Discrimination and The Salem Witch Trials

Essay by AerosmithFanJunior High, 7th gradeA+, May 2008

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What was the Salem Witch Trials? The Salem Witch Trials was a peroid of time in which many women and men were being accused of witchcraft. The victims of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were tormented (and most were put to death) by being burned at the stake, hung, etc. for being accused of witchcraft, and being found guilty by a jury and/or a judge. The aftermath resualted in crop failure, depression and a new nickname for the town.

Where and when it all began:The Salem Witch Trials began on February 29, 1692 (when complaints were made against Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne...All three women were being accused of witchcraft...) and the final hanging was on September 22, 1692. Although it was called the Salem Witch Trials, many of the persecutions and victims were from other parts of Massachutess. (in other words, the Trials happened in more places than Salem).

What caused the discrimination?Many people believed that people did actually praactice withcraft. young girls from the Salem area had fits, and cried out the name of those possessing them. The young girls' fits were believed to have been caused by adolesent hysteria and ergot posioning. But that was not all that caused the disrimination. Some of the accused women actually confessed to practing magic. Still, many more causes were in effect.

What discrimination took place?If found guilty, the women/men were hung, burned, tormented, humilated, and were sentenced to prison. If the victims weren't put to death, and they went to jail, they would suffer extremecondiations. they would freeze and be starved. There were actually some who died while still in prison due to those dramatic state of affairs.

Who practiced the discrimination?Although some of the men or women admitted to practing witchcraft, they were killed anyway. Either way, for those who admitted, and those who didn't, sombody HAD to accuse them of being witches. As, I had stated before, young girls have accused some women of possessing them. Courts and judges were the ones who sentenced the accused victims to suffer (either in jail or be executed by hanging, burning, etc.)BIBLOGRAPHY:HTTP://salemwitchtrials.com/timeline.html (online)HTTP://library.thinkquest.org