salom witch trials
...s conclusion after he read the books written by the Mathers, that is, Increase Mathers and his son, Cotton Mathers. One of the books was called “Memorable Providences Relating to Witchcraft and Possessions”. This book was about the Goodwin children of Boston who were supposedly bewitched by their laundress’s mother. And so… when Samuel declared that what the girls were suffering was nothing else but witchcraft, the villagers broke out into a mass hysteria. Soon after the declaration 3 girls named Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osburn were declared witches. The witch-hunt had begun, and on March 1st judges in Samuel Ingersoll’s tavern examined the 3 girls. The girls were given choices; if they confessed to being a witch they could save their life. If they on the other hand denied it, they would be put to death. Sarah Osburn and Sarah Good denied they were witches. Tituba, who had West Indian beliefs about magic, confessed she was a witch and that she knew there were other 9 like her. She also admitted to seeing the devil and 2 rats, which would tell her, “Serve me”. Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn were on Tituba’s list. After Tituba’s confession all 3 girls were sent to jail in Boston. Sarah Osburn died in jail two months later. Others followed the girl’s fate after that and the list grew longer. It didn’t matter if you were rich or poor; if you were suspected of witchcraft you were arrested. Pretty soon, people blamed each other for little things and before they could realize what was happening 300 people were in jail. The problem in Salem had grown out of proportion. Sir William from England appointed a court of 7 judges to try the witches. Sir Phips left for the frontier to handle the French and Indian War. The first person to be tried was Bridget Bishop; she was declared guilty and was sentenced to death by hanging. She was hanged on June 10th. Many others followed after Bridget. They were hanged not burned, as many people believe. When Governor Phips returned to the Colony he not only found that many people has been wrongly accused and hanged or put in jail, but also that the villagers had neglected their farms bringing the colony to an economic slump. Phips ordered the Supreme Court to judge the...