Essay On The Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials

During the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. The society became unsure of what was going on, and as a whole became under a lot of stress. Factors that started and fueled the trials were politics, religion, family feuds, economics, and the imaginations and fears of the people. There are lots of explanations given, but I believe what ultimately led to the Salem witch trials was the economic problems that Salem had been enduring. In the late 17th Century throughout colonial Massachusetts, the supernatural was considered part of everyday life; many people believed that Satan was present and active on Earth. As a wave of hysteria of witch craft spread throughout colonial Massachusetts, a special court convened in Salem to hear the cases; the first convicted witch, Bridget Bishop, was hanged that June. Eighteen others soon followed the same fate. Over the next several months, …show more content…
Salem Village, was set apart by its economy, class, and character. Residents of Salem Village were mostly poor farmers who made their living cultivating crops in the rocky terrain. Meanwhile the Salem Town, was a prosperous port town at the center of trade with London. Most living in Salem Town were wealthy merchants. (Salem Evidence E: Map of Salem Village) For many years, Salem Village tried to gain independence from Salem Town. Many of the farmers who lived far from these riches believed the worldliness and affluence of Salem Town threatened their Puritan values. Farmers in Salam village, started to realize that their land was getting smaller and smaller to pass down to their families, leaving them nothing to give anymore. It began to put a toll on them