Puritan Beliefs and the Puritan Beliefs and the Salem Witch TrialsSalem Witch Trials

Who were the Puritans?Who were the Puritans?

• Definition: Refers to the movement for reform, Definition: Refers to the movement for reform, which occurred within the Church of England which occurred within the Church of England between the time of Elizabeth and Charles II.between the time of Elizabeth and Charles II.

• The Puritans wanted to rid the Church of any The Puritans wanted to rid the Church of any Catholic residue and build upon the ideas of John Catholic residue and build upon the ideas of John Calvin. When Elizabeth died and Charles II Calvin. When Elizabeth died and Charles II dissolved parliament, and any connection dissolved parliament, and any connection between church and state, he demanded that between church and state, he demanded that anyone be killed who did not support the new anyone be killed who did not support the new Anglican Church. Hence, religious persecution Anglican Church. Hence, religious persecution began for the Puritans.began for the Puritans.

• Left for the new world in 1620 and established Left for the new world in 1620 and established the Massachusetts Bay Colony.the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Theological Beliefs Espoused by the Theological Beliefs Espoused by the PuritansPuritans

• Total depravityTotal depravity: : ““In AdamIn Adam’’s fall we sinned alls fall we sinned all”” Humankind is totally sinful through the fall of Adam Humankind is totally sinful through the fall of Adam and Eve and damned for eternity.and Eve and damned for eternity.

• Predestination:Predestination: You are You are ““electelect”” (saved) or (saved) or ““unregenerateunregenerate”” (damned). Salvation belongs to the (damned). Salvation belongs to the ““electelect””, or God, or God’’s chosen. No good works will help s chosen. No good works will help you become saved.you become saved.

• Limited atonement:Limited atonement: Christ died Christ died onlyonly for the for the ““electelect””..• Grace:Grace: You could feel God You could feel God’’s grace in an intense s grace in an intense

emotional fashion. After receiving grace, you were emotional fashion. After receiving grace, you were ““rebornreborn”” have thenceforth full power to do the will of have thenceforth full power to do the will of God and the ability to live uprightly to the end.God and the ability to live uprightly to the end.

These beliefs originated in Calvinism.

Puritan Beliefs Cont.Puritan Beliefs Cont.

• The Puritan community was a The Puritan community was a theocracytheocracy, a , a government which blends church and state. The government which blends church and state. The churchchurch’’s officials were the governments officials were the government’’s officials. s officials. Thus, church and state were not separate. Thus, church and state were not separate.

• City upon a Hill TheoryCity upon a Hill Theory: That the new MA Colony : That the new MA Colony would be a place of complete reform (utopia) would be a place of complete reform (utopia) where God would be found in scripture and a where God would be found in scripture and a strong work ethic.strong work ethic.

• EducationEducation: A strong belief in education was : A strong belief in education was established in order to read the Word of God. The established in order to read the Word of God. The first public school was founded in 1635 and first public school was founded in 1635 and Harvard College became an icon for educating Harvard College became an icon for educating ministers. ministers.

Causes of Witchcraft Hysteria in Causes of Witchcraft Hysteria in SalemSalem

1.  Strong belief that Satan is acting in the world. 1.  Strong belief that Satan is acting in the world. ---------"The invisible world": disease, natural catastrophes, ---------"The invisible world": disease, natural catastrophes, and bad fortune and bad fortune

2.  A belief that Satan recruits witches and wizards to work for 2.  A belief that Satan recruits witches and wizards to work for him. him. ---------Prior witchcraft cases ---------Prior witchcraft cases

3.  A belief that a person afflicted by witchcraft exhibits certain 3.  A belief that a person afflicted by witchcraft exhibits certain symptoms.symptoms.

44.  .  A time  of troubles, making it seem likely that Satan was A time  of troubles, making it seem likely that Satan was active. active. ---------Congregational strife in Salem Village ---------Congregational strife in Salem Village ---------Frontier wars with Indians ---------Frontier wars with Indians

Causes ContinuedCauses Continued

5.  Stimulation of imaginations by Tituba. 5.  Stimulation of imaginations by Tituba.

6.6. Teenage boredom. Teenage boredom. ---------No television, no CDs, and lots of Bible ---------No television, no CDs, and lots of Bible reading reading

7.7. Confessing "witches" adding credibility to Confessing "witches" adding credibility to earlier charges.earlier charges.

8.  Old feuds (disputes within congregation, 8.  Old feuds (disputes within congregation, property disputes) between the accusers and property disputes) between the accusers and the accused spurring charges of witchcraft.the accused spurring charges of witchcraft.

