How were the Salem witch trials conducted?

How were the Salem witch trials conducted?

The grand juries and trials for this capital crime were conducted by a Court of Oyer and Terminer in 1692 and by a Superior Court of Judicature in 1693, both held in Salem Town, where the hangings also took place. It was the deadliest witch hunt in the history of colonial North America.

How did the witch trials start?

The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. By September 1692, the hysteria had begun to abate and public opinion turned against the trials.

What are people who hunt witches called?

In addition to known witch trials, witch hunts were often conducted by vigilantes, who may or may not have executed their victims.

What options did an accused witch have in Salem?

What options did an accused witch have in Salem? They could admit they were witches, and they would be hanged. The other choice was deny it and go through a trial and usually end up in cases where they were killed. 1 person denied being a witch and he was prest to death.

Do witch hunts still exist today?

Witch-hunts are practiced today throughout the world. While prevalent world-wide, hot-spots of current witch-hunting are India, Papua New Guinea, Amazonia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

What did people use to test for witches?

It is at this time that the idea of witches riding around on broomsticks (a common household implement in Elizabethan England) becomes popular. There are lots of ways to test for a witch. A common way was to use a ducking stool, or just to tie them up, and duck the accused under water in a pond or river. If she floated, she was a witch.

What did the early witches do for a living?

Early witches were people who practiced witchcraft—they used magic spells and called upon spirits for help or to bring about change. Most witches were thought to be pagans doing the Devil’s work. Many, however, were simply natural healers or so-called “wise women” whose choice of profession was misunderstood.

Why did people accuse women of being witches?

Some people even accused local women of being witches. In Shakespeare’s time people believed in witches. They were people who had made a pact with the Devil in exchange for supernatural powers. If your cow was ill, it was easy to decide it had been cursed. If there was plague in your village, it was because of a witch.

How many witches were put to death in medieval times?

Medieval miniature depicting the torture and execution of witches. In fact, about 80,000 suspected witches from all over Europe, mostly women, were put to death in a relatively short span from 1500 to 1660. People were terrified when it came to these suspected devil worshipers.