The Salem Witch Mock Trial

Transcription

Natalie Moore and Jillian Zuber
10/2/2007
US History
Eleventh Grade
The Salem Witch Trials: What Really Happened?
Essential Questions/Big Ideas:
- What happens when fear gets carried away?
- How does a historical event get recorded and interpreted?
General Objectives:
- This lesson incorporates the following NCSS Standards:
II. Time, Continuity, and Change
a) Demonstrate that historical knowledge and the concept of time are socially influenced
constructions that lead historians to be selective in the questions they seek to answer and the
evidence they use;
d) Systematically employ processes of critical historical inquiry to reconstruct and reinterpret the
past, such as using a variety of sources and checking their credibility, validating and weighing
evidence for claims, and searching for causality;
- This lesson incorporates the following SOL Standards:
USI.5: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the factors that shaped colonial America by:
a) Describing the religious and economic events and conditions that led to the colonization of
America;
b) Comparing and contrasting life in the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern colonies,
with emphasis on how people interacted with their environment;
Learning Outcomes:
- Students will KNOW…
- The Salem Witch Trials are documented through primary resources including: court case
records, letters from townspeople, maps, diaries, interviews and first person accounts
- There are four major theories about the Salem witch trials including: a theory regarding the
social/economic status of the village and town, a theory that examines the affects of religion, a
theory that looks at the repression of children and a theory that looks at how fungus in wheat
could have affected the population
- Students will UNDERSTAND…
- That there are multiple perspectives to historical events and they may be interpreted differently
based on evidence
- That the religious and economic nature of the New England colonies contributed to the hysteria
in Salem
- Students will BE ABLE TO…
- Discern potential biases in primary resources and how they may affect historical interpretation
- Utilize historical inquiry to make their own decisions and theories about historical people,
events and periods
- Create their own theories/hypothesis and use historical evidence to support them
- Students will DEVELOP…
- An attitude of tolerance for the diversity found in American society
- An attitude of respect for their fellow classmates and their values
- A sense of civic duty to be a responsible citizen
- Students will IMPROVE…
Archived on www.ClassBrain.com
- Group, cooperation, reading, comprehension, critical thinking and evaluating historical
evidence skills
Assessment: Methods of Evaluating Student Progress/Performance:
- Formative:
- Response to the video clip
- Graphic organizer from learning stations
- Questions to each of the four theories on Salem
- Exit Card
- Summative:
- Mock Salem Witch Trial
Content Outline:
- Definitions (http://dictionary.reference.com/)
- Primary source:
D: An original fundamental and authoritative document pertaining to an event or subject
of inquiry; a firsthand or eyewitness account of an event
E: A diary entry
A: Written or recorded in first person account from someone who is an eyewitness
N: A textbook
- Secondary source:
D: Any document that describes an event, person, place, or thing, usually not created
contemporaneously
E: A textbook
A: Written or recorded information about an event by someone who is not an eyewitness
N: A photograph
- Sources of bias:
D: Manipulation of information for an intended purpose
E: Not providing both sides of a court battle on the news in order to show the defendant
in a negative light
A: Manipulation of information can include selection, omission, distortion of images, the
misuse of names, statistics, and changes in word choice or tone
N: Showing both sides of the story in a court battle on the news in order to paint the
defendant in a neutral light
- Witchcraft trials in Salem (The Americans McDougal Littell)
- The strict limitations on women’s roles, social tensions, strained relations with Native
Americans, and religious fanaticism all contributed to the hysteria
- 1692: several Salem girls accused a West Indian slave women, Tituba, of practicing witchcraft
- In a society under constant fear of attack, these accusations drew a great deal of attention
- The girls began to accuse others of witchcraft and those accused tried to save themselves by
naming other “witches”
- Hysteria gripped the town as more were accused and the accustations began to highlight
social and religious tensions
- Many of the accusers were poor and brought charges against richer residents
- Many of the accused were women who were considered to independent
- The accustations continued until the girls dared to charge such prominent citizens as the
governor’s wife
- The court realized they were hearing false evidence and closed the cases
- The hysteria ended, but 19 people had been killed, five people died in jail, and 150 people were
imprisoned
Student and Teacher Activities with Estimated Time Blocks: (Based on 90 minute block)
1. HOOK- Mock Witch Hunt (~15 minutes)
- Students have just concluded a unit and taken a test or given some type of assessment
- Have the desks arranged throughout classroom in groups of five so that students are facing each other
- Post “Salem Witch Trial” Seating Chart on the overhead projector
- Once students are seated have them create a group name and write them on the overhead
- NOW APPEARING STERN, ANGRY, AND UPSET tell students that you have graded the
test/assessment and that you have discovered that four people have cheated
- Tell them how this is against the school’s honor code and could result in detention, suspension, etc.
