Analysis Of A Storm Of Witchcraft By Emerson Baker

In his book A Storm of Witchcraft, Emerson Baker takes his time describing in detail the many factors that culminated in making the Witch Trials of Salem, Massachusetts such an infamous and unique event to Colonial America as well as witchcraft cases throughout the world at the time. The piece provides an interpretation of the Puritan theocracy during the time, and possible reasons that lead to its eventual implosion. As he presents both factual and idealistic evidence in his book, Baker offers his proposal as a conglomerate of ideally timed events leading to the unique events that occurred in Salem eventually causing the degradation of the Puritan based government. In the first portion of Baker’s two part work, he presents “a factual summary

He points out that genealogy played a significant role when it came to the name calling of witches as those that had accepted the halfway covenant, and their families were often targeted. Baker explains that “Virtually all of the ministers who were accused or had family accused preached in New England churches that had accepted the halfway covenant.” (137). In addition to identifying a religious catalyst, Baker also finds a political, and somewhat egotistical factor that is partly responsible for the onset of the trials. He places blame on the court judges when stating, “Their losses, and the colony’s, would have left them looking for someone else to blame” (185). This excerpt is important, because it provides motive for the author’s charge of neglectful misuse of power by the former military/political office holders that were in charge of the court of oyer and terminer. Several other entries of strength pertaining to the work come from the editor’s note of David Hackett Fisher. He praises Baker’s application of secondary sources within his work when stating, “These materials are not merely cited here. They are put to work, and very creatively” (xiv). His use of secondary sources is relevant in that applying said sources helps him convey his findings and opinions in the most accurate and in depth ways