Can someone help me with my Thesis on The Salem Witch Trials?

Question

I know this sounds easy, but the reason I'm havin so much trouble with it is because the research paper I am writing has to be an argumenative papers. So I need a thesis that will propose one side of an argument and I have no idea what to say or how to word it. For anyone who can help me I will be very greatful. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

A few thoughts about how to choose a focus, and things I would NOT suggest doing:

1) arguing that it was "strict Puritanism" that caused the trials -- this is assumed by many (so is not very original), based perhaps on the fact that most high school kids' ONLY exposure to the Puritans is "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" (NOT very representative of Edwards's sermons & writings), Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible" (which is actually more about his political take on the McCarthy hearings.. NOT careful history), and Nathaniel Hawthorne's *Scarlet Letter* (which is a reflection of a much LATER reaction by a jaded descendant of Puritans who sadly saw only the hypocrites, and knew very little about the many of genuine character & conviction)

But when you start looking at the evidence, you find that the belief in "witchcraft" was widespread at the time --NOT a Puritan distinctive-- and that there were leading Puritans who opposed and warned AGAINST the methods of these trials...

2) "ergotism" -- very trend nowadays. Perhaps it helps explain SOME of the behaviors that helped initiate the accusations. But actually it explains VERY little of how things proceeded from there, the actual trials, etc.... which is the interesting and important stuff

I think the trials are better explained in terms of local politics and fears at the time (as well as some individual jealousies), and that the 'religious angle' offered an opportunity... a way to try to handle those tensions. That is NOT to say that the accusers were knowingly twisting facts -- most probably BELIEVED what they were saying (or at least had convinced themselves of it).

It might be more interesting to look at the OPPOSITION and WARNINGS given at the time, esp. from religious leaders, and try to consider how it took so long for the people to heed them. In other words, how did the people end up following ONE religious belief (the generally held belief in witchcraft) and setting aside OTHERS? OR what made them finally stop and pay attention, and STOP what they were doing?

In other words, it was clear that the Puritan pastors did NOT "run the show".so you might focus on the evidence that shows that their legal and moral influence, however, important, was LIMITED. (This argues AGAINST the stereotype!) The sad result is that they had difficulty controlling and stopping this 'witch hunt' (though they eventually succeeded, but by persuasion, NOT by decree.)


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Here are some materials, including some good links, that you may find helpful, along with a few notes that reflect my points above.

1) Collections of materials and overview, including court documents.
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/salem.htm

http://www.salemwitchtrials.org/home.html

"Teaching the Salem Witch Trials
http://www.iath.virginia.edu/~bcr/maps_esri/Ray_ch02.pdf


2) Participants with warnings, misgivings

a) Some information, often missed, on how the Mathers warned AGAINST the use of spectral evidence (Cotton Mather's pamphlet warning against witchcraft is often noted and blamed as a partial cause of events at Salem, but the other side of what he and his father did is too often missed.)
http://www.iath.virginia.edu/salem/people/i_mather.html
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/ASA_INC.HTM

b) Interesting material on Samuel Sewall, a judge in the trials who, five years later, made a public apology (also an early abolitionist)

summary
http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/radler/ColonialEarly%20AmLit/samuel_sewall1.htm

a recent book -
*Judge Sewall's Apology: The Salem Witch Trials and the Forming of an American Conscience* by Richard Francis (HarperCollins, 2005)
http://www.amazon.ca/Judge-Sewalls-Apology-American-Conscience/dp/product-description/0007163622


3) There are a lot of sociological studies that try to explain the BELIEF in witchcraft more generally, how these sorts of trials came about, etc.
One book I have found helpful in suggesting an explanation for the belief in witchcraft in the medieval and early modern European world is Rodney Stark's *For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery* (Princeton University Press, 2003).

One major section of this book is devoted to studying when and where witch-hunts took place, who conducted them, what the results were, etc. (He shows, for instance, that most studies greatly inflate the numbers. He also argues that some sort of belief in witchcraft was "normal" in these times... and suggests this belief is related to their view of a RATIONAL universe, not exactly to the type of superstitions many have blamed it on.)

There are also some good, recent academic studies on this subject (both the specific history of the Salem case and more general studies of witch-hunting in Europe...), but besides being very heavy, you will probably find them difficult to get your hands on. The books I listed you should be able to find in a school or public library.

Answer 2

only off the acceptable of my head, your reality "i could opt for to target to teach that the witches of the trial were falsely accused" is a nasty commence. the region with such an outstanding form of issues lately is that human beings attempt to push a perception or an opinion and modern it as a reality in spite of what common sense and reality help. quite, a extra suitable tack to take is to dig into in spite of historic sources you've, and decide depending on the info that you come across quite than only digging for info that help your individual bias/opionion. i understand little about the witch trials and hence haven't any opinion about the veracity of the accusation. you'll have a much extra good paper in case you commence from a impartial attitude.

Answer 3

There is much debate over why this phenomenon occurred specifically in the Puritan community of Salem. Try this:
Your argument could be that the strictness of Puritan beliefs led to the witch-hunts. That is a fairly well-document thesis, so you shouldn't have much trouble supporting it. Look in your textbook... it's not that hard if you know WHAT you're looking for... and now you do!

Answer 4

You can talk about the hysteria that went on in that town. That was why so many people were executed. The first accusation came about, then everything that went wrong for people was because of a witch.

Not sure what type of arguement you can come up with...but it's one side

Answer 5

Consider arguing that ergotism was responsible.

Ergot is a mold that forms in rye, which was grown around Salem and from which their flour was made (yes, they ate rye rather than wheat bread). When ingested, ergot causes bizarre delusions--sort of a psychedelic thing, only these folks weren't taking it deliberately.