- Tell them they have 3 minutes (time them with a stop-watch!) to find out who cheated and that one
person in each group who has cheated or the entire class will fail the test and their parents will be
contacted
- Talk to students to encourage them to question and accuse one another of cheating. Often students will
confess to “save the class” or give excuses or explanations to each other on how they did/did not cheat
- When 3 minutes are up have students reveal “the cheaters” and ask students why they admitted to
cheating when they did not or why they felt the need to be defensive
- DEBRIEF:
- Explain the chaos that evolved in the classroom is similar to the hysteria felt by Salem towns
and village people
- That if they were children in Salem this would have been a LIFE OR DEATH situation
- Explain how some “witches” went to trial or confessed to crimes of witchcraft to save their
own lives!
- Ask students how this activity made them feel and relate it to how the accused in Salem might
have felt (EMOTIONAL RESPONSES/CONNECTIONS)
2. VIDEO CLIP- “The Crucible” (~10 minutes)
- Teacher will pass out Salem Witch Trial Introduction worksheet and read aloud while students silently
follow (see attached worksheet)
- Teacher will ask the students what they know or have heard about the Salem Witch Trials
- Teacher will show a short movie clip to illustrate to the students the hysteria of the young girls
- Students will write 3-4 sentences about their reactions to the video on their Introduction worksheet
3. LEARNING STATIONS- The Documents of the Trials (~30 minutes)
- Pass out Learning Station Graphic Organizers (see attached worksheet)
- Explain to students they will be visiting 4 different learning stations as groups and looking at different
primary resources from the Salem Witch Trials
- Assign a group to each station and note to students that they will have approximately 30 minutes and
that they should rotate around the classroom in a clock-wise manner
- Also, remind students that as part of a debrief activity they will be asked to evaluate interactions and
work ethics of their group
- So they should make an effort to communicate and work together effectively!
- STATION 1: COURT CASES
- Students choose one of four court cases to examine as a group; some groups will be
based on reading levels especially with groups who have ELL students because the court
cases are adapted from early English language
- Students should take turns reading aloud, or silently (group choice) the court case and
then write responses to the questions provided in the graphic organizer
- STATION 2: BIOGRAPHIES
- Students will read biographies from accused witches, townspeople, and village people
- Then on the graphic organizer they will write their own postcard/letter (3-4 sentences)
taking on the role of the person who they read about
- They may draw pictures too if they would like
- Students will read their letters aloud to one another and discuss the possible biases of
the authors
- STATION 3: MAPS
- Students will examine different maps of Salem, including maps that detail economic
prosperity, where the “accused” and “accusers” lived, and the role the road played in
creating a new merchant class
- Students will look at the maps and write a short explanation of the theories behind them
on their graphic organizer and answer questions related to the maps
- Students will hypothesize how the locations of the accused and accusers relate to the
economic or social status of where they lived
- STATION 4: WEB ACTIVITY
- Students will go to the following website: http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/salem/
- Students will follow the online directions and record if they confessed or not and what
the consequences were
- Students will write a brief summary of the case on the website
4. GROUP WORK-Salem Theories (~30 minutes)
**Note some of the information (stories) provided will be differentiated based on reading ability level
- Have students sit in groups and explain that now they have the primary source and background
information for the Salem Witch Trials that they are going to explore four major theories surrounding
the event
- Ask students if they have any theories from the information they already have collected about why the
Salem Witch Trials occurred
- Pass out the articles (also pass out highlighters) about the four different theories and have students
decide whether they would like to read them aloud as a group or silently (see attached worksheets)
- Have students highlight the main ideas or things in the article that they may have questions about
- Discuss the articles as a group using the questions provided as a guide
- Students will then create a poster which states:
1. The Theory
2. Main Points of the Theory
3. If the group believes this theory is plausible based on the evidence they have collected
- Have students present their posters while students follow along filling in the Salem Theories Graphic
Organizer
- Take a class vote to see which theory they believe is the MOST plausible
5. EXIT CARD-Index Cards (~5 minutes)
** Will be differentiated by skill:
- Pass out index cards and have students complete the following:
1. On top write the theory they believe is most plausible
2. Then using the theory explanation and evidence they have gathered to give 3 arguments why
this is the most accurate theory
3. On the other side of this card write how your group worked together:
- What parts did you contribute?
- Did your members contribute equally?
- Did you actually discuss topics and ideas as a group?
- Was everyone in your group respectful towards others ideas?
Materials Needed for the Lesson:
- “The Crucible” video clip and video worksheet
- The learning station handouts and graphic organizer
- The four theories on Salem handouts, question worksheets, and graphic organizer
- Index cards for the exit ticket
- Art supplies: Poster board, markers, highlighters, etc.
- Computers
- Overhead Projector
- Stopwatch
Differentiation:
- ELL: These students will be placed in groups were others can help them read the directions and
questions. The teacher will make sure to walk around and check on these students. The visuals of the
video clip, maps, and creating a poster will help these students. The readings on the four theories can be
differentiated based on reading level.
- IEP: These students will sit and work in safe groups. The expectations will be made very clear to
them. They will be given tasks to ensure success and to scaffold their learning including all the
worksheets and graphic organizers. The instruction is staggered to meet their needs.
