Salem Witch Trials Research Paper
The Salem Witch Trials
Claudia Henry Survey of American History I Professor Craig Lowry December 11, 2014
In 1692, what is currently known as Danvers, was actually known as Salem Village. Salem Village was located in Massachusetts. At the time, Massachusetts was not a state, but it was actually an English colony. (Yolen, 2004) Life in Salem Village was most certainly a difficult one. There was no electricity, running water, or any form of motorized transportation. (Martin, 2005) In the year of 1692, the winter was terribly bitter. Several people were getting sick and some were even dying from smallpox. Smallpox is a serious, contagious, and at the time was a fatal infectious disease caused by a …show more content…
Other towns had begun to follow Salem’s lead and Sir William Phips’s own wife had been accused of being a witch and participating in witchcraft. (Norton, 2002) This finally gave the governor a reason to figure everything out and investigate.
Sir William Phips declared that no person would be allowed to stand up in court and testify to seeing spirits that nobody else could see. Without “spectral evidence” no one else could be convicted of participating in witchcraft. (Yolen, 2004) The following spring, Sir William Phips ended the Salem Witch Trials for good. (Martin, 2005)
By the end of 1692, the statistics for the Salem Witch Trials were unbelievable. As many as 150 people are believed to have been arrested. There were twenty-eight people who were convicted of witchcraft. Nineteen people were hanged. Four people died in jail and one man was pressed to death under rocks. (Martin, 2005)
The Salem Witch Trials effected hundreds of people’s lives. Fourteen years after the Salem Witch Trials ended, Ann Putnam apologized to the people of Salem. She claimed that the devil had made her see everything as evil. (Yolen, 2004) In 1712, some of the families that were distraught by the Salem Witch Trials received payment as a form of apology. (Martin,
Claudia Henry Survey of American History I Professor Craig Lowry December 11, 2014
In 1692, what is currently known as Danvers, was actually known as Salem Village. Salem Village was located in Massachusetts. At the time, Massachusetts was not a state, but it was actually an English colony. (Yolen, 2004) Life in Salem Village was most certainly a difficult one. There was no electricity, running water, or any form of motorized transportation. (Martin, 2005) In the year of 1692, the winter was terribly bitter. Several people were getting sick and some were even dying from smallpox. Smallpox is a serious, contagious, and at the time was a fatal infectious disease caused by a …show more content…
Other towns had begun to follow Salem’s lead and Sir William Phips’s own wife had been accused of being a witch and participating in witchcraft. (Norton, 2002) This finally gave the governor a reason to figure everything out and investigate.
Sir William Phips declared that no person would be allowed to stand up in court and testify to seeing spirits that nobody else could see. Without “spectral evidence” no one else could be convicted of participating in witchcraft. (Yolen, 2004) The following spring, Sir William Phips ended the Salem Witch Trials for good. (Martin, 2005)
By the end of 1692, the statistics for the Salem Witch Trials were unbelievable. As many as 150 people are believed to have been arrested. There were twenty-eight people who were convicted of witchcraft. Nineteen people were hanged. Four people died in jail and one man was pressed to death under rocks. (Martin, 2005)
The Salem Witch Trials effected hundreds of people’s lives. Fourteen years after the Salem Witch Trials ended, Ann Putnam apologized to the people of Salem. She claimed that the devil had made her see everything as evil. (Yolen, 2004) In 1712, some of the families that were distraught by the Salem Witch Trials received payment as a form of apology. (Martin,