In 1692, the “Salem Witch Trials” occurred in the Salem Village in Massachusetts. A group of young girls claimed that several women in the community were practicing witchcraft. This caused a huge wave of hysteria, and over eighteen “witches” were hanged.
From the History channel:
“…A group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft.”
This is one possible explanation:
“In an effort to explain by scientific means the strange afflictions suffered by those ‘bewitched’ Salem residents in 1692, a study published in Science magazine in 1976 cited the fungus ergot (found in rye, wheat and other cereals), which toxicologists say can cause symptoms such as delusions, vomiting and muscle spasms.”
With All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) on the horizon, we thought we’d take a look at modern-day people and determine who would be classified as a witch using the standards applied in 1692.
Here are some of the signs that they may have used to identify “witches:”
1. Being Female
Yes, ladies; unfortunately, we would be accused of witchcraft. Back then, they believed that women were more susceptible to sin than men.
2. You’re Rich
A woman who made her own money, or did anything, without a man would have been suspicious.
3. You’re Poor
One of the women accused was one of the poor people in the village. Many people didn’t like her because she had to beg for food.
3. Hanging Out With Your Girlfriends
If you hung out in a group of women without a male chaperone, people thought you were about to go practice some devil worship.
4. You Had An Argument With One Of Your Female Friends
Any women were more likely to be accused of witchcraft.
Author Elizabeth Reis said:
“…Women were more likely than men to be convinced of this complicity with the devil, and given such convictions about themselves, they could more easily imagine that other women were equally damned.”
5. You’re Really Old
Rebecca Nurse was 70 when she was accused of being a witch. At 71, she was the oldest person to be hanged for it.
6. You’re Really Young
Dorothy Good was 4-years-old when she confessed to being a witch. Her mother, Sarah, ended up being hanged, and Dorothy was left permanently “insane.”
7. Married With A Lot Of Kids
The Duggars would’ve been screwed. People thought that the woman being that fertile was unnatural.
8. Married With Too Few Children
If you are infertile, you must have been cursed.
9. You Have Exhibited “Stubborn,” Or “Strange” Behavior
In the trial of Rachel Clinton, her accusers asked:
“Did she not show the character of an embittered, meddlesome, demanding woman—perhaps in short, the character of a witch? Did she not scold, rail, threaten and fight?”
Here is a video with some facts about the witch trials:
Featured image via Wikimedia Commons available under a CC Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license.