- EBD: These students will be placed in separate groups and be seated at the front of the classroom. The
teacher will stay within close proximity to them to ensure that they stay on task. The activities are
varied and the learning is staggered to keep them engaged. The activities also provide choices to help
motivate these students. The activities also allow the students to move around and keep them engaged.
- G: These students will be placed in separate groups so that they can act as leaders and provide creative
and insightful ideas for the group. The teacher will make sure to walk around and ask them questions
that require higher critical thinking skills. These students will be given the most challenging reading on
the fungus theory.
Subject Matter Integration/Extension:
- This lesson fits right into the study of life in the early colonies and the influences of religion
- It is also important to help students understand the differences between colonies and how these
differences influenced the Revolution and the Civil War
- This lesson also teaches students to compare the Salem Witch Trials to modern witch hunts to give
them an idea of the big picture
- This lesson teaches students skills for historical inquiry and critical thinking that they will need
throughout the year and in life
- This lesson also teaches students about historical empathy and gives them an understanding of how
such a tragic event could have happened
Reflections on Lesson Plan:
- This is an excellent lesson to teach students the big ideas about the Salem Witch Trials and its
connections to modern times
- This lesson also teaches essential historical inquiry and critical thinking skills that students will need to
be successful citizens
- This lesson incorporates group work and cooperative learning so students will develop respect for each
other’s opinions
- This lesson is differentiated to respect all students’ readiness and interest levels
- We are very excited to teach this lesson!
Materials Consulted:
Brown, Coady, Vida. Salem Witch Mock Trial. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from
http://eprentice.sdsu.edu/J03OP/Brown/WebQuest/Teacher_Page_files/frame.htm.
Danzer, G. A. (2003). The Americans. Evanston: McDougal Littell.
Dictionary.com. (2007). Retrieved October 2, 2007, from http://dictionary.reference.com.
Discovery Education. (2007). Salem Witch Trials: The World Behind the Hysteria. Retrieved October 2, 2007,
from http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/life/divisions.html.
Hytner, N. (1996). The Crucible.
Public Broadcasting Service (2007). Secrets of the Dead. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_salem/index.html.
Ray, B. (2002). Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project. Retrieved October 2,
2007, from http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft.
Sutter, T. Biographical Information for Salem Witch Trials. Retrieved October 2, 2007, from
http://www.salemwitchtrials.com/biographies.html.
NAME: _____________________
DATE: ______________________
CLASS: ______________________
The Salem Witch Trials
Introduction and Video Clip*
The trouble in Salem began during the cold, dark Massachusetts winter, in January of 1692. Eight young girls
began to take ill, beginning with 9-year-old Elizabeth Parris, the daughter of Reverend Samuel Parris, and his
niece, 11-year-old Abigail Williams. But theirs was a strange sickness: the girls suffered from delirium, violent
convulsions, incomprehensible speech, trance-like states, and odd skin sensations. The worried villagers
searched desperately for an explanation. Their conclusion: the girls were under a spell, bewitched -- and, worse
yet, by members of their own pious community.
And then the finger pointing began. The first to be accused were Tituba, Parris's Caribbean-born slave, along
with Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn, two elderly women considered of ill repute. All three were arrested on
February 29. Ultimately, more than 150 "witches" were taken into custody; by late September 1692, 20 men and
women had been put to death, and five more accused had died in jail. None of the executed confessed to
witchcraft. Such a confession would have surely spared their lives, but, they believed, condemned their souls.
On October 29, by order of Massachusetts Governor Sir William Phips, the Salem witch trials officially ended.
When the dust cleared, the townsfolk and the accusers were at a loss to explain their own actions. In the
centuries since, scholars and historians have struggled as well to explain the madness that overtook Salem. Was
it sexual repression, dietary deficiency, mass hysteria? Or, could a simple fungus have been to blame?
* http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_salem/index.html
In 3-4 sentences explain what shocked you the most from the video clip…
STATION 1: COURT CASES*
1. Mary Barker
29 August 1692: Before Major Gidney, Mr. Hauthorn and Mr. Corwin
The Examination and Confession of Mary Barker of Andover
After several questions propounded and negative answers returned, she at last acknowledged that Goody
Johnson made her a witch. And sometime last summer she made a red mark in the devils book with the fore
finger of her Left hand. And the Devil would have her hurt Martha Sprague, Rose Foster and Abigail Martin
which she did upon Saturday and Sabbath Day last. She said she was not above a quarter of an hour in coming
down from Andover to Salem: to afflict. She says she afflicted the above three persons by squeezing her hands.
She confesses she was at the witch meeting at Salem Village with her uncle, there was a great many there, and
of her company there was only her uncle, William Barker, and Mary Marston. Martha Sprague said that Mary
Barkers apparition told that she was baptized at five mile pond. Mary Barker said there was such a load and
weight at her stomach that hindered her from speaking. And is afraid she has given up herself soul and body to
the Devil. She says she promised to serve, worship, and believe in him and he promised to pardon her sins, but
finds he has doubted her, and that she was lost of God and all good people. She said that Goody Johnson and
Goody Falkner appeared at the same time and threatened to tear her in pieces if she did not do what she then
did. She further said that she has seen no appearance since but a fly which did speak to her, and bid her afflict
these poor creatures, which she did by pinching and clinching of her hands for which she is sorry.
