The New England Native American and the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria

The New England Native
American and the Salem
Witchcraft Hysteria
Is the latest theory viable? What caused the hysteria?
What were the Trials?
§  When: January 1692-October 1692
§  Where: anchored in Salem Town and Salem Village
(Danvers/Peabody) but stretched from Maine to the South
Shore
§  Who: Eleven main accusers, nine judges, two expert
witnesses, twelve jurors, over two hundred arrested, nineteen
hanged, five died in jail, one tortured to death
§  Why?
Life in 17th Century New England
§  It was literally dark
§  Wilderness
§  Long winters
§  Indian wars
§  Frontier life
§  Superstition and fear
§  Death and sickness
http://2012yr6.leverhouse.net/2011/10/12/thedark-darkwoods/
The Latest Theory as to Why
§  Fear of the Native American
§  Caused by the violence of the Indian Wars
§  King Philip’s War (1675-1676)
§  King William’s War (1689-1697)
§  People believed Indians were associated with the Devil
§  Is this reason possible?
What do you see?
Why the Indian Wars as a Cause?
§  At least nine of the “afflicted” girls had witnessed Indian
warfare
§  Attacks had happened recently
§  January 25, 1692, in York, Maine
§  Constant fear of Indians and raids
§  Refugees brought news of raids
§  Culture of fear
§  Salem’s citizens suffered from “irrational fear”
“Afflicted” Girls who saw Indian
Warfare
§  Marcy Lewis, 19, often called the “ringleader”
§  Sarah Churchill, 25
§  Elizabeth (“Betty”) Hubbard, 17
§  Susannah Sheldon, 18
§  Mercy Short, 17
§  Martha Sprague, 16
§  Mary Watkins, 20s
Other Key Points
§  Many described the devil as a “black man”
§  Puritans had no concept of race (African v. Indian)
§  Descriptions sounded a lot like an Indian in English-style
clothing
§  Torments were similar to those from Indian raids and captivity
From the Trials
§  Forty-eight transcripts reference a “black man”
§  The complaint of Susanna Shelden against phillip english the s'd
Susanah Shelden being at meetting on the Sabboth day being the 24 of
aprill shee beeing aflicted in a very sad manner she saw phillip english
step over his pew and pinshed her and a womand which came
from boston wich saith her name is [goodwy] when shee were coming home against william Shaws house their met her phillip english
and a black man with a hy c[rbar ]ouned hatt on his head and a book in
hish hand houlding the book to her and phillip english told her that
black man were her god and if shee would touch that boock hee
would not pinsh her no more nor no bodie els should
Abigail Williams v. Sarah Osborne,
Tituba, and Sarah Good, May 1692
The testimony of Abigail Williams testifyh & saith that severall times
last February she hath been much afflicted with pains in her head &
other parts & often pinched by the apparition of Sarah Good, Sarah
Osburne & Tituba Indian all of Salem Village & also excessively
afflicted by the said apparition of said Good , Osburne , & Tituba at
their examination before authority the. 1'st March last past 1691/2
Farther the said Abigail Williams testifyeth that she saw the apparition
of said Sarah Good at her examination pinch Eliz: Hubbard & set her
into fits & also Eliz: Parris, & Ann Putman
Mercy Lewis v. Giles Corey, September
1692
The Deposistion of Mercy lewes agged about 19 years who testifieth and
saith that on the 14'th April 1692 I saw the Apperishtion of Giles Cory com
and afflect me urging me to writ in his book and so he contineued most
dreadfully to hurt me by times beating me & almost braking my back tell
the day of his examination being the 19th April and then allso dureing the
time of his examination he did afflect and tortor me most greviously: and
also several times sence urging me vehemently to writ in his book and I
veryly beleve in my heart that Giles Cory is a dreadfull wizzard for sence
he had ben in prison he or his Apperance has com and most greviously
tormented me.
Mercy Lewis: affirmd to the Jury of Inquest. that the above
written evidence: is the truth upon the oath: she has formerly taken
in the Court of Oyer & terminer: Sept'r 9: 1692
What do you think?
§  Is this explanation viable?
§  Salem Witch Trials Archive
§  17th Century Colonial Life
§  Salem Witch Trials
Your Task
§  You will research another theory (Ms. P. will assign them)
§  Generate evidence, counterpoints, and rebuttals
§  We will be debating!