Individualism In The Salem Witch Trials

A series of events occurred leading up to, and during the Salem Witch Trials making the situation far detrimental than it should have been. Salem, Massachusetts became the main focus in 1692 when over one hundred people were falsely accused of practicing witchcraft. Twenty were executed by being hanged, one by being pressed, and one-hundred and fifty-six jailed. Women played a big role in the trials. Most of them were the accusers, and the unlucky ones were the accused. The Puritans of this town had just recently moved from their old homes, so living in a new environment may have had an effect on the outrageous hysteria. People were not good with change. With that being said, Individualism began to conquer the principles of Puritanism while trying to protect oneself. Humanity was in a panic from trying to deal with new economic expansion. “The Puritan inhabitants were always alert to the “signs” that

Mostly the well-educated ones were those who came to realize an unseen entity cannot manipulate oneself. “Believed that the universe was orderly, and that events were caused by natural, and knowable forces…they could control their destinies and were not at the mercy of invisible evil forces.” With that being said, the witch trials were put to an end and no one was convicted again. “The leading ministers of Boston, most of whom believed in witchcraft but had been skeptical of the trials stepped in, and the governor adjourned the court.” The tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials will forever hold a place in America’s history. With change for those living in the new world, came an abundance of unfortunate events. Those events being over one-hundred people being accused of practicing witchcraft, and twenty of them, just in Salem, were wrongfully tried and hanged. The trials played a big role of people’s views on religion and