* http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/
2. William Barker
29 August 1692: Before Major Gidney, Mr. Hauthorn, Mr. Corwin, and Captain Higginson
The Examination and Confession of William Barker of Andover
He confesses he has been in the snare of the Devil three years that the Devil first appeared to him like a
black man and perceived he had a cloven foot. He said that the Devil demanded of him to give up himself soul
and body unto him, which he promised to do. He said he had a great family; the world went hard with him and
was willing to pay every man his own. He said the devil told him he would pay all his debts and he should live
comfortably. He confesses he has afflicted Sprague, Foster and Martin, his three accusers. He said that he did
sign the Devil’s book with blood brought to him in a thing like an Inkhorn that he dipped his fingers there in
and made a blot in the book which was a confirmation of his covenant with the Devil.
3. John Aldin
John Aldin Senior, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, Mariner, on the 28th Day of May, 1692, was
sent for by the Magistrates of Salem, in the County of Essex, upon the accusation of a company of poor
distracted, or possessed creatures or witches; and being sent by Mr. Stoughton, arrived there the 31st of May,
and appeared at Salem-Village, before Mr. Gidney, Mr. Hauthorn, and Mr. Corwin. Those wenches being
present, who plaid their juggling tricks, falling down, crying out, and staring in peoples faces; the Magistrates
demanded of them several times, who it was of all the people in the room that hurt them. One of these accusers
pointed several times at one Captain Hill, there present, but spoke nothing; the same accuser had a man standing
at her back to hold her up; he stooped down to her ear, then she cried out, Aldin, Aldin afflicted her; one of the
Magistrates asked her if she had ever seen Aldin, she answered no, he asked her how she knew it was Aldin.
She said, the man told her so. Then all were ordered to go down into the street, where a ring was made; and the
same accuser cried out, “There stands Aldin, a bold fellow with his hat on before the judges, he sells powder
and shot to the Indians and French, and lies with the Indian Squaws, and has Indian Papooses.” Then was Aldin
committed to the Marshal’s Custody, and his sword taken from him; for they said he afflicted them with his
sword. After some hours Aldin was sent for to the meeting house in the village before the Magistrates; who
required Aldin to stand upon a chair, to the open view of all the people.
4. Bridget Bishop
19 April 1692: By John Hauthorn, Jonah, and Corwin
The Examination of Bridget Bishop at Salem Village
“Bridget Bishop, you are now brought before Authority to give account of what witchcrafts you are
conversant in.” (As soon as she came near all the girls fell into fits)
“I take all these people (turning her head and eyes about) to witness that I am clear.”
“Hath this woman hurt you?” (Speaking to the afflicted)
Elizabeth Hubbard, Ann Putman, Abigail Williams and Mercy Lewes affirmed she had hurt them.
“You are here accused by 4 or 5 for hurting them, what do you say to it?”
“I never saw these persons before, nor was I ever in this place before.”
“They say you bewitched your first husband to death.”
“If it pleases your worship, I know nothing of it.” (She shakes her head and the afflicted were tortured)
“Why if you have not written in the book, yet tell me how far you have gone? Have you not to do with
familiar Spirits?”
“I have no familiarity with the Devil.”
“How is it then, that your appearance doth hurt these girls?”
“I am innocent.”
“Why you seem to act witchcraft before us, by the motion of your body, which seems to have influence
upon the afflicted.”
“I know nothing of it. I am innocent to a witch. I know not what a witch is.”
“How do you know then that you are not a witch?”
“I do not know what you say.”
“How can you know, you are no witch and yet not know what a witch is?”
“I am clear, if I were any such person you should know it.”
STATION 2: BIOGRAPHIES*
Tituba
- She was originally from an Arawak village in South America.
- As a child, she was captured, taken to Barbados and sold into slavery.
- Tituba was purchased by Parris, or given to settle a debt, while Parris was a merchant in Barbados.
- Since Parris was an unmarried merchant at the time he acquired Tituba, it was rumored that she may
have served as his concubine.
- Parris, Tituba and another Indian slave named John moved to Boston in 1680.
- She married John in 1689 around the same time Parris and his family moved to Salem.
- Tituba was the first accused of witchcraft and the first to confess. However, she later recanted her
confession when people stopped believing the cries of the accused.
- Historians believe that she had one daughter, Violet, who stayed with the Parris household until
Samuel Parris' death.
John Proctor
- John was a native of Ipswich, Massachusetts and moved to Salem Town in 1666.
- Upon his father's death, he inherited a share of a profitable estate.
- He was a wealthy landowner and owned a tavern on Ipswich Road.
- He was known to be very outspoken and to have a hot temper--traits which did not help him during the
trials.
- John was the first male to be accused a witch in Salem.
- He publicly supported and defended his third wife, Elizabeth, when she was accused and tried for
witchcraft.
- He was sternly opposed to the witchcraft trials, and was 60-years-old at the time of his arrest.
