salem witch tryals?

Question

why waspople accused? any uinformation will be good thank you!

Answer 1

For the most part it was due to ignorance and superstition. If for some reason someones cow went dry or their some other misfortune occurred it was thought that witchcraft was the reason. If someone had a strange birthmark it was thought it was the mark of the devil or if they were different or an outcast for some reason it was thought they were in league with the devil. Sometimes it was for spite or greed.

Answer 2

The Salem, Mass has a visitors bureau which will give you all the information you need on the witch trials. Big H'ween celebration in Salem. The people accused were acting strangely, and one of reasons was the mold in the rye bread which was a poison and maybe a hallucinogen. As it was with the Spanish Inquisition, there were jealous people who wanted money and property from the accused.

Answer 3

There were young girls caught playing with poppets. (dolls) and these were thought to be associated with witchcraft. They were also caught doing harmless witch things by the slave ,Tittuba. To cover up, the girls said they were being attacked by witches. They would shake and some had seizure symptoms or were comatose and said certain people were pinching them. Later, anyone could accuse someone of being a witch an those accused were brought to trial. Some were burned \,some drowned and others were pressed by being covered with a board and rocks laid on it until they were crushed. One of the test to prove a witch was by throwing them in water or a dunking chairs. Witches were though not to sink. So if the witch floated after being drowned or swam when thrown in, it was proof that she was a witch. The people that confessed to being a witch were usually spared if they renounced the devil. But those that denied being witched were imprisoned and tried as witches.

Now it is thought that the girls that started were poisoned by the fungus ergot. Rye bread was the common bread in the colonies. and ergot would attack the rye plant destroying the rye grains and replacing them with ergot. he symptoms were seizures. shaking, trimbling a feeling of being pinched, and later death. Now scientist extract a useful drug from ergot that is use in small amounts to treat migranes, to control bleeding and as an aid in child birth.

There are books on the Salem witch trials you can usually find at libraries and try reading the play The Crucible by Norman Mailer.

Answer 4

it's trials.... but anyway... people would just go around accusing other people they didnt like to get rid of them. Also some would say their neighbor was a witch so they can aquire their land after they were either killed or arrested. it was a crazy time. the Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play based on those times.

Answer 5

What is a 'tryal'? I don't think you should use this or any other Yahoo Answers site until you learn to do two things. One, form a simple sentence and two, learn to spell.

Answer 6

The majority were falsely ac cussed of witchcraft,having sex with Satan in blood rituals under the fool moon,kidnapping children for virgin sacrifices or you can access the web and go to www.americanhistory.com or www.worldhistory.com and do a search and type Salem witches trials.

Answer 7

why can't you write?
People were accused because a bunch of people lied, and the rest were scared.
It all started with a few girls acting strange, and the doctor could not figure out why, so he said they were possessed by the Devil. It grew from there.

Answer 8

actually go to your local library and ask the librarian for books on this. Also try HistoryChannel.com because sometimes that helps

Answer 9

lying girls started it, this is usually the cause of most drama

Answer 10

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SALEM.HTM

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM