The Salem Witch Trials
In 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts, many of the young girls and women were complaining of being possessed by the devil due to witchcraft. However, none of the villagers were certain of who was doing the witchcraft. The girls accused many other women and some men in the village out of revenge or pure hatred. “Thousands of suspected witches were hanged or burned in Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and belief in witches was common in the American colonies”. (The American Spirit, pg. 83) In today’s society many are accused of being guilty for something they truly never did, but some just don’t take the time to listen. The trials were completely ridiculous, and many innocent lives were taken because …show more content…
Sarah was a victim throughout the trials, the others girls weren’t okay with her when her “afflictions” declined. Due to the decline they told the villagers she signed the Devil’s book so that no harm would come to her. As a result, Sarah had no choice but to frame others for the witchcraft in order to save her own life. “Sarah confessed that her master George Jacobs Sr. and his granddaughter, Margaret Jacobs, forced her to sign the Devil 's book”. (The “Afflicted” of Salem, Weiser-Alexander) Many of the people she accused of doing the witchcraft were sent to Gallows Hill or prison. A few of the people she accused were some of the girls complaining that they were being afflicted themselves. Even though Sarah had to make a choice that had bad outcomes for others, she never did it out of revenge or hatred. Whereas most of the other girls …show more content…
She was naïve, irresponsible, and manipulative. She was also one of the first three to become afflicted. Ann let others into her head and because of that many died. Given that she was only twelve, she still had a mind of her own, but she still let others around her convince her otherwise. Ann sought vengeance for herself and her family.” She accused nineteen people and saw eleven of them hanged.” (The “Afflicted” of Salem, Weiser-Alexander) She believes it was Satan who deceived her, but she also admitted her wrong doings fourteen years after the trials had ended. Part of her apology includes her admitting that what she did was wrong and those who were killed were innocent. The text states “"I desire to be humbled before God for that sad and humbling providence that befell my father 's family in the year about ninety-two….be made an instrument for the accusing of several persons of a grievous crime, whereby their lives were taken away from them, whom, now I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons”. (The ‘Afflicted” of Salem, Weiser-Alexander) Ann should be known as a murderer, because of lies that she told many died. With that, her name appeared in the court records over 400 times. As a result, many lives were taken due to many of her miss
In 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts, many of the young girls and women were complaining of being possessed by the devil due to witchcraft. However, none of the villagers were certain of who was doing the witchcraft. The girls accused many other women and some men in the village out of revenge or pure hatred. “Thousands of suspected witches were hanged or burned in Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and belief in witches was common in the American colonies”. (The American Spirit, pg. 83) In today’s society many are accused of being guilty for something they truly never did, but some just don’t take the time to listen. The trials were completely ridiculous, and many innocent lives were taken because …show more content…
Sarah was a victim throughout the trials, the others girls weren’t okay with her when her “afflictions” declined. Due to the decline they told the villagers she signed the Devil’s book so that no harm would come to her. As a result, Sarah had no choice but to frame others for the witchcraft in order to save her own life. “Sarah confessed that her master George Jacobs Sr. and his granddaughter, Margaret Jacobs, forced her to sign the Devil 's book”. (The “Afflicted” of Salem, Weiser-Alexander) Many of the people she accused of doing the witchcraft were sent to Gallows Hill or prison. A few of the people she accused were some of the girls complaining that they were being afflicted themselves. Even though Sarah had to make a choice that had bad outcomes for others, she never did it out of revenge or hatred. Whereas most of the other girls …show more content…
She was naïve, irresponsible, and manipulative. She was also one of the first three to become afflicted. Ann let others into her head and because of that many died. Given that she was only twelve, she still had a mind of her own, but she still let others around her convince her otherwise. Ann sought vengeance for herself and her family.” She accused nineteen people and saw eleven of them hanged.” (The “Afflicted” of Salem, Weiser-Alexander) She believes it was Satan who deceived her, but she also admitted her wrong doings fourteen years after the trials had ended. Part of her apology includes her admitting that what she did was wrong and those who were killed were innocent. The text states “"I desire to be humbled before God for that sad and humbling providence that befell my father 's family in the year about ninety-two….be made an instrument for the accusing of several persons of a grievous crime, whereby their lives were taken away from them, whom, now I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons”. (The ‘Afflicted” of Salem, Weiser-Alexander) Ann should be known as a murderer, because of lies that she told many died. With that, her name appeared in the court records over 400 times. As a result, many lives were taken due to many of her miss