The European Witch- Hunts During The Middle Ages

The European Witch- Hunts During The Middle Ages
Witchy Ladies: The European Witch– Hunts During the Middle Ages in the 1700s, there was a witch craze throughout Europe. Witches were reported,
tortured, and punished. Roughly 100,000 of them were put on trial, many of whom were tried in southeastern Europe. As several Europeans of this era
were Roman Catholics, witches were perceived as having connections with the Devil. Because of this, the three major reasons for the execution of
witches were religious beliefs, social prejudices, and personal disputes. Even though Europe was split after the Reformation, both Protestants and
Catholics were still uniting against a common enemy– witches. Both churches, especially the Catholic, felt under attack by this craze. Especially,
because "where... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In addition, Pope Innocent VIII sanctioned a Papal Bull, Summis desiderantes, to acknowledge the existence of witches and to give the sanction of
the Church to the popular beliefs concerning witches. By the Pope acknowledging this existence, he added to the hysteria and although Protestants
did not view the Pope as their religious leader he was still an extremely powerful leader. Because of how widespread Catholicism and Protestantism
was in this time, and how the highest ranking religious officials, Martin Luther and Pope Innocent VIII, acknowledged the actual existence of
witches, the craze caused chaos throughout Europe. Socially, Europe as a whole held quite a few prejudices against older, widowed women. In W.
Fulbecke 's "A Parallele or Conference of the Civil Law...", W. Fulbecke writes that the "bodies of aged persons are impure...". He continues to say
how they are "apt for contagion... by the Devil whetted for such a purpose." In addition, statistically, the "Age of Suspected Witches" was around 60
(Source 7). In the story from a licensed midwife, she testifies, "she had become a widow, she cut corn for Hans Schlumperger... they convened that
they should...meet in her... dwelling... it was not the said bondsman who appeared unto her, but the Evil One [the Devil]" (Source 5). The witch hunt
was biased towards older, widowed, or childless women. 82% of witches in southwest Germany who
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Women 's View Of A Patriarchal World
With a medieval Europe's view of a patriarchal world, the idea of women as an inferiority to men was inevitable. However, the idea of women being
"the wicked of all wickedness" (Kramer) elevated such view into what we know as misogyny. The medieval witch trials exemplifies the product of
gender specific hatred outweighing the initial view of religious cleansing and stability. Thus, one argues that while both men and women were accused
of being witches, the driving force behind such hysterical event was a fear or hatred of women by authorities– who were in fact mainly men.
In the early stages of the witch craze some theologians saw the need to repress such hysteria before it was too late. One such theologian, Saint
Augustine argued that God alone could suspend the normal laws of the universe. In his view, "neither Satan nor witches had supernatural powers or
were capable of effectively invoking magic of any sort. It was the "error of the pagans" to believe in "some other divine power than the one God."
Of course, if witches are indeed powerless, the Church need not overly concern itself with their spells or other attempts at mischief " (Linder, 2005).
But, with the belief of the devil's agenda to tempt the followers of God into wrongdoings, the Roman Catholics decentralized the idea of magic into
two phases; that of god – which is good magic, and that of the devil– which is witchcraft or sorcery. An outlook that Thomas Aquinas expanded on in
his work the Summa

She is a Witch!
The finger has been pointed; she is a witch! For people living during the renaissance, in the reign of King James I, they were convicted to death as
quickly as that.The idea of witches and witchcraft can be traced back to the Romans. Although witchcraft was around for years there was little counts
of action against them; until the Renaissance. During the Renaissance, sixteenth century, many people were put to death for being suspected of
witchcraft. The hunt for witches all occurred because of a theory and the ruler, King James, of the time. Witchcraft has been around since the
beginning of time, but in the sixteenth century a new theory developed off the basics of Christian theology. "This theory was that a witch had made a
deliberate pact with the devil, almost a form of a personal arrangement, but that a witch did not act alone. Therefore if one witch existed in a locality,
there had to be more" (James I and Witchcraft). This new theory led to a total change in witch hunting. No one person in a village could now be
accused, according to the Christian theory, there always had to be more. Suspected witches were no longer arrested and then put to death; they were
now tortured until they would confess another "witches" name. But how would they determine who was a witch or not?
Anyone could have been convicted of being a witch, but the finger was usually pointed at, "an old, isolated, poverty–stricken woman" (The Royal Play:
James I and Macbeth). Women had little to no

Witchy Ladies : The European Witch Hunts In The 1700s
Witchy Ladies: The European Witch– Hunts During the Middle Ages in the 1700s, there was a witch craze throughout Europe. Witches were reported,
tortured, and punished. Roughly 100,000 of them were put on trial, many of whom were tried in southeastern Europe. During the height of the witch
hunt, the Reformation started which had an immense impact on the witch craze. Both Protestant and Catholic followers contributed the craze by their
notions of the Devil's powers. Furthermore, with the Reformation and the witch craze occurring at relatively the same time period, the religious
insecurity only added to the height of the witch hunts. As several Europeans of this era were Roman Catholics, witches were perceived as having
connections with the Devil. Because of this, the three major reasons for the execution of witches were religious beliefs, social prejudices, and personal
disputes. Even though Europe was split after the Reformation, both Protestants and Catholics were still uniting against a common enemy– witches.
Both churches, especially the Catholic, felt under attack by this craze. Especially, because "where the Catholic church was weakest, experienced a
virulent craze (i.e., Germany, France, Switzerland). Where the Catholic church was strong (Spain, Italy, Portugal) hardly any witch craze occurred..."
(Source 1). This was the first major threat to the church's authority. In addition, where the Protestants and Catholics were busy fighting each other
barely any witch trials

Witchcraft, Germany : Margaretha Horber 's Tale Of Witchcraft
Witchcraft Narratives in Germany: Rothenburg, 1561–1652, is a collection of witchcraft narrative literature that took place in Rothenburg, Germany by
Alison Rowlands. Margaretha Horber's Tale of Witchcraft written in 1627 serves as an example of one account of a person who would be accused
of being a witch due to her deviance against social as well as religious norms. Already we see this theme of individuals in society changing their
attitudes towards another for minor infractions. As the story goes, "Margaretha did not make the progress in religious instructions her guardians had
hoped for. On the contrary, she seemed incapable of fulfilling her pious obligations adequately." As one may learn from this statement alone,
individuals in a Rothenburg, and many other societies for that matter, were to meet a certain standard in term of religious knowledge. Deviating from
the norm would perhaps have influenced her accusers greatly. However, as this source will illustrate, perhaps another factor influencing her accusers
was the fact that this particular society may have in fact been experiencing turmoil. As history has often illustrated, when a society is experiencing
difficult times, it may look to a scapegoat to take out pent up frustration, or possibly to explain the difficult circumstances. According to this source,
during the Thirty Years' War between 1621 and 1631 it is likely that Margaretha Horber's parents, who died in early 1626, fell victim to an outbreak of
plague

