The Salem Witch Trials Essay Example

The Salem Witch trials are seen as a big stain on American history. Everyone has heard about the Salem Witch trials at least once in their life. It is a story where paranoia got the best in people and the unknown caused injustice. The Salem witch trials occurred between 1662 and 1693, More than 200 people were accused of practicing Witchcraft. Witchcraft was seen as ‘The devil’s magic.’ It was believed that the devil would give people known as witch's powers to harm others in exchange for their loyalty. This of course was later revealed to be untrue, and a great mistake made by the colony. The Salem Witch tails were not simply sparked by a little white lie, but by the flawed government system and the influence of religion, following with the imagination of the townspeople.  

During the time of the Salem Witch Trials, 20 people were labeled guilty and put to death for the crime of witchcraft. The Salem Witch Trials unfolded during the winter in Salem Village, where 3 girls allegedly were having a strange vision. The doctor was unable to find anything physically wrong with the girls and suggested they may be bewitched. This caused fear in the community and susception of each other. In today's time, “Many modern theories suggest the girls were suffering from epilepsy, boredom, child abuse, mental illness, or even a disease brought on by eating rye infected with fungus.” Although we know this today, at that time 3 girls were social outcasts and easy targets for the accusation of witchcraft. On March 1st one of the girls made a confusion that she had been approached by Satan, triggering the hunt for more witches in Salem.  

As the number of cases grew Governor William Phips set up a court of Oyer and Terminer. Which translates to hear and decide. The accused were questioned by the judge, who decided whether to be charged with witchcraft. If charged, you were not allowed a lawyer and no legal counsel to guide you. During the trial, Bridget Bishop was the first person brought to trial. She said, “I am innocent, I know nothing of it, I have done no Witchcraft...I am as innocent as the child unborn.” Later she was convicted at the end of the trial and sentenced to death. This shows how unfair the trails system was, whether you pled guilty or not; it was up to the judge to believe you or not. Any who criticized the witch hunts were accused of witchcraft themselves; an example was John Proctor, who called the 3 young girls frauds. Proctor’s entire family was accused of defending the witches. This shows how flawed the government system knew how to handle witch trials. It is said “The Puritans believed physical reality had spiritual causes. For example, if the crops failed, the Devil may have played a role. With this worldview, it was not a stretch for them to accept spectral evidence of spirits and visions—which was the primary evidence used as proof of guilt during the Salem Witch Trials.” The judges accepted spectral evidence of spirits and visions as primary evidence; this sparked people to believe anyone who was accused of being a witch.  

Moving forward, the Salem Witch trials were getting more intense. The imagination of the townspeople expanded among themselves. An influence minister quoted “It were better that the ten suspect witches should escape than that one innocent person should be condemned.”. Implying that he would weather see the accused witches go before an innocent person is punished. The 3 girls who were suspected of being bewitched were pressured by Parris to identify their tormentor. It wasn't just the flawed trial system encouraging the process of the Salem witch trial, but the townspeople themselves. For example, Tituba was a fearful slave accuse of enchant Betty and Abigail. She repeatedly claims to be blameless but gives up; says she did encounter Satan’s animal familiars who made her sign the devil's book. In which she saw the name Good and Osborn, along with 7 others that she was unable to read. In this scenario, you can see how accusers felt the need to add on to be saved. Tituba quotes, “The truth always arrives too late because it walks slower than lies. Truth crawls at a snail’s pace”. Implying that the truth will arrive, but when it would be too late for her. 

During the trials, ministers were looked to and questioned as witchcraft acquisitions grew greater. Puritan ministers didn't refuse the idea of witchcraft as normal court procedures did. Since they relied on supernatural evidence and believed in Satan. Cotton Mather, was an influential Puritan minister who had a strong impact on the Salem witch trial. Published a book called, Memorable Providence, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions, which includes a description of witchcraft and signs of possession. This had a major influence on Samuel Paris, a Salem minister, whose daughter was said to have been taken by the devil. The book Mather wrote helped guide the Salem minister in making decisions. Puritans were extremely religious people. Witches in their eyes are seen as an ally to the devil, which is why they would go far as killing. Puritans believed that life was the story of man’s constant struggle with evil and natural elements. An article about Puritan religion says, “The Devil presented the greatest enemy, and obstacle, to the Puritan belief. The Devil could prevent the Puritan from being closer to God, and therefore they eliminated any and all ties to the Devil.”. The puritan community feared the unknown and evil; they believed they were making the right choice. Although later they found out it was a great mistake. An important witness of the Salem Witch trial confesses, “I desire to be humbled before God for that sad and humbling Providence that befell my father’s family in the year about ’92; that I, then being in my childhood, should, by such a Providence of God, 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 a good reason to believe they were innocent persons; and that it was a great delusion of Satan that deceived me in that sad time, whereby I justly fear I have been instrumental.” Even to the end of the Salem Witch trial, the Puritans blamed the devil and asked for forgiveness from God.   

Religion, the flawed trial system, and most importantly, the influence of the townspeople is the reason for the Salem Witch trials to occur. A trial that cost many great pains and some unfortunate deaths. The belief that strange vision and spectral evidence are enough to accuse someone of being a witch. Religion also took part in sparking the Salem Witch Trials by implanting evil that needs to be eliminated. This raised a lot of paranoia and suspicion about each other, instead of looking out for one another. As a result, the Salem people turned on each other and lied to save themselves from punishment. Throwing each other and make up scenarios, implying that the devil made them do it. In the end, we remember this tragedy as a great error and an event that we can learn from.