What should I focus on for my project?

Question

I'm in college and have been given an assignment in my American Literature class - I need to make a powerpoint about the Salem Witch Trials. This is a pretty basic idea and I need to elaborate on a certain point.
For some reason, I can't think of anything to research that would be really in-depth and interesting. Any ideas?

(No, I'm not asking you to do my project for me; I just thought if I saw a few of your ideas it would help to get my brain going.)

Answer 1

For me, the most fascinating aspect of the trials was the idea that perhaps the girls had eaten bread infected with ergot, a mold compound similar to LSD, which caused them to hallucinate; or that the girls were infected with encephalitis.

This is the original article which talks about the first idea:
http://web.utk.edu/~kstclair/221/ergotism.html

Answer 2

The Purtitan system of land division (to sons), and how that led to men moving out of the settlement, and the resulting male/female imbalance that set the stage for something like the witch accusations and trials to occur.

Or, how John Winthrop's "City upon a hill" sermon defined the stringent principals by which the Puritans lived and conducted themselves, which tied in directly to the way the witch trials were conducted.

You could also examine whether it was a psychological, social, religious, or scientific phenomenon.

Answer 3

Here are some ideas:

You could focus on the persecution of women's independence. This will allow you to include in your research paper events that preceeded and followed the witch trials.

You could focus on religious persecution and the religous beliefs that had to be held to make the trials happen.

You could focus on the lack of a real trial and real law. How hysteria took over law.

You could focus on what they did in later years for those who were wrongly accused.

You could focus on possession or the "odd behaviors" observed in particular.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

What about women who are on trial based on false information - perhaps someone wants to steal the woman's possessions/lands.