Witches And The Witch Trials
In Europe from the late fifteenth to early seventeenth centuries many people, both men and women, were persecuted as witches. The reasons for the
persecution of individuals as witches included gender discrimination, religious fanaticism, an explanation for the otherwise unexplainable events that
took place, and even as a way for secular officials to gain more wealth. Misogyny being a cause to the witch trials may have resulted from the new
roles of women in society conflicting with the traditional views of women as sinful, and also accounts for why the majority of individuals persecuted
were women. A religious spark was ignited during theProtestant Reformation as people became more religiously devoted and wanted to eliminate
threats to their faith, such as witches. Many strange occurrences such as disease or even non–harmful events that were simply unexplainable led people
to believe witches as the causes. Some people may have not even believed another person to be a witch but may have just wanted wealth and that
person's possessions and declared them a witch for that reason. All these factors contributed to the period now known as the witch craze, which resulted
in the torture and death of many people.
One of the main factors in the persecution of witches comes from the men of the time's misogynistic attitudes. During this time, women were beginning
to take more prominent roles in society, like the notable humanist Christine de Pizan or "The First Lady of the Renaissance,"

Essay about Witchcraft
Beginning in the Middle Ages and through the seventeenth centuries, an infiltration of witchcraft persevered throughout Europe. The witch craze
resulted in the torture and persecution of witches. More than 100,000 of witches who were tried were centered in the area of southwestern Europe.
The mass hysteria of witches was denounced because of their rejection of God and their pact with the devil, which resulted in harsh punishments and
accusations. One reason for the persecution of witches was they were thought to be the cause of bad harvests, epidemics, natural disasters, and
personal tragedies. Witches also had a part in the religious aspect of Europe. The witches were persecuted because of the lack of a main religion,
which was... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(Document A7). Roger North, brother of Chief Justice Exeter explains that if a judge were to go against the public opinion, then the townspeople
would think he is not religious and would then possibly be accused. (Document A6) This is an indication that people of all social classes could be
targets. In Europe it can be concluded that many had xenophobia of different people or prejudices, but they were held mostly against older women.
This is because during the Renaissance people had fears of the supernatural and forces of nature or God, which led to the beliefs of superstition.
Therefore, the future mass hysteria of witches would be denounced based on the Renaissance views. In the Middle Ages to the 16th century it can be
finalized that the elderly, female, and poor working class were the majority of the accused (Documents D1, 2,3). Statistics drawn from the
contemporary court records conclude that most of the suspected witches were above the age of 50 and 80% of females were executed for witchcraft.
The trials of witches were centered in southwestern Europe because these bordering areas lacked a strong central authority and were places of social
chaos. W.Fulbecke believed that witches aimed at the destruction of others through the spread of their own diseases to others, based on their pact with
Satan (Document C1). Kramer and Sprenger were two Dominican monks who held a conspicuous bias towards women and the elderly (Document

Comparing the Salem Witch Trials, European Witchcraft...
Comparing the Salem Witch Trials, European Witchcraft Craze and the McCarthy Hearings
The evidence of witchcraft and related works has been around for many centuries. Gradually, though, a mixture a religious, economical, and political
reasons instigated different periods of fear and uncertainty among society. Witchcraft was thought of as a connection to the devil that made the victim
do evil and strange deeds. (Sutter par. 1) In the sixteenth, seventeenth, and twentieth century, the hysteria over certain causes resulted in prosecution in
the Salem Witch Trials, EuropeanWitchcraft Craze, and the McCarthy hearings. These three events all used uncertain and unjustly accusations to attack
the accused.
The Salem witch trials in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Neighbors accused neighbors of witchcraft, and the fright was mounting. (Sutter par. 4) The accused were mostly women, and to make them confess,
different methods of torture were used. The confessions and trials of the accused witches were nonsense. Often, torture would continue until the
victim had no choice but to confess of being a witch, and most of the confessions were forced. Trials and hangings continued and by the early autumn
of 1692, doubts were developing as to how so many respectable people could be guilty. The educated elite of the colony began efforts to end the
witch–hunting hysteria that had enveloped Salem. Increase Mather then published a work entitled Cases of Conscience, which argues that it were
better that ten suspected witches should escape than one innocent person should be condemned. This urged the court to exclude spectral evidence.
With spectral evidence not permitted, the remaining trials ended in acquittals and all the convicted and accused witches were let out of jail in May of
1693. By the time the whole witchcraft incident ended, nineteen convicted witches were hanged, at least four accused witches had died in prison, and
one man, Giles Corey, had been pressed to death under rocks. About one to two hundred other people were arrested and imprisoned on witchcraft
charges. The witchcraft accusations in Salem had taken the lives of at least twenty–four people.
In Europe, death by accusations of witchcraft

Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch trials where for the right reason, but had the wrong way of going about it.In the spring of 1692, 4 girls claimed to be possessed
by the Devi, and said that some other women were also possessed. With the town in an uproar, a special court in Salem was setup to trial all of the
convicted. Bridget Bishop was the first to be tried, and she was hung in July. 18 more were hung. But, more than 150 men, women, and children were
condemned. By September of that same year, the town started to turn against the trials, and thus the Salem Witch Trials were ended. Although the
general court annulled the guilty verdicts, and granted indemnities to the loved ones, anger remained in their hearts for hundreds of years.
(History.com)But, witch craft wasn't just beginning. Witch craft had been a belief centuries before. Centuries before the trials, many Christians
believed that the Devil could give people called witches power to harm others, if the witches were loyal. (smithsonianmag.com)In Europe, from the
1300's to the end of the 1600's, a "witch craze" was going on. Many believed to be witches were executed, tens of thousands. Even though the Salem
Witch Trials were at the end of the "witch craze" in Europe, local happenings caused it to happen. (smithsonianmag.com)What didn't help was the war
in 1689. English rulers started a war with France and the colonies. When they attacked the colonies, many people fled to Salem. With so many

Ergotism And The Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials began in the spring of 1692 when a group of teenage girls had claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused different
members of the community of bewitching them. As word of the devil and his witches spread through the community, a special court convened. This
ultimately jailed and accused almost, if not more, than 300 people and sent nineteen of those people to their graves. What was the main purpose for the
Salem Witch trials? Upon doing much research, there are many different ways that this question could have been answered. Some of the answers to the
question of what the main purpose for the trials are poisoning, tension, and the way the investigations were held. The three different topics are main
reasons on why... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Fourteen women and six men had been accused; this soon had led to the hanging of each and a mass witch–hunt to find more just like them. By the
end of the trials, there were at–least over 150 men and women taken and put in prison for the simple reason that someone had blamed them, either for
wrong doing or because they were different than others in the community. The inquisitors of the trial had denied burial to the deceased as they were
accused of witchcraft, which according to their religion was not "godly". From Rebecca Nurse – a woman accused– "I can say before my eternal father
that I am innocent and God will clear my innocence." (Pelka 1) This quote shows that she pleaded her innocence and that her conscience was clear.
The people of Salem were very religious and they held a person to their religious standards, which means if someone didn't act or speak a certain way,
they simply didn't belong. A group of girls had been accused in the beginning of the witch trials, as they began to experience fits that no one had ever
seen before. When taken into custody, the girls had begun to be questioned. At first they didn't answer, but upon more questioning, they started to
accuse many local men, women, and even children of witchcraft. Soon followed the arrests of citizens and more questions had followed. This soon
turned into the largest witch–hunt in known history. Most people that were accused had "bad

Witchcraft Trials And The Salem Witch Trials
The Salem witchcraft trials took place in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. The news of witches began to spread in
Salem when a group of young girls gathered together in the kitchen of the Reverend Samuel Parris with his Indian slave named Tituba to experiment
with witchcraft. After these young girls began to portray unusual behavior the village doctor came to the scene and diagnosed the girls to be
possessed by the devil. The news of the presence of witches spread throughout Salem like a craze and lead to a series of accusations and turmoil.
The Salem witchcraft trials were a collection of trials, hearings, accusations, imprisonments, and executions that sought to get rid of the influence of
witchcraft from the Salem population. The vast majority of people who were accused of being witches were mostly women. These accusations had
more to do with the social status of these women rather than to seek to understand them. The first hanging began with the death of Bridget Bishop in
June and continued until September. The Salem witchcraft trials included an example of scapegoating because Puritans feared that the devil was
continuously looking for ways to test their faith.
Today the term "witch" has been used in films, books, and in pop culture. In the seventieth–century, an example of a person who was considered a
"witch" was generally someone who appeared to be involved with the devil by portraying unexplainable behavior. In Salem, the Puritans

What Triggered The Witch Craze?
Joseph Bohannon
Dr. Wirts
History 4342
January 28 2017
What triggered the witch craze? Most historians agree that the witch craze began in the 15th century, during the early modern period. However, many
factors that contributed to the witch craze had been brewing for several centuries prior, in as early as the 12th century we see the persecution of
heresy by the Medieval Inquisition, which is basically a large–scale model of religious groups suppressing and killing anyone who does not agree with
them, or speaks out against them. This similar type of rational is seen happening in Colonial America: men, women, and children who were educated,
and spoke out against the social norms were labeled as witches and targets of hate crimes.
The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Word of mouth was their most effective way of sharing information until the printing press was created, this invention revolutionized how information
could be shared throughout the world, books were able to be mass reproduced and able to reach places that word of mouth may not have able to, but
as is the case with most good things, evil people can use good things for bad. Large amounts of books were published that outlined the existence of
witchcraft, stating that they were demonic influences involved, and offering ways for people to deal with it, as well as many embellishments. Some
such publications were the Fomicarius (NIDER), Flagellum Haereticorum Fascinariorum (JACQUIER), De Lamiss (MOLITORS), and The Hammer of
the Witches (MALIFICARUM). Publications like these perpetuated the hysteria into what we know refer to the witch craze/ which trials.
The witch craze in Europe was at its height during 1560–1630, some of the most notorious trails that were held were: the Trier, Fulda, Basque,
Wuzburg (mostly children were accused), and the Bamberg witch trials. In 1590 King James VI of Scotland got involved with the witch craze, he
had developed such a fear that he would have nightmares of witches killing him. The King ordered that anyone suspected of witchcraft would be
brought before the royal court. One such person that was suspected of being a witch was a nobleman named Francis Stewart who was the 5th Earl of
Bothwell, who later fled the country fearing for his

Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials
The witch trials in Early Modern Europe were a widespread moral panic, suggesting that Satanic witches were working as a threat towards the
Christian Faith during the 16th to 18th centuries. Those accused of witchcraft were portrayed as being worshippers of the devil, who took part in acts
such as sorcery at gatherings known as Witches' Sabbaths. Many people were accused of being witches, and were put on trial for the crime, with
punishments varying from time period to region.
Some of the earliest recorded trials are from the Late Medieval Period, following Pope Innocent VIII's papal bull, Summis desiderantes affectibus,
which recognized the existence of witches, and gave full approval for an inquisition against them. The peak of witch hunting was between 1580 to
1630, during the European wars of religion. Witch hunting began to decline in the 18th century, culminating with the BritishWitchcraft Act of 1735.
An estimated total of about 40,000–60,000 people were executed during the witch trials, the most notable of these trials being the North Berwick witch
trials, TorsГҐker witch trials, and the most famous of all, the Salem witch trials.
Various suggestions have been put forward that suggest that the witch trials emerged as a solution to the socio–political turmoil of the Early Modern
World. One form of this is that the trial and execution of witches was a response to a disaster that had been inflicted upon a community, such as a poor
harvest, war, or an outbreak of

Puritan Beliefs And The Salem Witch Trials
Puritan Beliefs and the Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials was an event that took place in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. During this time, more than 200 residents were
accused of practicing and participating in the Devils magic better known as witchcraft. Out of these 200 people, 20 were put to death. After these
horrible events had been carried out, the colony admitted the trials were a mistake and helped salvage the families that had been effected by the events.
So why did these trials take place? It had everything to do with the events that were happening within the Puritan community beginning in the 1300s.
During this time in history Puritan beliefs and religious practices were held so high to their community ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
On February 29, 1692, under the guidance of magistrates Johnathan Corwin and John Hathorne, Ann, Elizabeth and Abagail accused three women
for afflicting them: Tituba a slave girl from the Caribbean who was owned by the Parris's; Sarah Good, a homeless beggar and Sarah Osborne, an
elderly woman. All three women were brought to trial before the local magistrates and interrogated for days at a time, these interrogations began
on March 1, 1692. Both Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good claimed to be innocent, but Tituba confessed, "The Devil came to me and bid me serve
him" (Witch Hunt). Tituba states that she has seen images of huge black dogs, red cats and a huge black man who asked her to write her name in
his book. She said that she indeed did sign the book along with several other witches who sought out to destroy the Puritans. The Puritans were
eager to believe the confession from the slave girl. Tituba's skin reminded them of the Indians they came to hate so much. She was a dark skinned
woman from Barbados, Tituba was also known for speaking her native language and practicing her native religion. Since Tituba confessed, all three
women were sent to jail. The Puritans followed the Bible as closely as possible. The magistrates referred to one scripture in the Bible time and time
again as to see how to deal with the accused witches, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Exodus 22:18). Since the Puritans followed