- At his execution, he pleaded for more time because he was not fit to die (he felt he had not made peace
yet with others and God.)
Rebecca Nurse
- She was 1 of 8 children of William Towne of Topsfield.
- She was married to Francis Nurse.
- The Rev. James Allen and she once fought over the boundary of their two neighboring properties.
- She worshipped at the Salem Village church, but remained a member of the Salem Town church.
- Rebecca was hard of hearing, so she did not often respond to those who spoke to her.
- She was 71-years-old when she was charged with witchcraft.
- She was originally found not guilty by the court, but when the courtroom and the afflicted girls
protested, Chief Justice Stoughton asked the jury to reconsider a statement made by one of the prisoners.
Nurse was found guilty the second time because of the reconsidered evidence and her failure to respond
to questions because her poor hearing.
- Her reputation as a good and prudent woman didn’t help her escape the gallows.
- She was excommunicated, but her descendents had it revoked on March 6, 1712.
Samuel Parris
- He was born in London in 1653.
- The Parris family later moved to Barbados, where his father became a sugar planter and merchant.
- Samuel attended Harvard College, but returned to the islands after his father's death in 1678.
- He became a merchant, but when a hurricane wrecked his business and sugar prices were low, he sold
his business and moved to Boston.
- He was a merchant for only eight years.
- He tried to be a merchant in Boston but couldn't compete, so he decided to become a minister.
- Salem Village hired him as their minister in 1688.
* http://www.salemwitchtrials.com/biographies.html
STATION 3: MAPS*
At this station, you will go online to the University of Virginia’s site “Salem Witch Trials:
Documentary Archive and Transcription Project” and examine the maps:
http://www.iath.virginia.edu/salem/maps.html
NAME: _____________________
DATE: ______________________
CLASS: ______________________
Learning Stations Graphic Organizer
STATION 1: COURT CASES
After examining the four court cases, please answer the following questions with your group.
1. What was the most common offense that the witches were accused of?
2. What did most of the witches do in the cases?
3. What was said about the Devil in most of the cases?
4. Write a 3-4 sentence response as the witch on trial in court, either defending your innocence
or confessing
STATION 2: BIOGRAPHIES
After reading the four biographies, choose a character to be a write a postcard or letter as that
character. Add an illustration if you wish. After you are done read your letter to your group
and discuss the different sources of bias that exist for each character.
STATION 3: MAPS
After looking a the handout of the map of Salem and the online map, please answer the
following questions with your group
1. Where did most of the “accusers” live?
2. Where did most of the “accused” live?
3. What was the role of Ipswich Road?
4. Hypothesize how the locations of the “accused” and “accusers” relate to the economic or
social status of where they lived
STATION 4: WEB ACTIVITY
After completing the web activity online, please answer the following questions with your group
1. Did you confess to being a witch or did you claim innocence?
2. What were the consequences of your choice?
3. Write a brief summary of the case presented on the website
Theory#1: Fungus*
When Linda Caporael began nosing into the Salem witch trials as a college student in the early 1970s,
she had no idea that a common grain fungus might be responsible for the terrible events of 1692. But then the
pieces began to fall into place. Caporael, now a behavioral psychologist at New York's Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, soon noticed a link between the strange symptoms reported by Salem's accusers, chiefly eight young
women, and the hallucinogenic effects of drugs like LSD. LSD is a derivative of ergot, a fungus that affects rye
grain. Ergotism, ergot poisoning, had indeed been implicated in other outbreaks of bizarre behavior, such as the
one that afflicted the small French town of Pont-Saint-Esprit in 1951.
But could ergot actually have been the culprit? Did it have the means and the opportunity to wreak
havoc in Salem? Caporael's sleuthing, with the help of science, provided the answers. Ergotism is caused by the
fungus Claviceps purpurea, which affects rye, wheat and other cereal grasses. When first infected, the flowering
head of a grain will spew out sweet, yellow-colored mucus, called "honey dew," which contains fungal spores
that can spread the disease. Eventually, the fungus invades the developing kernels of grain, taking them over
with a network of filaments that turn the grains into purplish-black sclerotia. Sclerotia can be mistaken for large,
discolored grains of rye. Within them are potent chemicals: ergot alkaloids, including lysergic acid (from which
LSD is made) and ergotamine (now used to treat migraine headaches). The alkaloids affect the central nervous
system and cause the contraction of smooth muscle, the muscles that make up the walls of veins and arteries, as
well as the internal organs.
Toxicologists now know that eating ergot-contaminated food can lead to a convulsive disorder
characterized by violent muscle spasms, vomiting, delusions, hallucinations, crawling sensations on the skin,
and a host of other symptoms, all of which, Linda Caporael noted, are present in the records of the Salem
witchcraft trials. Ergot thrives in warm, damp, rainy springs and summers. When Caporael examined the diaries
of Salem residents, she found that those exact conditions had been present in 1691. Nearly all of the accusers
lived in the western section of Salem village, a region of swampy meadows that would have been prime
breeding ground for the fungus. At that time, rye was the staple grain of Salem. The rye crop consumed in the
winter of 1691-1692, when the first unusual symptoms began to be reported, could easily have been
contaminated by large quantities of ergot. The summer of 1692, however, was dry, which could explain the
abrupt end of the "bewitchments." These and other clues built up into a circumstantial case against ergot that
Caporael found impossible to ignore.
