This document provides an overview of witches and two famous instances involving witches - in Shakespeare's Macbeth and the Salem Witch Trials. It notes that witches were historically blamed for misfortune and discusses common stereotypes of witches like flying on broomsticks and having black cats. The passage from Macbeth where three witches stir a cauldron is cited as the origin of this stereotype. The Salem Witch Trials saw accusations of witchcraft in Massachusetts in 1692 leading to imprisonment, representing the dangers of mob mentality. The document concludes with a short quiz reviewing these details.

1. WITCHESBy Paula and Miranda

2. Index
1. Witches
1. The Witches of Macbeth
1. The Salem Witch Trials
1. Quiz

3. 1. Witches
Witches are said to have magical powers. They often use these magical powers to cast
spell over others. In early modern times, it was common to blame witches for bad luck
and misfortune. “Witch Trials”, events where local citizens were accused for practicing
witchcraft. This types of spells, and witchcrafts were held in different towns or cities of
Europe, and soon in the United States. Nowadays we associate the witch with black,
pointed hats, broomsticks, black cats and magic potions inside the cauldrons.

4. 2. The Witches Of Macbeth
The image of witches cooking potions in a cauldron comes from Shakespeare!
The famous phrase “double, double, toil and trouble” is said by three witches in
William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”.
In many of Shakespeare’s plays there is magic.

5. 3. The Salem Witch Trials
Salem was a city where people were judged for witchcraft that happened in that
age.
There is a legend that took place in 1692, in Salem (Massachusetts). Three
teenagers (girls) were “possessed” and the neighbours of the town,began to
blame them. After that, in many cities the people were put in jail for witchcraft.
The salem witch trials are often used as an example of how dangerous a mob
mentality can be.

7. Now we are going to play a little game.

8. 1. The popular idea of a witch cooking her potions in a cauldron
most likely comes from...
A) A play by William Shakespeare.
A) A popular book series about witches.
A) My next-door neighbour.

9. 2. Which tool do witches fly on?
A. The witches can’t fly
A. A broom
A. With wings

10. 3. What pet do witches usually have?
A) A bat
A) A crocodile
A) A cat

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LIKED IT.