IT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE Salem Witch Trials PLEASE ANSWER IF YOU CAN I NEED THIS PLEASE
2007-01-22 23:52:51 · 16 answers · asked by portgurlkiki 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
There were many tests that were used in the middle ages in Europe, these tests and methods of torture are outlined in the book Malleus Maleficarum (witches hammer) By Kramer & Sprenger...It is basically a witch hunters guide to torture ...I am not sure if it was used in Salem Mass, but one "test" that I recall is using a special device that was a spring loaded blade or needle, where the witch hunter could "stab" a witch and the blade would retract into the handle so they would not bleed...therefore "proving" that they were a witch....
I do know that supposed witches were not burned in the U.S. They were hung.
2007-01-23 12:50:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, I haven't done any research on the Salem witch trials but according to a Discovery Channel or perhaps History channel documentary they didn't really do any kind of test. They relied mostly on the hysteria of crowd gathered in the kangaroo court. Some 100 plus accusations of witches came from one person who had a score to settle. I seriously doubt that there were any real witches in the trials, at least not ones that were on trial. It was a complete barbaric spectical. In my opinion
2007-01-23 00:54:10 · answer #2 · answered by ikeman32 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
birthmarks with unusual shapes, being seen with cats, people were pretty paranoid. elsewhere they would hold the suspect under water if they didn't drown then they were a witch, for which they could be burnt or beheaded.
suspected witches have had many cruel thing done to them, mostly fatal, eventually
the people hanged in Salem were hanged because they refused to admit guilt, most of which was based on gossip, many of the accused that admitted guilt then repented walked free
Im sure some used the trials to settle scores or get rid of rivals
2007-01-23 00:17:05 · answer #3 · answered by steven m 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There was never much in the way of a sign. Usually it was just some lonely old spinsters who couldn't prove it either way. If someone had suggested that you were involved in witchcraft that was pretty much all people needed. I only really know of one test they used called ducking. They would tie the "witch" up and throw her in a lake. If the "witch" floated she was obviously using witchcraft and promptly put her to death if she didn't she weren't a witch but usually drowned anyway!
Not the best time to be an old lady really (and they think they have it tough now!!).
2007-01-23 00:04:05 · answer #4 · answered by Dragon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the Salem Witch Trials, they did things like look for "markings" on the body, that they said were to be witch marking, but were actually moles or beauty marks. They looked for scratches, that they said were marks of the witch inside-trying to come out. They did really stupid stuff, but in Salem, they didn't do any of the really bizarre, stupid crap, like throwing people off cliffs or setting them on fire. That crap was done, but not in Salem.
2007-01-23 19:03:11 · answer #5 · answered by blacksheep572 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They would bind their hands and float them in a river to see what happened. If they floated, they were a witch, and if they drowned they were innocent. They would also poke them with needles but I forgot the reason why... They would also make them recite the 10 commandments. One man was crushed with rocks to confess. If you watch the movie The Crucible, it shows the horrors of the Salem trials... but those are some I know from my reading. After they were found guilty and if they confessed, they would post their signature on the church door...
2007-01-23 11:23:59 · answer #6 · answered by Mags 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I do not know much but I know of one story that was interesting. A women was about to be hung and she was pleading that she was not a witch. One person in the crowd said that if she said the Lords Prayer then maybe she really was not a witch. The women started to say the prayer and everyone was amazed. Then someone in the crowd said the devil was wispering it in her ear. She ended up getting hung anyways.
Well, anyways one way that they tested was (that I know) was they would drown them. I believe they tied them to a weight. If they escaped then they were a witch, if they didn't escape they were not witches. That is how I heard it and that is something to think about.
2007-01-23 00:03:57 · answer #7 · answered by Daisy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had heard that if one couldn't re site the lords prayer all the way through with out mistakes they where a witch. But what does it matter any way if one is a witch or not? Does this mean because Jesus Christ did magical things he was a witch also??????? some thing to think about.WITCHES aren't all bad =) HARM NONE!!!!!!! & Blessed Be ALL
2007-01-23 00:19:25 · answer #8 · answered by Morningstar 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From what I understand, and I am not claiming to be an expert, they would do stupid things like start people on fire and if they survived then they were believed to be a witch. And if they died, Oops!, well I guess they weren't. I don't think they found to many witches.
2007-01-23 00:01:04 · answer #9 · answered by SNKBYT 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.hulford.co.uk/essex.html- list of trials and other documents
http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/texts/transcripts.html- the documents form the salem trials. Everything u want to know and probally more
2007-01-23 17:42:46 · answer #10 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