* http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_salem/clues.html
NAME: _____________________
DATE: ______________________
CLASS: ______________________
Theory#1: Questions
After reading the article with your group, please answer the following questions. Try to ignore
non-important scientific facts and focus more on the historical background and explanations
given by Linda Caporael.
1. What symptoms did the accused or afflicted display? How is this similar to LSD?
2. What is Ergotism and what type of food is it found it? What happens when you eat ergot
contaminated food-what symptoms do you display?
3. Where did all of the accusers live? What was the staple crop of Salem and where did it grow?
Do you think this is just a coincidence?
4. How does Linda Corporeal explain the abrupt end of “bewitchments”?
5. Does Linda think the Fungus theory explains all of the events at Salem Witch Trial? Do you
agree or disagree and why?
Theory#2: Economic and Social Divisions*
In 1692, Salem was divided into two distinct parts: Salem Town and Salem Village. Salem Village (also
referred to as Salem Farms) was actually part of Salem Town but was set apart by its economy, class, and
character. Residents of Salem Village were mostly poor farmers who made their living cultivating crops in the
rocky terrain. Salem Town, on the other hand, was a prosperous port town at the center of trade with London.
Most of those living in Salem Town were wealthy merchants.
For many years, Salem Village tried to gain independence from Salem Town. The town, which depended on the
farmers for food, determined crop prices and collected taxes from the village. Despite the three-hour walk
between the two communities, Salem Village did not have its own church and minister until 1674.
But there was also a division within Salem Village. Those who lived near Ipswich Road, close to the commerce
of Salem Town, became merchants, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, and innkeepers. They prospered and
supported the economic changes taking place. But many of the farmers who lived far from this prosperity
believed the worldliness and affluence of Salem Town threatened their Puritan values. One of the main families
to denounce the economic changes was the Putnams—a strong and influential force behind the witchcraft
accusations.
Tensions became worse when Salem Village selected Reverend Samuel Parris as their new minister. Parris was
a stern Puritan who denounced the worldly ways and economic prosperity of Salem Town as the influence of
the Devil. His rhetoric further separated the two factions within Salem Village.
It is likely that the jealousies and hostilities between these two factions played a major role in the witch trials.
Most of the villagers accused of witchcraft lived near Ipswich Road, whereas the accusers lived in the distant
farms of Salem Village. It is not surprising that Reverend Parris was a vigorous supporter of the witch trials,
and his impassioned sermons helped fan the flames of the hysteria.
* http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/life/divisions.html
NAME: _____________________
DATE: ______________________
CLASS: ______________________
Theory#2: Questions
After reading the article with your group, please answer the following questions.
1. What were the social and economic differences between Salem Town and Salem Village? Do
you believe the disparity between the poor and wealthy could have played a role in the hostility
and jealousy related to the Salem Witch trials?
2. What role did Ipswich road play? Who lived on either side? Where did most of the accused
live? Ipswich road causes dissention between Salem Village and the Salem town, why? Could
the hostility be the result of a growing merchant middle class?
3. What religious reasons did the farmers of Salem Villagers give for opposing Salem town?
What Puritan values did the townspeople and merchants betray? How could this lead to further
separation between Salem Town and Salem Village?
Theory#3: Puritan Children*
In 1692, children were expected to behave under the same strict code as the adults—doing chores, attending
church services, and repressing individual differences. Any show of emotion, such as excitement, fear, or anger,
was discouraged, and disobedience was severely punished. Children rarely played, as toys and games were
scarce. Puritans saw these activities as sinful distractions.
But unlike young girls, boys had a few outlets for their imagination. They often worked as apprentices outside
the home, practicing such skills as carpentry or crafts. Boys were also allowed to explore the outdoors, hunting
and fishing. On the other hand, girls were expected to tend to the house, helping their mothers cook, wash,
clean, and sew.
Many children learned to read, but most households owned only the Bible and other religious works—including
a few that described evil spirits and witchcraft in great detail. There were a few books written for children, but
these often warned against bad behavior and described the punishment that children would suffer for sinful acts.
Such was the world of Abigail Williams and Betty Parris during the long, dark winter of 1692. There was little
to feed their imagination that did not warn of sin and eternal punishment. It is no wonder that the young girls
were so captivated by Tituba’s magical stories and fortune-telling games. These activities were strictly
forbidden, which must have filled them with fear and guilt. This may have been one reason for their hysterical
behavior. And at a time when young girls were forbidden to act out or express themselves, it is easy to see why
they were so enraptured by the attention they received when they became “bewitched.”
Of course, there were probably many factors behind the girls’ actions. But what is more surprising than the
accusations from these imaginative young girls is the reaction from the community. The girls may have sparked
the witch hunt, but it was the adults who set the wheels into motion.
