Salem Witch Trials and French and Indian Wars

Flashcards covering key events, figures, and causes/consequences of the Salem Witch Trials and the French and Indian Wars (including King Philip's War and the Great War for Empire) based on lecture notes.

When did the Salem witch trial hysteria primarily occur?

Between 1691 and 1693.

Approximately how many people were accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts?

Some 200 people.

What were three factors that increased one's chances of being accused of witchcraft during the Salem trials?

Social class (independent middle-class women or poor men), role in the Putnam/Porter feud, and doubting the accusers (the girls).

Why was Martha Corey accused of witchcraft?

She was an outspoken, eccentric Puritan woman who doubted and laughed at the accusers, fitting the profile of independent-minded women.

What was notable about Rebecca Nurse's trial and execution?

She was a well-loved old woman initially found not guilty by the jury, but the jury changed its mind due to the girls' reactions, and her governor's pardon was withdrawn, leading to her execution.

What type of evidence was controversially admitted as legitimate during the Salem witch trials, contributing to their unfairness?

Spectral evidence.

How many people were executed for witchcraft in the Salem trials, and what was the method?

19 people were executed by hanging.

Who were two important figures who expressed doubts about the Salem witch trial hysteria and contributed to its decline?

Increase Mather and Governor William Phipps.

What actions did Governor William Phipps take to help end the Salem witch trials?

He persuaded judges to stop using spectral evidence and sent everyone awaiting trial home.

What were the three forms of repentance seen in Massachusetts after the Salem witch trials?

Individual, collective, and forced repentance.

Who was Ann Putnam, and what role did Joseph Green play in her repentance?

She was the ringleader of the accusing girls; Joseph Green made her publicly repent in 1706 as a condition to join the church and take communion.

When did England officially change its name to Great Britain?

In 1707.

What did the French and Indian Wars ultimately turn Great Britain into by 1763?

The most powerful nation on Earth.

How did the French and Indian Wars impact the relationship between the 13 colonies and Great Britain?

They helped tie the colonies to the mother country because the colonies needed British military protection.

What was a significant challenge among the colonies highlighted by the French and Indian Wars?

Their difficulty in cooperating with each other.

What was the 'militia' in the context of colonial wars against Native Americans?

A part-time army composed by law of all adult white men in each colony, serving in emergencies.

What brutal practice was common among both colonists and Native Americans during their conflicts?

Scalping.

Who were the main combatants in King Philip's War?

The New England Puritans and local American Indian tribes united under King Philip.

When did King Philip's War take place?

In the mid-1670s (specifically 1675-1677).

What was the primary motivation for the American Indians to unite and fight in King Philip's War?

They felt squeezed out of existence by Puritan land expansion and hostile western tribes.

What was the 'New England Confederation' during King Philip's War?

A military coordination committee formed by the New England Colonies to cooperate.

How did the New England Puritans ensure they had enough soldiers for King Philip's War?

Towns were assigned quotas, and if volunteers were insufficient, they drafted 'troublemakers and losers'.

What was the 'feed fight' strategy used by the New England Puritans to win King Philip's War?

Destroying American Indian food supplies by burning fields and crops, and campaigning in winter to starve them out.

What were two significant results or consequences of King Philip's War?

It removed Native Americans from New England and showed that the colonies could defeat Native Americans on their own.

What was the 'Great War for Empire' primarily about?

It was the climactic, decisive struggle between the British and French empires over world domination.

What was the main French colony in America?

Canada.

What were two advantages the British Empire (including the colonies) had going into the Great War for Empire?

Greater numbers of people and more wealth.

What dispute initiated the Great War for Empire?

A dispute over control of the Ohio River Valley.

What was the Battle of the Monongahela?

The battle where the French ambushed and destroyed a British army led by General Edward Braddock, marking the significant start of the Great War for Empire.

What was the objective of the Albany Plan of Union, and what happened to it?

It was a plan for the 13 colonies to cooperate militarily, but it was rejected by the colonial governments.

Who became the leader of the British government in 1757 and devised a strategy to win the Great War for Empire?

William Pitt.

What was the climactic and decisive battle of the Great War for Empire?

The Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

What was the name of the peace treaty that officially ended the Great War for Empire in 1763?

The Treaty of Paris of 1763.

What was the most important territorial outcome for the British in the Treaty of Paris of 1763?

They gained Canada.

What were two consequences of the Treaty of Paris of 1763 for the British and their colonies?

It made the French deeply angry and seeking revenge, and the colonies no longer needed British military protection, making them less willing to listen to British authority.