Essay The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692
The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692
The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692, which resulted in 19 executions, and 150 accusations of witchcraft, are one of the historical events almost
everyone has heard of. They began when three young girls, Betty Parris, Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam began to have hysterical fits, after being
discovered engaging in forbidden fortune–telling (not dancing naked in the woods) to learn what sorts of men they would marry. Betty's father, the
Reverend Samuel Parris, called in more senior authorities to determine if the girls' affliction was caused by witchcraft. Although Betty was sent away
fairly soon, and did not participate in the trials, the other girls were joined by other young and mature
women ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Whereas in the past everyone in a locality had followed the same religion, people were now exposed to Christianity and the local religions of
people who had moved to their region, or whose regions they had moved to. In the cities of central and southern Africa, many local religions and
Christian sects could be found, as well as Islam. Belief in witchcraft tended to unite people across religious differences. Typically, the names brought
to witch finders were those of the same sort of local enemies we have become familiar with in reading about the Azande. As the frenzy increased,
people began to be accused who had not aroused any particular jealousies, possibly because they possessed a peculiar bag or horn, which might be
said to contain "medicine" – in one reported case, such a container did indeed contain "medicine" but ordinary physical medicine, not magical
substances. These crazes tended to die down, often after considerable conflict and property damage, and the witch finders would then move on to the
next town. As witchcraft accusations still occur in the area, we can conclude that the movements did not get rid of witches forever, nor, unlike the
situation Salem or Europe, did belief in witchcraft itself actually end with the witch crazes.
The actual execution of witches was not usually a feature in African witchcraft, so there was probably less to repent in the end, though there

The Witch Craze In The Nineteenth Century
Witch Craze A woman was once looked upon as a healer, ancient persist, mid wife, therapist, cook, sever of goddess, a positive figure, etc. As time
went on, women were not seen as they were originally portrayed. Women were eventually viewed as a witch. Each culture had a different perception on
what a witch looked like, but each represented the same thing. In essence, the witch craze brought about the "dark side" of a female. Some causes of
"witch craze" in the fifteenth century would include hallucinations, people not wanting to be tortured and people needing something to blame
misfortune on. Firstly, hallucinations occur as a result of the induction of hallucinogens into the blood stream. Some people have always wondered how
witches... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The torture was so horrible people would do anything they could to get out of it. "I have never seen you at the sabbat, but to end torture I had to
accuse someone", this is how the witch craze grew and spread so quickly. People would name random people to try and escape the torcher, even if
what they were saying was inaccurate. If the person that was being accused was compliant, then the "penitent witch/witches could look forward to
being strangled before the fire was lit", this would mean getting some relief before dying. To be compliant, the person that was being accused had to
give names of people they saw at the sabbat; which means giving names they could think of off the top their head, meaning giving names of family,
friend and neighbors.
Naturally, humans are prone to blaming their misfortunes on people or things aside from themselves. If a woman could be a healer, then it would only
make sense that she would be able to harm as well. Whenever something bad happened, like crops dying instead of blaming the weather the towns
people blamed a witch. The people in this time believed that everything ill–fated was done by an evil presence or was deficient. For example, Robert
Detweiler in his article "Shifting perspectives on Salem witches "states "witchcraft serves an important function in explaining death and other
misfortunes". This showed that in this time, witches could be used as explanation to satisfy the towns people belief or

Elizabethan Witchcraft Act Essay
The Elizabethan era and the Witchcraft Act
What was the purpose of the witchcraft act and how did it contribute and affect society in the Elizabethan era?
In the Elizabethan era of Europe witchcraft was greatly feared among citizens and became the cause of major disruptions in society. From the early
1500s to late 1700s the witchcraft craze rose, spread and declined in England, therefore leading to the placement of various witchcraft acts during this
period.
The idea of witchcraft existed long before the 16th century, but only after the 16th century, the perception of witchcraft changed into an opposing
view. Before the 16th century, people usually accepted women making their own medicines and administering it to cure disease or illness, but when
the middle ages began and when millions of people fell into the hands of the plague (Black Death), witches started receiving negative suspicion for the
activities. Citizens began accusing people with related features to a witch, good or bad, of treachery and acting upon the will of Satan. This, they
connected to the Black Death as their doing.
A stereotype was now created. This stereotype of witches still exists today.
The first witchcraft act in England was placed by Queen Elizabeth's father King Henry VIII. He was the first to define witchcraft as a crime and that
it could be punished severely which generally resulted in death. He forbid witchery to be practiced or exercised for reasons of a felony and is
established as

The Puritan Religion And Belief In The Salem Witch Trials
The year of 1692 marked a time of mass hysteria and conflict within the small village of Salem, Massachusetts; this time was known as the Salem
Witch Trials. The trials plagued the village with chaos, mystery, and accusations. As the hysterics of witchcraft rippled through Salem, more than
two–hundred people were accused and tried, one–hundred–fifty townspeople were arrested, approximately twenty people were executed, and five
others died in prison. The trials had a domino effect on the townspeople and sent the village into a downward spiral. Since then, the trials have become
tantamount to paranoia, as almost three centuries later, they continue to beguile the great minds of many. To this day, though there are many possible
theories, and... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The hysteria, craze, trials, and deaths, still rest an unsolved case. The theories of politics, rivalries, religion and the "circle girls" seem the most
believable, in my eyes. However, as the happenings in Salem village still continue to mislead and amaze not only historians, but many others, the witch
trials lie a great turning point for Salem, and the lives of many; let alone

Causes Of The Witch Craze
The witch craze rapidly spread around Europe from 1480 to 1700, especially during the time of both the Protestant and Catholic Reformation. From
accusations to trials to persecution, over a million Europeans were tried due to witchcraft suspicions. The trials were often rigged in favor of the
accusers, and torture was used as a method for confession in certains areas of Europe. The witch craze had many contributing factors that allowed it
to last for almost three hundred years. Three major reasons for the persecution of individual witches were influence from religious superstitions
promoted by the Church, lack of advanced knowledge in science and medicine and social prejudice against the lower socioeconomic class. Religious
leaders condemned witches and spread the idea that witches work for the devil. When higher power religious leaders acknowledged the existence of
witches and the detrimental effects of witches in society, it fostered fear among the people, which encouraged accusation against many individuals. In
Doc B3, Martin Luther says that "witches are the Devil's whores who steal milk, rise storms...torture babies in their cradles...[and] that the Devil is
unable to do these things by himself." After Martin Luther preached about the threats, dangers, and horrible things witches do, the European people
were instilled with fear and were determined to put an end to the spread of witches through persecution. Even Pope Innocent VIII ordered the people
that it was their

Examples Of Persecution Of Witchcraft
There are documented examples of persecution of witchcraft going as far back as Classical Antiquity and the Old Testament. For example, in Ancient
Rome black magic was treated as a capital offence by the Law of the Twelve Tables . The early legal codes of most European nations contain laws
directed against witchcraft. For instance, the oldest document of Frankish legislation, the Salic Law, punishes those who practice magic with various
fines, especially when it could be proven that the accused launched a deadly curse. All throughout history, there have always been cases of conjures,
cunning, sorcerers and witches. Normally these individuals were women, who were believed to have supernatural powers over human beings and
nature. Thus, some people ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The social, political and philosophical/intellectual changes I mentioned before allowed for European societies to implement changes in law. In
England, the Witchcraft Act of 1734 redefined witchcraft so that the conventional form of witchcraft would no longer be considered as a legal offence.
The English Act of Parliament in 1736 also eradicated witch–hunts. Poland did so in 1776. The revisions made in judiciary institutions contributed to
bringing the hunts to an end. Even though the materialization of institutional factors in every state varied, they were the ultimate reason of the decline
and end of the

Witch Craft Trials Research Paper
There has been a plethora of research conducted that supports the notion that witch–craft trials occurred in Scotland primarily during the 16th and 17th
centuries in England and Scotland and had an impact on the way people chose to live their lives during this time period. Witches were seen as people
who had turned their backs on God and Christianity and entered a pact with the Devil. Due to this belief, people were quick to prosecute potentially
witches to keep the community safe. Furthermore, there were many different elements of life that had an impact on witch–craft trials and their
outcomes, such as the state/national government, local officials and arguably most importantly, the church. Specifically during the Civil War we saw
an increase... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In order to be tried as a witch, someone who believed themselves to be victimized would come forward to the authorities. However, before a witch
received a formal trial by a criminal court she was generally identified by a kirk session. Being involved in the first stage of witchcraft trials allowed
the church to help identify 'witches' and begin the interrogation process. In order for an individual to be tried by a criminal court the church had to
seek the approval of the Privy council. Cases with an abundance of evidence were more likely to have a trial – this is still the case today in court cases.
If the court believes there is a high success rate that the accused will be convicted they are more inclined to bring the issue to court. In addition, the
best piece of evidence in the 17th century and today is a confession. Unfortunately during witchcraft trials confessions were frequently acquired by
illegitimate and morally reprehensible ways. As stated by Goodare "... [the witch] had often been arrested and interrogated (typically with deprivation
of sleep) to obtain a

Witch Hunt Research Paper
The witch hunt craze that enveloped Europe and the New World from the thirteenth through the sixteenth centuries resulted in the senseless murders of
countless people through horrifying methods of torture and execution, and all for seemingly no reason. Women constituted the vast majority of victims
of the witch hunt craze, with up to 80% of all witchcraft victims being women (Barstow, page 7), for a wide variety of reasons that can all be traced
back to one thing: the oppressive sexism that dominated the patriarchal society of early Europe. The dominant victims of witch hunt mania were
female due to a combination of the oppressive roles that were forced upon women in early European society, religious persecution that was largely
caused by ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Much of the folk lore regarding witches involved sexual relations with demons and even the devil himself and some rather immodest rituals that are
immortalized in countless very graphic paintings, which served to inspire absolute disgust and hatred towards the women accused of witchcraft. One
of the earliest victims of the French witch hunt was AngГ©le de la Barthe, accused of having sexual intercourse with the devil himself and executed in
1275. A later French victim, Jeannette Abadie, was brought up on the exact same charges, with an exceptionally graphic recounting of this experience
in court being the highlight of her trial (needless to say, the devil got around more than the preacher's daughter at summer camp). She was, however,
spared execution, presumably because the judge believed she had a promising career in erotic fiction awaiting her. Women were regarded as inherently
sexual creatures– their sexuality was far more psychically apparent than men's, from menstruation to pregnancy and birth– and were perceived as the
ultimate threat to the sexual purity of men. The Catholic Church futilely attempted to suppress sexuality and placed the blame almost exclusively on
women for the sinfulness of human nature– according to Salem, Massachusetts court records, women who gave birth to bastard children were six
times more likely to be punished for their adultery than the father of the bastards were. Women's sexual histories were often dragged out for the entire
town to oogle during witchcraft trials in colonial New England, as their fidelity was brought into question, alongside their ability to attract men to and
to cause impotence (Legrende, page 8). A witch's ability to cause impotence in men played a distinct role in creating the witch panic, as men were
dangerously obsessed with the idea of women holding sway over them sexually.

Witch Dbq
High numbers of executions for crimes of witchcraft in Europe primarily took place over 160 years, from 1500 up through 1660 and finally ending in
about the 1680s. During this period in time, England reached a total of 1,000 executions for crimes of witchcraft. This is a significantly lower number
than the 26,000 deaths in Germany and the 10,000 deaths in France at this time. The English legal system helped to significantly lower the number of
executions for the crime of witchcraft in England over the 160 year period known as the witch craze.
Before exploring the reasons that the number of executions of witches was so low in England, we should first explore the English conceptualization of
a witch. During the witch craze of the 16th to 17th

Persecution Of Witch Essay
The Corruption and Prosecution of Witches Through the fifteenth to the eighteenth century many components of society overlapped in witchcraft. As
political, economical, and religious standings became unstable the witch craze grew exponentially, becoming an industry. Typically older women
were accused as witches due misogyny and stereotypical uselessness. The persecution of witches in modern Europe was caused by blame, religious
ideology, and personal and industrial gain. As problems manifested in Europe so did the need for a scapegoat. As children died at a higher rate and
colder climate caused bare harvests, women responsible for these issues were blamed. From the beginning at the Garden of Eden women were
depicted as problematic and expendable. Instead of confronting their own repulsive morals, humans blamed the Devil and witches for their wrongs. By
creating a system in which men could violate religion with blame on the Devil's presence, people were inclined to both break laws and believe in
witches. Older women in particular had nothing left to offer civilization, thus constructing the perfect, undefendable victim. With this dogma of
witches, it was easy to condemn others for faults no human could control. The so–called proof of women related to the Devil was continuously written
by men, demonstrating misogynistic views.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Authors expressed that if one did not believe in witches they not believe in the Devil which meant there was no God; therefore, if one did not believe
in witches they did not believe in God. Christ incited that demons once on earth can return and must die. Both Protestants and Catholics believed in the
word of God, thus forcing them to accept the stated accounts of God. Most Europeans were concerned with their own salvation, which would
encourage them to believe in witches to ensure their belief in God and safety from purgatory. (Documents: A,6;

Witchcraft as Misogyny
The society during the 14th–16th century viewed women as unimportant compared to men, which led to the belief that women were witches.
Act of oblivion "Women and Explanations for European Witchcraft Beliefs in the 16th and 17th Century." (2003) The journal "Women and
Explanations for European Witchcraft Beliefs in the 16th and 17th Century," debates whether witchcraft was a tradition or part of everyday culture.
James Sharpe believed that witchcraft was a part of everyday culture during that period. People targeted others for revenge or said they were a witch
because they were an outcast. Anne Laurence argues that Christian and secular prosecution developed common tradition of witchcraft by popularizing
a belief neither of Sharpes ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Many of the sources I've read talk about women giving up their religion for the devil. This source talks about men being involved and I can relate that
to how witchcraft isn't always seen as misogyny.
Katz, Steven. "The European Witch–Hunts, c. 1450–1750." www.gendercide.org. "The European Witch–Hunts, c. 1450–1750" by Steven Katz
describes witch–hunts and how females played a huge role as victims. This journal proves that not only were most women accused of being women
but they were also the victims. The author of this journal brings up data and information to back up his theory that women were the victims because
people were afraid of women having to much power. This journal is a good article for anyone researching witch hunts and the impact it had on females
and why.
"Medieval Sourcebook: Witchcraft Documents (15th Century)" N.P., N.D. Web. 29 January 2013. The "Extracts from the Hammer of Witches"
discusses the methods people used to torture witches. First, the jailors prepared torture. Second, they stripped the witches of their clothing because they
believed that witchcraft was sewed into their clothing. After that they tortured them if they didn't confess. When they were done torturing they pulled
the witch aside to see if they would confess yet. They would make them believe that if they confessed they would not be put to death. This source is
important because I've read a few things about "The Hammer of

European Witch Hunts 1350-Present Essay
In order for history to repeat itself, it has to start somewhere right? The European witch hunts can be traced back to around 1450 and last well into the
18th century. The European witch hunts, much like the Salem witch trials happened because of rejection of rapid social, economic, and religious
transformation. (Jones Gendercide Watch: European Witch Hunts). Often during times of rapid change it takes a while for reforms to be made or for
citizens to adjust to the new arrangement. The result of the rejection of change during this time period was mass hysteria and moral dilemmas.
European witch hunt trials were based off of opposing views, ignorance, and used to get back at people, which ultimately led to death and destruction,
and still... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While many people accepted the change that was brought during the Renaissance, many Catholic conservatists, mostly male rebelled against the
changes. Many of the ideas to persecute supposed witches were made by people in the nobility and the papal society. The beginning of the witch–hunts
become apparent during the first half of the 15th century in south–eastern France and western Switzerland, in communities of the Western Alps, in what
was at the time Burgundy and Savoy. (Jones Gendercide Watch: European Witch Hunts). Soon the persecution of witches spread throughout most of
Europe and extended into some parts of North America. Although in total there were the estimated executions of40,000, with only 12,454 recorded
deaths. The witch hunts reached their peak after the biggest witch trials were held in Europe, notably the Trier witch trials (1581–1593), the Fulda witch
trials (1603–1606), the WГјrzburg witch trial (1626–1631) and the Bamberg witch trials (1626–1631). (Hutton Counting the Witch Hunt). In the witch
hunts most of the people executed or accused were women. In Europe, 80% of the people brought to trial were woman, with an 85% conviction rate,
while 20–25% were male. Although the church initially started the hunt, many of the people executed were a part of the Catholic Church. Another
group of people targeted by the witch hunts were the mentally impaired. Although

Women And Witchcraft In The 1600's
Women were the primary targets of witch hunts, a craze that gripped medieval Europe between the 1600's to the 1700's. Women's bodies and sexuality
were repressed due to it's dangerous threat to the medieval society. Women's bodies were tortured and mutilated to prove the authenticity of witchcraft.
The evolution of the witch throughout the 1600's to the 1800's, changed the perceptions of elderly women and witchcraft into the modern times.
The fall of Eve in the Garden of Eden condemned women and their bodies. Women's bodies were created for sin and were easily seduced by
temptation. Women's bodies were weak and inferior to men's bodies, for this reason they were viewed to have wanton and ravenous sexual appetites.
Roper makes this point by discussing Kramer's condemnation of women, "All witchcraft comes from carnal lust, which is in women insatiable"
(Roper 136). The feebleness of their bodies and will caused them to make unwise decisions. One possible explanation for the divided depiction of
women could be the Madonna–Whore dichotomy. Women were seen as either virginal Madonnas or evil whores. The... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Their telling of Hansel and Gretel's heroic triumph exposed the witch to be a feeble old woman. No longer were the elderly women in the village
diabolically terrifying. The dark forest and it's mysteries were celebrated, instead of feared gathering place for witches Sabbaths. The tale of the
gingerbread house with it's cannibal witch became a moral teaching for disobedient children. This evolution of the witch carries on into modern times.
Children around the world are read the story of Hansel and Gretel. Their triumph as caused the witch to be likened to the monster underneath the bed.
Nothing to be scared of and certainly nothing to panic over. As Roper commented, "No longer the death dealing harpy, the old woman was cut down
to size, reduced to a bogey to frighten children" (Roper

Witchcraft Article
The First article was published by The New York Times by Mitch Horowitz on July 4th, 2014. Second article used was published by The New York
Times by Nick Cumming–Bruce on February 8th, 2013 These articles gives an example of how in modern times witch craze remains. In the article, it
discusses an event that took place in Papua New Guinea. It discusses an event when a mob of people buried a 20–year–old mother alive who they
suspected of partaking in witchcraft to murder her young neighbor. The young neighbor lived right across from the young mother when he suddenly
became ill, he was taken to MT. Hagan where he would later die. The family of the young neighbor suspected witchcraft was to blame for his sudden
illness. They questioned a pair of women who stated it was the 20–year mother for causing this because she practiced witchcraft. The authorities tried ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
An example shown of power being used is by the legal system. The law in New Guinea indorsed violent behavior towards another individual. With the
law being revoked it is a difficult transition for individuals in this country to not seek justice in their own hands and village. The violence that has
related to witchcraft human rights and United refugee's states that there are thousands of murders committed each year condemning individuals of
witchcraft. In Papua New Guinean a human rights institute, calculates witchcraft associated violence is 5 to 1 against women, signifying that
witchcraft allegations are used to cover domestic violence. This article revels that the witchcraft hunt that began in Salm in 1690 remains in full effect.
It is not just in history books, but globally it could be fueled by superstition, environment or seeking harm on another. Nonetheless, on how this behavior
began it raises the question will the witch hunt

Salem Witch Hysteria
Witchcraft is the use of magical powers. Witchcraft is often regarded as "black" magic. The article called "The Salem Witch Trials: 1692
–1693" states
that "[s]ince the early fifteenth century, so–called witch panics had periodically swept across Europe, causing witch hunts, accusations, trials and
executions" ("Salem" 1). Although some children and males were accused, the greater part of the arraigned individuals were female ("Salem" 1). A
debatable amount of around forty thousand individuals were implicated and executed as witches between fourteen hundred and seventeen hundred and
fifty ("Salem" 1). Although the causes of the witchcraft hysteria are debatable, there are three widespread and favored explanations for the hysteria
within ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Spielvogel states that "Europe's longtime adversaries–war, famine, and plague–continued to affect population levels" (Spielvogel 437). Europeans also
experienced another temperature drop that hurt harvests and led to a shortage of food (Spielvogel 437). Anxiety and anger over Europe's worsening
state led people to make allegations of witchcraft in order to explain the worsening conditions in Europe (Spielvogel 437). To summarize, heightened
tensions within small communities because of Europe's longtime worsening conditions played a part in why there was so much hysteria over witchcraft.
Furthermore, another cause for the witchcraft frenzy was religious uncertainty (Spielvogel 439). There were numerous witchcraft trials in the region
where "Protestant–Catholic" arguments still fumed (Spielvogel 439). According to Spielvogel, "[a]s religious passions became inflamed, accusations of
being in league with the devil became common on both sides" (Spielvogel 439). Additionally, another contributing factor to the widespread witchcraft
hysteria was the escalating amount of trials and executions of alleged witches (Spielvogel 437).
There are countless different assumptions about witches. The majority of individuals in the sixteenth and seventeenth century presumed that God and
Satan were real (Lambert 1). They also assumed that "witches" were in allegiance with Satan and made a vow to bow down and serve him (Lambert
1). Furthermore, another common belief was

Factors Of The European Witch Craze In The 17th Century
Periods of religious, social, and economic turmoil often provoke extremist movements. This is particularly true in regards to the European "Witch
Craze," an era from the late fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries characterized by mass hysteria towards individuals suspected of practicing
"witchcraft." However, several external factors throughout Europe served to precipitate the persecution of these individuals, a vast majority of which
were female. One such factor was the Protestant Reformation, a movement led by influential religious figures such as Martin Luther in Germany and
Ulrich Zwingli in Switzerland, who attempted to reform the corruption and abuses of the Roman Catholic Church, thus inadvertently leading to the
formation of Protestant religions within the Christian faith. This act of dissent amplified religious tensions throughout Europe, therefore intensifying
religious sentiments, such as the fear of satanic worship. Additionally, during this time period, Europe was faced with immense hardships in the form
of natural disasters, famine, war, and devastation of the Black Plague, which not only created an apprehensive environment in which many sought out
an explanation or scapegoat for their misfortunes, but significantly damaged Europe's economic stability, thus causing people to go to extremes in order
to support themselves economically. These factors were a lethal combination, creating a general climate of terror and doubt throughout Europe. To this
end,

Images Of Witchcraft During Renaissance Culture
Images of Witchcraft in Renaissance Culture
The witchcraft phenomenon of the Renaissance period was shaped by a wide range of cultural factors; witchcraft was not necessarily subject to a
single cohesive idea or concept, and it was often instead a conglomeration of many different societal concerns, concerns which spanned through all
spheres of society. Textual evidence from this period provides insight into the way in which witches were conceived, and how witches were dealt with,
while visual images present a companion visualisation of the tensions, which influenced created the witch, and the imagery, which came to be
associated with witchcraft.
The 1486 Malleus Maleficarum set up the precedent for the witchcraft craze, which came to its prime in the mid 16th century, during the Renaissance
period. Though the Malleus was not the only factor in this craze, as Margaret Sullivan notes, 'it made no discernable impact... for nearly half a century'
, it, with a number of other social factors, provided a wealth of information to witch hunts and hunters. This treatise further established several of the
basic ideas essential to the identification of witches such as the identification of witches as largely women; through the treatise's continual argument
that women were of gullible and carnal nature the text further advocated ideas of fear and hatred in regards to women.
As the witch–hunting period grew, the real fears and tensions which plagued all levels of society is clear by

What Is The Witch Hunt Dbq
A few centuries ago in Europe, the fear of witchcraft led to witch hunts and executions. These occurred mostly in France, Germany, northern Italy, and
Switzerland. "Tens of thousands of people in Europe and European colonies died," and "millions of others suffered from torture, arrest, interrogation,
hate, guilt, or fear,". It is estimated that the early modern witch trials claimed the lives of nine million Europeans, 80% of whom were women which
led early feminists such as Margaret Murray, Mary Daly and Barbara Ehrenreich, among others, to wonder: "Was the witch–hunt an intentional
woman–hunt". Back then, women were accused of being witches since Accusations of witchcraft required no evidence of guilt. The trials were
"intended only to produce ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Their private parts would be searched multiple times for the devil's mark, or they would have to go through various tests to prove themselves guilty or
innocent. If witch–hunters struggled to find obvious evidence of the "devil's marks" on a suspect's body, they might resort to the even more
horrifying practice of "pricking". It was noted in many witch hunting books that the devil's marks were insensitive to pain and couldn't bleed, so
examiners would use specially designed needles to repeatedly stab and prick at the accused person's flesh until they discovered a spot that produced
the desired results. In England and Scotland, the torture was performed by well–paid professional "prickers". It is hard to believe that many of them
even used dulled needlepoints to identify fake witch's marks. Along with pricking, the unfortunate suspect might also undergo the scratching test.
Victims that suffered from the witch's curse were told that they would find relief by scratching the accused person with their fingernails until they
drew blood out of the accused. If their symptoms improved after clawing at the accused's skin, it was seen as an evidence of

Macbeth And Witchcraft Essay
Witchcraft in England and Macbeth "Witchcraft and witch–hunting in early modern Europe are among the most written about, yet most elusive, of
historical topics." This statement was made by Jim Sharpe, about the topic that I will be going over in this paper. So in it, we will be discussing
witchcraft in England in the early 17th century. It will talk about a few of the reasons why the witch craze began, what exactly went on during that
time, and how it relates to Macbeth. We will explore certain terminology about witches that some may be unfamiliar with, such as different names for
witches and even their alleged companions. When the outbreak of witchcraft first started, no one really believed that witches were the cause of anything
going ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Some people believed that familiars could change forms, between animal and human. This is also where black cats get their bad reputation because
it is believed that most familiars were black cats, when in fact they can be any animal that is seen as a regular household pet. Witches riding brooms
also come from beliefs of witches being involved with the devil in any way, shape, or form. The brooms symbolized the devil being with the witch at
anytime. This belief could have come from the Christian church's involvement of witchcraft, however they also focused strongly on demonology
(Sharpe), most likely believing witches to be a type of demon that needed to be vanquished from the

Essay On The Salem Witch Trial
One of the more infamous events of the seventeenth century, the Salem witch trials marked a low point in Massachusetts Bay Colony history.
According to Deodat Lawson, as many as 70 villagers of Salem were accused of witchcraft in June of 1692. The vast majority of these were women
(approximately 78 percent, according to Elizabeth Reis), but the most telling information lies not in the accusations themselves. Rather, the identities of
the accused shows that the witchcraft craze originated from preconceived notions about women, including their predisposition to sin, as well as how
they should behave in society. A common belief brought over from Old England was that women were more susceptible to sin than men. This was
supposedly due to them ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Tituba, known as one of the first to be accused, was believed to be the Indian slave of Reverend Samuel Parris, and was perhaps the most well
known among the accused. Even then, very little information is available about her. All that is known for certain is that Tituba was a servant,
probably of Barbadian origin, that, upon confession, accused several other villagers. This, of course, resulted in a positive feedback loop of the
accused persons naming even more witches, who would probably then accuse even more, should they choose to confess. The large number of
confessions was due in part to the attitudes women had towards sin; they were generally "more convinced that their sinful natures had bonded with the
devil." Once they confessed, the accused were pressured to name others who had signed a pact with the devil, as "everyone wanted to believe that
witches flourished in Salem." An interesting event in the history of America, the witchcraft craze of Salem questioned thePuritan values of society, as
well as women's roles. It's possible that, due to their widespread impact, the Salem witch trials formed a basis on which complete religious freedom
would eventually be