* http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/life/children.html
NAME: _____________________
DATE: ______________________
CLASS: ______________________
Theory#3: Questions
1. Would you have fun if you were a Puritan child? What did children do? Did they play? Did
they use active imagination? Would you be bored if you were a Puritan child? Why?
2. Do you think that children should be treated as equal to adults? “Children were expected to
behave under the same strict code as adults”- What affects do you think being treated as adults
had on children in Salem?
3. Do you ever try to act out against your parents? (ex. Break Curfew) Do you think the girls
were acting out against the strict policy of Salem? Or were they attracted to the imagination and
magic of Tituba simply because they were bored?
Theory#4: Religion and Witchcraft*
Church was the cornerstone of 17th century life in New England. Most people in Massachusetts were
Puritans—colonists who had left England seeking religious tolerance. But the strict Puritan code was far from
tolerant. It was against the law not to attend church—where men and women sat on opposite sides through long
services. The Puritan lifestyle was restrained and rigid: People were expected to work hard and repress their
emotions or opinions. Individual differences were frowned upon. Even the dark, somber Puritan dress was
dictated by the church.
Since Puritans were expected to live by a rigid moral code, they believed that all sins—from sleeping in church
to stealing food—should be punished. They also believed God would punish sinful behavior. When a neighbor
would suffer misfortune, such as a sick child or a failed crop, Puritans saw it as God’s will and did not help.
Puritans also believed the Devil was as real as God. Everyone was faced with the struggle between the powers
of good and evil, but Satan would select the weakest individuals—women, children, the insane—to carry out his
work. Those who followed Satan were considered witches. Witchcraft was one of the greatest crimes a person
could commit, punishable by death.
In keeping with the Puritan code of conformity, the first women to be accused of witchcraft in Salem were seen
as different and as social outcasts: Tituba, a slave; Sarah Good, a homeless beggar; and Sarah Osborne, a sickly
old woman who married her servant.
Fear of magic and witchcraft was common in New England, as it had been in Europe for centuries. Over 100
alleged witches had been tried and hanged in New England during the 1600s. But the hangings in 1692 Salem
would be the last ones in America.
* http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/life/religion.html
NAME: _____________________
DATE: ______________________
CLASS: ______________________
Theory#4: Questions
1. Would you want to be a Puritan in Salem-why or why not? What freedoms did they have?
What restrictions did they have?
2. What role did the devil/ Satan play in Puritan religion? How could these beliefs affect people
in Salem? Did the Puritans endorse fear in their religious values?
3. How would the Puritan belief that Satan picks the “weakest members of society” play a role
in the people accused? Who was accused and how were they different from the rest of the
community?
NAME: _____________________
DATE: ______________________
CLASS: ______________________
Four Theories Graphic Organizer
While listening to your classmates present their poster, please fill in the following graphic
organizer. Make sure to fill in the part for your theory.
Theory
Fungus
Main points of
theory
Plausible or not
Economic
Children
Religion
A Mock Trial
Adapted from: http://eprentice.sdsu.edu/J03OP/Brown/WebQuest/Teacher_Page_files/frame.htm
She afflicts me!
She comes to me at night and torments me!
She's a witch!
In the summer of 1692, Salem, Massachusetts was engulfed in a chaotic frenzy! Throughout this infamous
‘witch season’ 25 people were put to death for witchcraft: 19 people were judged guilty and hanged on Gallows
Hill, 5 died in jail, an 80 year old man was crushed to death under stones for refusing trial, and 150 Salem
townspeople were imprisoned. None of the hanged ever admitted to practicing witchcraft; however the jury
found them guilty. Will you?
Watch the following movie at:
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/story/index.html
We all know about the religious movements that led to the founding of the 13 colonies and Salem,
Massachusetts in particular. (Remember the Puritans and their quest for religious freedoms…) Now we are
going to look at the social, political, and religious atmosphere of the day to see how they led to the ‘witch
season’. You are going to participate in a mock trial and judge your classmates guilty or innocent of
witchcraft.
Task:
• Prepare to judge your classmates! The fate of your classmates is in your hands!
• In order to experience the Puritan Inquisition, the class will be recreating the trial of George Burroughs.
You will play a part in this Salem Witch Mock Trial. You will be investigating the social, political, and
religious atmosphere that led to the Salem Witch Trials. Your teacher will be assigning you parts from
the trial of George Burroughs.
• You will need to familiarize yourself with certain legal terms.
• You will be directed to web sites that allow you to research background information on Salem during
the witch trials, specific information on the trial of George Burroughs, and procedures of a mock trial.
• You will recreate the George Burroughs Trial and judge your classmates guilty or innocent of
witchcraft.
• Your research, effort, and arguments will determine the outcome. You are recreating history, not reenacting it!
Process:
• To get ready for your mock trial, place yourself in the accused position by experiencing the Salem
Witchcraft hysteria:
• Explore the following Website: http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/salem/
• The whole class will recreate the George Burroughs Witchcraft Trial in a mock trial format. You are
recreating the trial not re-enacting it, which means that you are using the facts and information from the
original trial but you will be making your own decisions.
The teacher will assign you roles.
