CDL #5 - Why were some New Englanders accused of being witches?

CDL #5 – Why were some New Englanders accused of being witches?

In 1641 a law was passed stating “If any man or woman be a witch…they shall be put to death.”

Although people had such supernatural ideas earlier in the 1600’s, even as early as 1650, they did not voice their opinion and kept it to themselves.  It was not until later in the 1600’s that the Puritan’s got frustrated in trying to control people that were not living the Puritan ways and found guilt by accusing individuals of witchcraft. 

The people of North America felt that the supernatural was the cause of bad luck or injury.  Those that believed in the supernatural included the Native Americans, slaves, and colonists.

New Englanders accused individuals who seemed to cause the incidents as being witches who were either doing the handy work of the devil or were being controlled by satan.  Those individuals being accused of witchcraft were people who were outspoken and not shy with their feelings and may have made a comment that was taken as out of the ordinary where for the most part people said very little negative and did not speak about what they thought may have been an unfair situation.  This act of people turning on their fellow neighbor and accusing them of being a witch was their way of dealing with anyone that was different and did not follow the scope of how they expected people to behave.  Most of the accusers were adult men and most of the accused were older women.  This article even speaks of some children accusing individuals of being witches. 

The outbreak of the Salem witch trials in 1691 and 1692 was a period of frustration for the Puritans with their need to attempt to control those individuals that were not following the Puritan ways and to do away with the sin and devil worshippers.  New England puritans needed to find others who were committing sin in order to feel that they themselves were the devoted godly saints instead of sinners. 

Question #1 -   What percentage of individuals accused of witchcraft were women? Men?

Question #2 – Do you think that the accused witches being executed made the Puritans felt remorse or regret?   Why or why not?