The Catholic Church During The Middle Ages And Through The...
Beginning in the Middle Ages and through the seventeenth centuries, witch trials occurred in Europe. Many people were accused of being witches
some of these people were accused of being witches for not following Christian beliefs at that time and others followed witch prosecutions for goods
and money. Furthermore, the stereotypes of witches at this period also had a role in causing witch prosecutions. In this essay I argue how these three
components led to the death of so–called witches. Firstly, I will discuss how the Catholic Church had an impact on most prosecutions. Secondly, I will
explain how social stereotypes of that period have also influenced with the causes of prosecution of many alleged witches. Thirdly, I will discuss how...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is important to understand the meaning of witchcraft to be able to identify what caused the massive witch–hunt in Europe. During the medieval to the
early modern period witchcraft was identified as the practice of harmful, black or maleficent magic caused by a witch (Levack, 1987, p. 4). They also
describe them as evildoers that associate with the Devil, kidnap children, and murder others. These accusations were untrue rumors made by the
Catholic Church to promote Christianity and punish those who did not follow the church beliefs. (Levack, 1987, p. 7)
Furthermore, Witches were commonplace all over the world with different stigmas and stereotypes attached to them from each respectful culture that
contained them (Girard, 1986). It was not until the rise of the Catholic Church that witches soon became associated with black magic and the Devil,
leading to mass prosecutions. In the Middle Ages there was a popular belief that demons walked the Earth, leaving disease and devastation in their
wake. The church, feeling threatened by the ideologies of Witchcraft, decided to link the old Pagan religion with that of Satanism (Levack, 1987). By
doing so, they were able to gather favor from the masses by taking advantage of the fear of the Devil by the public and using it to prosecute those who

Paganism In Europe
Witches; healers of nature, clear souled, sisterhood, and enchantress. The views of what a witch used to be, has changed dramatically due to a drastic
shift from positive to a horrendously negative view in Europe. For instance, these negative views are still impacting people's interpretations today of
what a witch represents, for example the image associated with witch craft of an old hag or the assumptions that they practice Devil worship. I myself
practice a form of witchcraft, and have been ridiculed, called satanic and constantly experience negativity around my practice especially from Christian
individuals who do not understand any other religion than their own due to the belief that the Christian religion is the only way to salvation. ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The "Goddess Mary" is well known in the Christian aspect but not known in the Pagan aspect. The "Goddess Mary" was a shrine for Pagan women
and the Christian church diluted her power and formed her into a Christian appropriate woman, only stripping women's power and beliefs further.
Christianity both symbolically and literally began to remove the importance of the Pagan religion and the power women had within the community,
thus resulting in the beginning of how women in general and wise healing Pagan women were viewed in

The Rise of the Witchcraft Craze in 17th Century Britain...
The Rise of the Witchcraft Craze in 17th Century Britain
Accusations of witchcraft date back to 900 AD, but killing following accusation reached a fever pitch in the late 16th century Europe, and late 17th
century Britain. Germany and Scotland were the areas that were most heavily purged, with an estimated 4000 witches dying in Scotland and 26 000
dying in Germany (Gibbons). The Inquisition in Britain happened against a backdrop of new ideas competing with established traditions which created
a sense of confusion and religious hysteria amongst the general population. A number of theories have developed from historians as to what sparked the
witchcraft craze; ideas of the Reformation and rise of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It could be conceived that this old–fashioned attitude which developed against a backdrop of scientific development, sparked passion in the Puritan
church to purge their society of witches. Smith, the secularist historian, and therefore with perhaps a biased view, notes, "A patent cause of the mania
was the zeal and bibliolatry of Puritanism". Johnson concurs with this statement by observing, "Above all, Puritanism was the dynamic behind the
increase in witch–hunting". Part of the Puritan belief is the creation of a 'land of saints' which meant that Puritans would actively seek to banish evil
from their communities, which in the 17th century, took the form of witchcraft. Mainly stimulated by the Civil War, Puritanism rose in credibility and
following as a religion. Through the desire to create a 'land of saints' and with papal sanction (Papal Bull 1484), religious believers were legitimately
able to accuse any whom they felt were guilty of witchcraft.
The witch hunt itself was seen to be sanctioned by the church. The Papal Bull of 1484, and the translation of the King James bible which featured the
section "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Exodus 22:18) provided the legitimisation for these attacks and meant that the general public could hunt
witches and be devoid of

Compare And Contrast The Witch Trials Of England
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Europe experienced a widespread belief in witchcraft and a subsequent witch craze. The witch craze spread like
wildfire throughout the continent and many were hunted, persecuted, and executed for proposed maleficent acts. Economic hardships, religious fervor,
and political support helped to fuel the fire that blazed through the continent. Those accused were predominantly women of low socioeconomic status.
Life was precarious during this time period resulting in malnourishment and rampant disease. Ignorance and a highly superstitious population saw
witchcraft as an explanation for sickness, death, failed crops, or any other mysterious malevolent acts. As a result of the geographical separation of the
British Isles, the witch trials of England and Scotland were unique and differed from the mainland. Also, by comparison, the witch trials of England
and Scotland were very different from one another. The two cultures differed in their accusations of witchcraft, the nature and extent of their trials, and
the use of torture. Persecution and began in England with the Witchcraft Act of 1542. Parliament decreed that witchcraft was a crime and punishable
by death. Scotland issued a similar act in 1563 classifying witchcraft as a capital offense. During the witch trials of England, it is estimated that 500
individuals were executed for practicing witchcraft. Those accused were usually elderly, poor females in small rural villages. They were

Witch Hunt Mania
Witch Hunt Mania – 1450 to 1750
Many innocent women happily welcomed death by confessing to witchcraft in order to end their excruciating torture during the witch hunt craze
between 1450 and 1750. Since many records were lost, destroyed or never kept, the best estimation of the total deaths is several million (4). The main
cause of the witch hunts was the Church inflicting fear upon the common and educated man by lying to them about what witches do and who they are.
The Church also directly and indirectly increased the pain that accused women would go through during their torture. The Church made it clear, to all
those who would listen, that all women were evil and capable of witchcraft. 'The Bible's Apocrypha states, 'Of woman came the ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
(Barbara Walker)?(2). All of the victim?s estate became the property of the government as soon as they were accused. The torture was done in such a
businesslike fashion that the relatives were charged for the victims torture and death (4). They were charged for such things as the ?ropes that bound
them and the wood that burned them. (Barbara Walker).?(2). Some methods of torturing the accused witches into confessing were thumbscrews, whips,
red–hot tongs, and the rack, this lead to there bones being crushed, limbs severed and flesh seared. After being locked up and tortured for days on
end, most women would confess in order to die and some would also accuse neighbors and friends hoping to end their own pain (4). Another method
of determining the guilt of the accused was to stab needles into her eyes and if an insensitive spot was found then she was considered guilty. A
Spanish church even went as far as to conform a statue of the Virgin Mary into a device of torture. They did this by covering the front side of the
statue with sharp knives and nails, then they used levers to make the arms of the statue crush the accused against the knives and nails (Jean Plaidy, The
Spanish Inquisition) (2). Men would also brutally attack the breasts and genitals of accused witches if they became sexually

The European Witch- Hunts During The Middle Ages

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The European Witch- Hunts During The Middle Ages