You will work in groups to look at the case. You are using the actual transcript from the George
Burroughs trial as research material. Since it is the actual transcript, it is written in Old English and
difficult to understand so you will brain storm about what the language means. These ideas will be
presented by the groups and the whole class will discuss them.
• See the following Website: http://webquest.sdsu.edu/processguides/brainstorming.html
• You will research background information on Salem during the 1690’s. You will find out about the
social, political, and religious atmosphere of the day to see how this led to the trials. Take notes; they
will be evaluated at the end of the trial.
• You will research general information on the trial process. You should understand the roles and terms
used in the trial process.
• You will explore the links listed on the resource page for additional information to help you with the
assignments. Be sure to keep notes;
• Resource Website Page:
http://eprentice.sdsu.edu/J03OP/Brown/WebQuest/Teacher_Page_files/frame.htm
Assignments during trial:
You will be assigned a part! You must dress the part on the day of the trial trying best to get into
character!
• Court reporter: record effective summary of the daily proceedings and read the previous day’s
transcripts at the start of each day.
• Newspaper reporter: write a critique reporting each day’s events.
• Jury member: analyze and evaluate all testimony given throughout the trial. At the conclusion, the
jury must reach a unanimous decision of guilt or innocence beyond a reasonable doubt. You must
give the judge your written decision with supporting evidence.
• Judge: must oversee the proceedings, ensure court rules are adhered to, and make rulings. Finally,
he/she publishes the jury’s decision.
• Lawyer: research your respective case, interview witnesses, and study background information to
help formulate questions, and adhere to court rules.
• Defendant: write a statement declaring her/his innocence.
• Bailiff: write paper on what you would do to maintain courtroom order if the defendants were to
display ‘witch-like’ behaviors.
• Witness: write a statement describing your version of the events.
After the trial:
Write a brief summary reflecting on the following:
• How prepared were you for your role in the mock trail?
• What did you learn from the trial experience?
• Who do you think did the best job presenting their case, the defense or prosecution, and why?
• What could be done better the next time?
• What can we learn from this case regarding human nature and freedom?
Final reflections:
Write a report reflecting on 3 of the 4 points listed below. (The fourth bullet is REQUIRED.)
• Does our judicial system assure a fair trial for the accused?
• Are some parts of the trial more important than others?
• Would you trust a jury of your peers to determine your guilt or innocence?
• Explore your reactions to playing your role, as well as your reaction to the outcome of the mock trial.
Conclusion
• You have explored and experienced how the religious, social, and political atmosphere of 1692 led to
the Salem Witch Trials.
• Do you think the Salem Witch Trials could happen today?
•
•
Resources:
http://womenshistory.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/
ftrials/salem/SAL_BBUR.HTM
http://www.loyno.edu/history/journal/1998-9/Karson.htm
You will be evaluated on the following:
The Salem
Witch Trials
Preliminary
Research
Salem Witch
Trials
Preparation
Trial
Performance
Written
Responses /
Reflections of
Essential
Content
Beginning
Developing
Accomplished
Exemplary
1
2
3
4
Students have
started Internet
research and
consulted some
written material.
However,
students do not
have a firm grasp
of the historical
period.
Notes/outlines
were not
completed.
Students have
started Internet
research and
consulted some
written material.
Students have a
basic
understanding of
the historical
period.
Notes/outlines
were partially
completed.
Students have
Students have
completed
completed
Internet research Internet research
and consulted
and consulted
written material. extensive written
Students have an material. Students
understanding of
have good
the historical
understanding of
period and the
the historical
Salem Witch
period and the
Trials.
Salem Witch
Notes/outlines
Trials.
were completed.
Notes/outlines
were complete
and detailed.
Students do not
engage in trial
preparation.
Students do not
research their
roles and court
procedures.
Students begin to Students engage Students engage
engage in trial
actively in the
actively in the
preparation.
preparation
preparation
Students
process. Students process. Students
superficially
research their
research their
research their
roles and court
roles and court
roles and court
procedures
procedures
procedures.
adequately.
thoroughly.
Students do not
participate
actively in the
trial.
When called
Trial participation Trial participation
upon, students
is active and
is active and
participate in the
involved.
involved.
trial. However,
Students assume Leadership roles
little initiative is roles and remain
are taken.
shown.
within them.
Practice in their
roles is evident.
Student writing
Student writing
Student writing
Student writing
does not reflect a reflects an initial
reflects a good
reflects an
basic
understanding of understanding of
excellent
understanding of
the social,
the key of the
understanding of
the social,
political, and
social, political,
the social,
political, and
religious
and religious
political, and
religious
institutions of the institutions of the
religious
institutions of the
institutions of the
time period.
time period.
time period.
time period.
Student writing
Student writing
Student writing
reflects a basic
reflects an
Student writing
does not reflect a understanding of
adequate
reflects an
basic
the mock-trial
understanding of
excellent
understanding of
process.
the mock-trial
understanding of
the mock-trial
process.
the mock-trial
process.
process.
Score

The Salem Witch Mock Trial

Transcription

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