History

This assessment will ask you to do several things
1. Readview a set of primary sources, including art works, related to this historical period
2. Draft a thesis based on the full set of primary sources
3. Articulate a cause or consequence of the event represented by the sources
4. Describe one historical actor involved in this event and explain his or her significance in this event.

NOTE You should bring in any information that youve learned about the historical periodtopic from lecture, textbook, primary source documents, films and other sources.

1. Readview the attached set of primary sources, including the art works

2. Draft a thesis based on the full set of primary sources
A thesis is a statement that you would prove in a paper. It should have a point of view, stating a viewpoint that would be supported by the sources you have read and viewed. It should only be a sentence or two.

Draft your thesis here

The Salem Witch Trials in the Religious Context The witch hunt as a culmination of religious extremism and was used to undermine and persecute women in general as unfit and unclean in a patriarchal church ideology.

In total, more women were accused of witchcraft than men. The numbers would show, including the records of the investigations that women were more susceptible to be charged of witchcraft than men, and a s a religious rule, women were required more fervor, dedication, and even cleansing rituals as they are considered more impure than men. This is a reflection of the patriarchal nature of religion.

3. Articulate a cause or consequence of the event represented by the sources
Name and describe one cause or consequence of an event discussed in these sources

The religious context of the Salem Witch Trials must be viewed together with the historical and Socio-political context of the time. As a religious group, the Puritans during the 17th century were a group that sprang up in opposition to the English Church. They had many gripes, including the Book of Common prayers, ritualistic and ceremonial oppositions to the use of vestments, sacramental and other religious dissention. Massachusetts  was a colony heavily influenced and  populated by Puritans thus shaping the politico-theological environment at that period. This is in addition to the picture shown how a town or council could band together and gang up on a suspected or  charged witch, at that time, with perhaps, a staged or choreographed course of action, leading to the indictment and sending to the galleys or the stake of anyone who goes against popular belief. The picture shows a  trial, whereupon, on the floor, a writhing victim points at her tormentor, while the whole communityresponds in an uproar to declare the woman guilty of the charge of witchcraft and devil worship.

4. Describe one historical actor involved in this event and explain his or her significance in this event.
Name one person involved in this event.  Why was that person significant

Historical accounts point to Sarah Good as the first woman to face the inquisition and be declared as guilty of witchcraft. She was said to have vexed and caused the sufferings of the Parris children, niece and daughter of a influential church leader, the Rev. Samuel Parris. Interestingly, as co-accused, Sarah Osborne and Tituba were also accused. It could be said that the character sketches of the three women were enough to make them scapegoats or what would be called as the usual suspects. Sarah Goodman was a homeless woman, begging for food and shelter from her neighbors and the community, while Sarah Osborne had sexual relations with her servant, and was amiss in attending church services. As for Tituba, she was a slave of tribal ethnicity and was far from being Puritan. These, obviously, was enough to make them obvious targets for the religious hysteria and phobia. Sarah Goodman was significant since she was the first among many to follow who was accused and brought to the council. Her recorded responses also shed light to how a  simple jealousy or misunderstanding could have led to a mass murder of a lot of people later on.

Now, I having for some time before, attended the work of the ministry in that village, the report of those great afflictions came quickly to my notice....My concern was augmented when it was reported, at an examination of a person suspected for witchcraft, that my wife and daughter, who died three years before, were sent out of the world under the malicious operations of the eternal powers....
1. One or two of the first that were afflicted, complaining of unusual illness....2. They were oftentimes very stupid in their fits, and could neither hear nor understand....5. They affirmed that they saw the ghosts of several departed persons....6. Persecution by the dragons of Hell, the persons afflicted were harassed at such a dreadful rate, to write their names in a devil book....8. Sundry pins have been taken out of the wrists and arms of the afflicted and one in time of examination of a suspected person, had a pin run through both her upper and lower lip when she was called upon to speak....13. Sometimes in their fits, they have had their tongues drawn out of their mouths to a fearful length, their heads turned very much over their shoulders and had their arms and legs etc. wrested, as if they were quite dislocated, the blood hath gushed plentifully out of their mouths, for a considerable time together....

(H) Sarah Good what evil spirit have you familiarity with(G) None.(H) Have you made no contract with the devilGood answered no.(H) Why do you hurt these children(G) I do not hurt them. I scorn it.(H) Who do you employ then to do it(G) I employ no body(H) What creature do you employ then(G) no creature but I am falsely accused....(H) desired the afflicted children all of them to look upon her and see if this were the person that had hurt them and so they all did look upon her, and said this was one of the persons that did torment them--presently they were all tormented.(H) Sarah Good do you not see now what you have done, why do you not tell us the truth, why do you thus torment these poor children(G) I do not torment them....(H) how came they thus tormented(G) what do I know you bring others here and now you charge me with it....(H) who was it then that tormented the children(G) it was Sarah Osborne.(H) What is it you say when you go muttering away from persons houses(G) if I must tell I will tell.(H) do tell us then(G) if I must tell, I will tell it, it is the commandments. I may say my commandments I hope....

Her answers were in a very wicked spiteful manner. Reflecting and retorting against the authority with base and abusive words and many lies she was taken in it was here said that her husband had said that he was afraid that she either was a witch or could be one very quickly.