Puritanism

Salem Witch Trialsof 1692

Definition: Culture is all aspects of life, the totality of meanings, ideas and beliefs shared by individuals within a group of people. Culture is learned. It includes language, values, norms, customs.

Believed in a strong connection between church and state (theocracy)

Believed in Predestination (only the elect would go to Heaven)

Believed God and Satan were active presences in the natural word

Women responsible for children and making sure they grew into good Puritan adults

Used mental discipline, but not opposed to physical force

“Sending out” was used Parents discouraged from showing

affection Children expected to not show emotions

and follow same strict code of behavior as adults.

No games or toys --- activities considered sinful.

QUICK WRITE AND SHARE: How might this impact children?

90% of all Puritan children had biblical names Common: John, Joseph, Josiah, Mary,

Elizabeth, Sarah Children often named for previous child who

had died. Great respect for elderly.

OPEN DISCUSS: To which historical events might these cultural facts be tied?

Believed Native Americans were heathens and the woods were full of demons

Believed in mandatory attendance at church Valued hard work. Repressed emotions and opinions Wore dark, somber clothing as the church

deemed appropriate

DISCUSS: What do these beliefs tell us?

Read natural signs to see God’s will or Satan’s tricks (when a neighbor’s crop failed or a child became sick, saw it as God’s will and did not help)

Believed Satan selected the “weakest”—women, children and the insane to carry out his work.

Believed those who followed Satan were considered witches

Punished witchcraft by death

DISCUSS: What does this tell us?

Church held in same location as town meetings.

Sermon could last for hours.

Sunday afternoon---back for more services.

Attendance was mandatory.

Using this “staff,” a church official would poke anyone misbehaving in church. In this illustration, the boy is being punished for turning around to talk to his friend.

PARTNER SHARE: What does this tell us about the Puritans? What might this open the door for?

Pilgrims believed: “They were liberated by God

from oppression and bound to him by a covenant; like the Israelites, they were chosen by God to fulfill a special role in human history: to establish a new, pure Christian commonwealth.” --from PBS

From PBS: “But it was not only individual salvation that mattered; the spiritual health and welfare of the community as a whole was paramount as well, for it was the community that honored and kept the covenant. The integrity of the community demanded religious conformity. Dissent was tolerated, but only within strict limits.”

QUICK WRITE: Put this into your own words. Be ready to share with a partner.

Only white, land-owing, male church members could vote.

No lace was permitted. Men couldn’t have long hair or

smoke in the street. No one could date without parental

consent. A man could not kiss his wife in

public (Capt. Kimble---3 years---stocks).

As early as 1450, witch hunts all over Europe Many thousands were hanged, drowned or

burned at the stake Women were viewed as “imperfect” as they

were formed from a man’s rib whereas men were the privileged gender (Christ--a male)

Popular view of women was source of witch hunt hysteria…seen as inherently evil and sexual—thus targets for the devil

It is possibly the most studied event in colonial American history.

Fear of magic and witchcraft was common in New England, as it had been in Europe.

Over 100 alleged witches were tried and hanged in New England during the 1600s. In early 1692, the witch hunt hysteria began in Salem.

From early spring to September 1692, over 150 “witches” were taken into custody

19 men and women refused to confess and were hanged on Gallows Hill

One man was pressed to death under stones

Four died in jail

The Witch House, home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, is the only structure still standing in Salem with direct ties to the Witchcraft Trials of 1692.

Weak vs. Strong

How did this happen?

How can we stop this from happening?

What’s my role in stopping witch hunts TODAY?