Salem Town Influence On Society

Societies tend to acclimate well to changes that are gradual or singular. In certain cases, however, dramatic or multiple simultaneous changes often hold great influence over many a people, whether they promote alterations in social, political, or overall cultural aspects of life. One such society that underwent dramatic change was the Puritanistic Salem, Massachusetts. A society’s actions are combustible when imposed by factors that bring about unwanted differences. A comparative society to Salem was the United States in the 1950s, when fear of Communism possessed numerous Americans and compelled them to violently lash out against innocent people. Like the United States in the mid-twentieth century, Salem is renowned for handling change …show more content…
On the other hand, Salem Village was more rural and comprised of farmers. Life in Salem Village was burdened by the presence of the wilderness and oppressive weather conditions (“Salem Town and Salem Village”). While Salem Town was a little more open-minded in a religious respect, Salem Village held fast to its stricter belief system (Brandt). Both communities were indecisive on how to distribute authoritative power among their citizens. It was debated on whether the power should be limited to the educated class (which leaned in favor of the town) or broadened with the inclusion of the middle and lower classes (“Salem Town and Salem Village”). Salem Village was trying to affirm itself as a stable and sufficient settlement; the village was passionate about taking advancing steps socially and economically, but not religiously, which was a setback in the idea that the people were unwelcoming toward new influences. Both communities continued to increase tensions in these disputed subjects. Another distinguishing detail was that Salem Town had power over Salem Village, and the villagers were striving to gain independence from it (“Salem Town and Salem Village”). Matters worsened when the minister Samuel Parris gathered a following of villagers in support of independence (“Salem Town and Salem …show more content…
Two regional wars occurred during 1675-1678 and 1688-1699: King Phillip’s war and King William’s war, respectively (Norton). King William’s War took place in the duration of the Salem witch trials, which raised the hysteria surrounding witchcraft. In this war, the French inhabitants of Canada and their Native American allies, the Wabanaki tribe, made frequent raids of New England settlements, moving west to east (“Mather, Cotton, Cheever, Ezekiel, and Sewall, Samuel”). Frightened colonists fled their homes eastward to places like Salem (Norton). The newcomers at Salem were able to influence and further cultivate the fear and resentment toward Native Americans; hence, unexpected change. Superstitious beliefs in witchcraft were manipulated by Native presences throughout the seventeenth century in part due to the conception that Native Americans were demoniac savages. It was interestingly noticed that a number of accusers were refugees who had suffered losses in the theater where the war took place (Norton). Many accusers claimed to have seen “the Devil in the shape of an Indian” (Norton) during trials. One of the first accused women, Tituba, was of Native American descent (Norton). The influence which the Native Americans had on the colonists created strains of prejudice that promoted the convictions of witches. Native Americans became spectral scapegoats used by witnesses to condemn witches. Clashes