In the early days of the US, a bunch of people were burned because they were witches. Were all the witches burned, or did some survive? Are any of their descendents alive in the US today?
2006-09-09 07:07:06 · 28 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
The majority of so called Witches that were hung in the U.S. were not Witches at all.
Yes, there are Witches and I am sure there are a few fam trads around. (Not as many as Grandmother stories I've heard)
Blessings )O(
2006-09-09 07:17:23 · answer #1 · answered by Epona Willow 7 · 8⤊ 0⤋
A quick research will show you that witches weren't burned in the US, they were hung. People were hung because they were accused of witchcraft and chose not to "confess". If they confessed (whether or not the confession was true) they were usually let go. There were plenty of people who were let go after their confessions but this does not mean that they were ever witches in the first place. Surely, there were some people who were never accused who continued with their indigenous practices in private. Those practices would have changed significantly in the last few hundred years though--just as everything else has changed. I feel it is possible for some aspects of these practices to have probably been passed down but I feel it would be extremely rare to have intact, complete information that was secretly passed orally through so many generations.
2006-09-10 06:45:53 · answer #2 · answered by Witchy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Of course there are witches and you do not need to be related to one to be one. Most people in Salem and before that in "the burning times" were not actually witches. There was mass hysteria and people accused their neighbors because they did not like them or they wanted their land. Pick up a book, do some research, most research backs that up.
2006-09-10 11:10:10 · answer #3 · answered by Wedding Ideas 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes.. there are still witches... most definitly. And as to the Burning times.. some ladies were witches, some were not. And it was even getting to the point that women with land and money were accused of being a witch, just so the the rulers and such would get there land. It cost a lot of money to have a trial and to kill a "witch". Most of the time, the woman would end up paying for her own execution with her own money, property and land. It was sad. A lot of the women that were killed were Mid-wives, healers, and women with property.
2006-09-09 16:57:00 · answer #4 · answered by saturnmaiden 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Tons of Witches, although we are now known as Pagans or Wiccans.
As far as the ones who died in the Salem Witch trials, they were mostly unpopular people who were easy targets. And They were hanged, not burned. Long story, check the links below for the facts regarding that one, or read "The Crucible".
2006-09-10 23:45:34 · answer #5 · answered by ravencadwell 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Witches were not burned in the US. They were hung. Burning was for heretics, to cleanse their souls. Witches were hung, because it was believed that they had already sold their soul to the Devil, so there was no point in trying to save them.
And Poor Giles Gorey was pressed to death with rocks, because he refused to confess even under torture, so that the WitchFinder General could not confiscate his home and land. His family still lives in the area where it started, which is NOT the Current town of Salem but over in Danvers.
2006-09-11 19:56:27 · answer #6 · answered by AmyB 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ok, Skipper, that was only one of the shameful periods of the U.S. history. Did you know if you confessed to being a witch you were allowed to live? Thus, by your definition, some survived. By the way, it is VERY unlikely any of the people burned or crushed were actually witches.
2006-09-10 02:34:52 · answer #7 · answered by swarr2001 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I do not know if there are any descendants from that day. But one thing for sure, there are still witches living in the world today. But if you're thinking brooms and rattlesnakes potion, then the answer is no.
Mostly those who practice witchcraft today are Wiccans, neo-pagans, etc. And they are found all around the world, believe it or not!!
if you would like to know more, i suggest you to go to http://www.witchvox.com
2006-09-09 14:11:53 · answer #8 · answered by freekspy 2 · 7⤊ 0⤋
Depends how much of it you believe. Wiccans consider themselves witches and I am sure if the Salem witches existed there'd be some that avoided the stake especially since it was called off because the deaths of many innocent people not for the fact that people believed they had killed off all of the witches.
2006-09-09 14:10:03 · answer #9 · answered by laydlo 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Usually the people who were killed were not witches, but were killed because they refused to admit that they were. Often, if person accused of witchcraft admitted, either truthfully or not, that they were a witch they were spared. Go figure.
BTW, I am a pagan.
2006-09-09 14:12:53 · answer #10 · answered by DontPanic 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