Commentary on the Infamous Salem Witch Trials - 687 Words

The Salem Witch Trials have gone down in history as a very brutal and cruel time, due to the fact that several innocent people were convicted and murdered because of false accusations. Today we look back on the trials seeing that it has not only affected our mentality, but incredibly so, our government as well. The Trials were held in Massachusetts. Salem is located about 16 miles north of Boston on the Eastern Coast. The majority of the trials took place in Salem’s courthouse, aside from three held in a tavern. The Court Magistrates were Jonathon Corwin and John Hathorne, many of the townspeople participated in punishing the said witches and everyone was certainly involved in the accusing. Governor Sir William Phips appointed five judges, one of which was well known for his enthusiasm and hunger for hunting witches. The people saw the Devil in everything and everywhere, soon a whole group of young girls had joined in on the hysteria making the trials a trend. (Curiosity). The appointed court charged around 100 witches, but only 19 of the alleged were killed. When the idea was seeming to get out of hand the General Court was replaced by the Superior Court of Judicature, only three people were put on trial for witchcraft but were pardoned. Historians have noted that many of the accusers chose people of different religion and class ranking to accuse, some researchers have looked very deep into the trials, finding few new facts. Many suspicious acts led to beingShow MoreRelatedEssay about Witchcraft in Salem1406 Words   |  6 PagesWitchcraft in Salem In the past, the word Salem has always been somewhat synonymous with the infamous witch trials. Thanks to works such as Arthur Miller’s â€Å"The Crucible†, many people find it hard not to envision a community torn apart by chaos, even though Miller’s play was not so much about the witch trials but instead a commentary on the rampant McCarthyism going on at the time he wrote it. Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum, however, see a very different picture when the Salem witch trials are mentionedRead MoreSalem Witch Trials and Thesis Statement2226 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿The Crucible Essay Assignment For your essay on The Crucible, please write a five paragraph, analytical essay in which you respond to one of the following prompts. 1. Although The Crucible revolves around the Salem Witch Trials, it allows readers to examine many themes. Choose a theme from The Crucible and discuss how it is developed throughout the play. How does this theme reveal the play’s deeper meaning? 2. The Crucible is a play of conflicts. Analyze a major conflict from The Crucible