted in the 16th century by a Renaissance physician, Paracelsus. He noted people with the disease often shook and twitched like being possess. “English colonists in America called the disease Saint Vitus Dance, and many of the “witches” at the infamous Salem witch trials are believed to have had HD” (Powerofthegene.com). Huntington’s disease causes the basic symptoms showed in the witch trials such as paranoia and hallucinations. The people also demonstrated odd behavior and slow reactions, as if they possessed by the devil. Although the symptoms that displayed match with ones in the Salem trial, HD is a dominant gene and two out of thirteen accusers are related. The family had shown none of the symptoms. HD affects starts around the ages of forty to fifty” (Leyhew et al). The oldest accuser was sixteen during the witch trials, proving that they probably didn 't have HD. HD is a dominant gene, which mean others in the family will show the same symptoms but didn’t. There was one family recorded with HD, which was the Bures family. The members of the family were accused frequently for witchcraft and convicted of this crime” (faas.org et al). Bures was probably the only notable family with HD and were convicted because of their symptoms displayed.This shows that only a few people had HD and it does not explain the illness showed by others in Salem. Huntington’s disease is a theory that least likely to happen. Last but not least, religion affect the Salem witch trials. Finally, the theory is religion contributed to the Salem witch trials. The puritans were heavily influenced by Christian beliefs and the church. They disapprove people, who are an outsider and do not match with their code of conformity. The first women
HD is a hereditary disease marked by degeneration of the brain cells and causing chorea and progressive dementia (Google). An early sign of the disease was spotted in the 16th century by a Renaissance physician, Paracelsus. He noted people with the disease often shook and twitched like being possess. “English colonists in America called the disease Saint Vitus Dance, and many of the “witches” at the infamous Salem witch trials are believed to have had HD” (Powerofthegene.com). Huntington’s disease causes the basic symptoms showed in the witch trials such as paranoia and hallucinations. The people also demonstrated odd behavior and slow reactions, as if they possessed by the devil. Although the symptoms that displayed match with ones in the Salem trial, HD is a dominant gene and two out of thirteen accusers are related. The family had shown none of the symptoms. HD affects starts around the ages of forty to fifty” (Leyhew et al). The oldest accuser was sixteen during the witch trials, proving that they probably didn 't have HD. HD is a dominant gene, which mean others in the family will show the same symptoms but didn’t. There was one family recorded with HD, which was the Bures family. The members of the family were accused frequently for witchcraft and convicted of this crime” (faas.org et al). Bures was probably the only notable family with HD and were convicted because of their symptoms displayed.This shows that only a few people had HD and it does not explain the illness showed by others in Salem. Huntington’s disease is a theory that least likely to happen. Last but not least, religion affect the Salem witch trials. Finally, the theory is religion contributed to the Salem witch trials. The puritans were heavily influenced by Christian beliefs and the church. They disapprove people, who are an outsider and do not match with their code of conformity. The first women