How it started . . .How it started . . .

• •Betty Parris became strangely ill. She dashed about, dove Betty Parris became strangely ill. She dashed about, dove under furniture, contorted in pain, and complained of fever. under furniture, contorted in pain, and complained of fever. The cause of her symptoms may have been some The cause of her symptoms may have been some combination of stress, asthma, guilt, boredom, child abuse, combination of stress, asthma, guilt, boredom, child abuse, epilepsy, and delusional psychosis.epilepsy, and delusional psychosis.

•Talk of witchcraft increased when other playmates of Talk of witchcraft increased when other playmates of Betty, including eleven-year-old Ann Putnam, seventeen-Betty, including eleven-year-old Ann Putnam, seventeen-year-old Mercy Lewis, and Mary Walcott, began to exhibit year-old Mercy Lewis, and Mary Walcott, began to exhibit similar unusual behavior.similar unusual behavior.

•A doctor called to examine the girls, suggested that the A doctor called to examine the girls, suggested that the girls' problems might have a supernatural origin. The girls' problems might have a supernatural origin. The widespread belief that witches targeted children made the widespread belief that witches targeted children made the doctor's diagnosis seem increasing likely. doctor's diagnosis seem increasing likely.

-Douglas Linder-Douglas Linder

Witch CakeWitch Cake

• Tituba, a slave from Barbados, makes a Tituba, a slave from Barbados, makes a witch cake, drawing suspicion on witch cake, drawing suspicion on herself.herself.

• A witch cake is composed of rye meal A witch cake is composed of rye meal mixed with urine from the afflicted mixed with urine from the afflicted children. It is then fed to a dog. The children. It is then fed to a dog. The person is considered bewitched if the person is considered bewitched if the dog displays similar symptoms as the dog displays similar symptoms as the afflicted.afflicted.

EvidenceEvidence““The girls contorted into grotesque poses, fell down into The girls contorted into grotesque poses, fell down into frozen postures, and complained of biting and pinching frozen postures, and complained of biting and pinching sensations. In a village where everyone believed that the sensations. In a village where everyone believed that the devil was real, close at hand, and acted in the real world, devil was real, close at hand, and acted in the real world, the suspected affliction of the girls became an obsession.the suspected affliction of the girls became an obsession.”” Douglas Linder Douglas Linder

The TrialsThe TrialsBy the end of 1692, over 200 people were jailed and By the end of 1692, over 200 people were jailed and standing accused of witchcraft.standing accused of witchcraft.

Hysteria Hysteria StrikesStrikes

• NNineteen men and women were hanged, all ineteen men and women were hanged, all having been convicted of witchcrafthaving been convicted of witchcraft

• Another man of over eighty years was pressed Another man of over eighty years was pressed to death under heavy stones for refusing to to death under heavy stones for refusing to submit to a trial on witchcraft chargessubmit to a trial on witchcraft charges

• Many languished in jail for months without Many languished in jail for months without trialstrials

The CrucibleThe Crucibleby Arthur Millerby Arthur Miller

SettingSetting

We begin with a play, set in colonial America.We begin with a play, set in colonial America.

Arthur MillerArthur Miller’’s dramas drama The Crucible The Crucible has its feet in has its feet in two eras of time, Puritanical New England Salem two eras of time, Puritanical New England Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and Cold War Washington of Witch Trials of 1692 and Cold War Washington of the 1950the 1950’’s. Miller presents Americas. Miller presents America’’s deepest s deepest past in order to make a modern point. He saw past in order to make a modern point. He saw that, as the saying goes, that, as the saying goes, ““Those who do not Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.learn from history are doomed to repeat it.””

Works CitedWorks Cited

• Famous American Trials. Salem Witchcraft Famous American Trials. Salem Witchcraft TrialsTrials 1 1692692 hhttp://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrialttp://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SALEM.HTMs/salem/SALEM.HTM

Puritan Culture

Quote of the week from Puritansermons.com:

"Sin in a wicked man is like poison in a serpent; it is in its

natural place."

Cotton Mather (1663-1728)

• Promoted inoculation against a small pox epidemic in 1721

• Many refused to get inoculated because they believed they were interfering with God’s plan for them and possibly cheating death

• When many who had been inoculated died anyway, it became a non-issue for most

John Winthrop

• A Puritan primer first published in 1672

• Described as leading its “readers through a gallery of death-bed scenes”

• A 1661 catechism

Puritan Children

Commemorative Death Rings