Death In Salem: The Salem Witch Trials

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In Salem, a small village in Massachusetts, the atrocious events that came to be known as the Salem Witch Trials lasted from February of 1962 until May the following year. This series of trials resulted with 200 people accused, with 24 dead. 19 were executed and hung. Of the 19, 6 were male and the remaining 14 were women. Giles Corey died after three days of torture for refusing to plead guilty. The last 4 died whilst in prison. (Brooks, historyofmassachusetts.org)

The ratio of men to women hung dead, 14:5, says a great deal of the evident social hierarchy and gender equality, or lack thereof, that was very commonly present throughout this time period. As mentioned in the book, Death in Salem: The Private Lives Behind the 1692 Witch Hunt, “Everyone knew that witchcraft was largely a female perversity, but the reasoning stopped there.” (Diane E. Foulds, 41) …show more content…

When Betty Parris, Samuel Parris’ only daughter, fell ill, no one could explain what was happening. She complained of fever and suffered agonizing pain (Linder, law2.umkc.edu). Linnda Caporael, a behavioural psychologist, received a great deal recognition for her studies concluding that the symptoms many people may have been exposed to may have most likely been the result of poisoning from Ergot. An infectious fungus that can lead to the induction of kaleidoscopic drugs in rye often in

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