Salem Witch Trails

Introduction:

Law has history of Many and many Such Events which might sound Unusual and Unbelievable to us today, but it is also seen that such events have bought Extraordinary changes in the law which later developed the law for Modern man.

One of such incident is salem witch trials

Salem witch trials took place in the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Were said to be possessed by devil and accused many local women of witch craft. 

Brief History:

Witchcraft is said to be One Of Oldest Custom In Many Western countries, it is difficult to Mention the exact year or origin of this But this has been in existence from many centuries and Been Misused or taken in Wrong way by people, There is one practice where witches are burned alive seen many times in history, according to witches (those who practice witch craft) they Come in contact with devil and Do Many Unnatural things such as black magic... although this is an superstitious things. 

What exactly happened in salem?

The craze and practice of the witchcraft took place in a huge number in that century at many places and in many religions, although during that time thousands of witches were executed or burned alive, salem was no exeption to this craze. 

In January 1692 a young girl named Elizabeth aged 9, and Abigail Williams, age 11, started having "Fits"

They Used To Screm And Throw things on people, It is said that they even Used to talk in strange ways and changes voices, they many times contorted themselves into strange positions.

A local doctor blamed the supernatural things Another girl, 12-year-old Ann Putnam Jr., experienced similar symptoms. On February 29, under pressure from magistrates Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne, colonial officials who tried local cases, the girls blamed three women for afflicting them

And The Trial Begins:

All those 3 ladies were Bought Before Magistrate and they were interrogated for several days. 

These 3 ladies were:

• Tituba

• Sarah Good

• Sarah Osborne

March 1, 1692. Osborne claimed innocence, as did Good. But Tituba confessed, “The devil came to me and bid me serve him.” She described elaborate images of black dogs, red cats, yellow birds and a “tall man with white hair” who wanted her to sign his book. She admitted that she’d signed the book and claimed there were several other witches looking to destroy the Puritans.

 

Now With the seeds of Fear and Paranoia planted in to mind of people, a stream of accusation on many people followed over the next few months in the village, It was held that If these 3 ladies could be Witch then anyone can be? Even Young girls were under doubt

This Paranoia didn't stop but got even more severe with time, after some time dozens of people form the village were under the doubt and Called for inquiry.

Establishment of special Court for the matter:

On May 27, 1692, Governor ordered the establishment of a Special Court to hear to decide the problem. The first accused witch brought in front of the special court was Bridget, an older woman. When she was asked if she committed witchcraft she responded, “I am as innocent as the child unborn.” The defense must not have been convincing, because she was found guilty and, on June 10, became the first person hanged on what was later called gallows hills.

Many more people were hanged too by this court, but later due to criticism the court was dissolved

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After this court was dissolved The matter reached the prior authority with a superior court of judicature, which disallowed spectral evidence and condemned just 3 out of 56 defendants.

Conclusion: 

"By May 1693, authority had pardoned all those imprisoned accused on witchcraft charges. But it was too late as the damage was already done. Nineteen men and women had been hanged on Gallows Hill. Martha’s 71-year-old husband, was pressed to death in September 1692 with heavy stones after refusing to submit himself to a trial. At least five of the accused died in jail. Even animals fell victim to the mass hysteria, with colonists in Andover and Salem Village killing two dogs believed to be linked to the devil."

Key Facts

•The Salem witch trials are a defining example of intolerance and injustice in American history. The extraordinary series of events in 1692 led to the deaths of 25 Innocent Men Women And Children [1]

•As 1692 passed into 1693, the hysteria began to lose steam. The governor of the colony, upon hearing that his own wife was accused of witchcraft ordered an end to the trials [2]

[1] Www.pem.org

[2] Www.usahistory.org