The Salem Witch trials represented an episode of strife, hysteria, and community paranoia; the likes of which the world has never encountered, albeit witchcraft was condemned in other regions of the colonies as well as Europe. Salem was a devoutly religious society and whenever supernatural events that couldn’t be explained logically or reasonably, witchcraft was the scapegoat that explained everything. The Salem Witch trials were a direct result of misogynous qualities that men harbored, which was only exacerbated by chemical hallucinogenics that disseminated paranoia to all citizens. From the arrival to Massachusetts Bay in 1628 to 1692 the colony of the Puritans was established under religious principles and hoped to be an icon
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Misogyny is thought of a cause because women in an ideal Puritan society were to be submissive and obedient housewives. Some women were fortunate to be involved within the economic strata of the village, which included midwives, who took care of women during their labor, as the men could not. This infuriated men because they had to pay for the midwives services. Ann Pudeator of Salem village was an unfortunately targeted because of her labor. Within Salem Village she held the role as midwife and she was unmarried toward the latter parts of her life, and she was still able to support herself financially without a spouse near the end of her …show more content…
Once the daughters of Parris started the hysteria the paranoia only escalated quicker than expected due to the ergot fungus. The growth of the ergot fungus is contingent on damp, warm weather to proliferate and these were the appropriate conditions within Salem of 1691. Grain would be cultivated in the fall of 1691 and later eaten in the winter, when soon after the witchcraft accusations began. Moreover, the majority of the grains were cultivated in the western portion of the village where the majority of the accusers lived. The ergot in combination with those in favor of Parris were victims of the fungus and once people began being accused of witchcraft it was a matter of time before the entire village fell victim. The following summer was dry so the ergot would not be able to grow and manifest itself upon the community and the decline coincided with the fall of the
Misogyny is thought of a cause because women in an ideal Puritan society were to be submissive and obedient housewives. Some women were fortunate to be involved within the economic strata of the village, which included midwives, who took care of women during their labor, as the men could not. This infuriated men because they had to pay for the midwives services. Ann Pudeator of Salem village was an unfortunately targeted because of her labor. Within Salem Village she held the role as midwife and she was unmarried toward the latter parts of her life, and she was still able to support herself financially without a spouse near the end of her …show more content…
Once the daughters of Parris started the hysteria the paranoia only escalated quicker than expected due to the ergot fungus. The growth of the ergot fungus is contingent on damp, warm weather to proliferate and these were the appropriate conditions within Salem of 1691. Grain would be cultivated in the fall of 1691 and later eaten in the winter, when soon after the witchcraft accusations began. Moreover, the majority of the grains were cultivated in the western portion of the village where the majority of the accusers lived. The ergot in combination with those in favor of Parris were victims of the fungus and once people began being accused of witchcraft it was a matter of time before the entire village fell victim. The following summer was dry so the ergot would not be able to grow and manifest itself upon the community and the decline coincided with the fall of the