Dbq Salem Witch Trials

Witchcraft was a highly widespread phenomenon in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. In many different places, there were many different factors which allowed the rise of witchcraft persecutions or witch trials. In some areas, power played a main role behind the influence toward witchcraft accusations. If we examine American witchcraft, particularly in Salem, Massachusetts, we can see people with high recognition behind the early stages of witchcraft accusations in the village of Salem. Such people include government officials, such as judges, and the Parris family, where Samuel Parris is a well known, Protestant minister who held tremendous influence to his followers. It is through some Salem documents where this power structure is evident.

The power of the Parris family is where the rise of witch trials in Salem begin. However, the recognition of Samuel Parris was not simply because he was the village minister; his job title was

only part of it. Parris actually had developed many enemies along with his supporters. Salem village, where Parris’s church took place, searched for independence from the town of Salem. Therefore, many townspeople opposed Parris. In contrast, villagers supported Parris because Parris’s church was the foundation of the village. Therefore, religion -- in this case Protestantism -- was a popular piece of culture in seventeenth century Salem. Although the village never received independence, Parris would continue to receive much support after conflict, since it would always be his church as the landmark of the Protestant village. Since church was a popular way of life, opposers to Parris in the village could have little influence in society.
With the Parris family seen as the highness of Salem village, news about them could spread relatively quickly.

For instance, rumors spread when “two children of the Parris family became sick with peculiar fits [with] odd sensations[, and] painful muscle spasms” which could not be understood. Supporters of Parris would express great concern when him or his family would experience these scary events, and were eager to find an explanation. Their. explanation would be witchcraft. This is similar to the idea that amidst famine in areas such as Europe, elites would turn to vulnerable people to blame for witchcraft. In addition, vulnerable people in Salem village who “did not support Samuel Parris” would be accused. It would be as a result of sick children in the Parris family, where judges would begin to take part as officials to confirm or disconfirm witchcraft. Therefore, judges would become the most powerful during the witch trials, while the Parris family and its supporters would still have high abilities of influence during

trials.
To examine how the Parris family could still have provided influence with judges in control, the legal procedures should be considered. One may believe the judges can make fair decisions, but the process implies how people with much support can have an effect on trials. Some types of valid evidence to judges include a voluntary confession or actual incidence as provided by “two objective witnesses[.]” Of course, many of these witnesses would be people related to the Parris family, and would work hard to confirm their theory of witchcraft upon the Parris children. This flaw in procedure could make it much easier for Parris supporters to convict their accused witches. This is due to the idea that the judiciary did not often or ever deal with witchcraft, as there was only a single law in Massachusetts regarding witchcraft, in which a witch shall be put to death. Therefore, it made sense for them to confirm accusations if there were plentiful witnesses or voluntary confessions, as they had little precedent behind each trial. There were many cases that could highlight these characteristics of a trial-- where the Parris family had high influence and where judges used any intriguing evidence that came visible.
One person involved in many cases was Ann Putnam, Jr. who was the daughter of the Thomas and Ann Putnam, major supporters of Samuel Parris. Since Parris was a major character at the origin of witchcraft accusations in Salem, people closely connected to him could have high publicity in their accusations. One case in particular where Putnam was a prosecutor was against Rebecca Nurse, a long-time attendant of Parris’s church. Although an unlikely candidate for witchcraft due to her long attendance to church, Putnam’s status played a role in bringing the issue to a judge. Although this part alone is weak in bringing Nurse to conviction, as said before, it is the flaws in the judiciary system that leads to her guilt. Firstly, many witnesses accused her amidst her examination. During her examination she received many accusations from people, besides those from Putnam, such as Henry Kenny who said that since Nurse came into his house “he was seized twice with an amazed condition” and Mary Walcott who added that Nurse had hurt her. It was with further accusations in the examination that would cause the judge to raise more questions and more suspicion. The more questions Nurse would be pestered with, the harder it would be for her to even believe in her own innocence. To summarize, she begins dealing with initial accusations with confident denial, responding to accusations with statements such as “I am innocent” or “I never afflicted no child never in my life.” However, as more and more people accuse her and go into “fits,” which are harsh reactions to supposed witchcraft, judges ask further questions, some of which Nurse would also ask herself. For instance, she cannot tell if the the witnesses suffer “voluntary or involuntary” and goes on further to be unsure if it is her hurting them. She begins to lose confidence and questions her abilities. Nurse ends by recognizing that these unusual behaviors, or fits, must be bewitchment and that the Devil must “appear in [her] shape.” She came to this voluntary confession due to the flaws in the judiciary system. First enough witnesses were acting as if they were bewitched, raising suspicions of the judge to ask pestering questions which would only make Nurse more nervous about the examination. The voluntary confession turns out to be more forced due to the many witnesses providing countless “proof,” through their fits, during examination, along with the difficult questions, which would be difficult for almost anyone to answer, including Nurse, such as whether these fits are “voluntary or involuntary.” Since Nurse was the accused in this case, questions like these caused Nurse to question the abilities of herself. This case provides a powerful example of the issues in the judiciary system that was in power of determining witchcraft in Salem. It also shows how those of high influence, mainly those close to the Parris family, gained support from witnesses throughout some cases.
In summation, it is the Parris family where witchcraft originates, as two children among the family get mysteriously sick. With their high recognition in Salem village due to a church owned by Samuel Parris, many people of concern attributed the mysterious sickness to witchcraft. Although it was the Parris family with influence behind the origination of Salem witchcraft, it is the judiciary that comes in with the most power in convicting individuals suspected of witchcraft. People were such easily accused under judiciary, not only because their power to do so, but also because of the flaws in the system. For instance, enough witnesses were often powerful, which was often common in Salem due to many supporters of the Parris family and their children. Also, voluntary confessions were enough for execution, despite them being forced through pestering and difficult questions. Therefore, the power structure during witch persecutions in Salem were under the judiciary system, with much influence still from those close to the Parris family.