Salem witch trials

Social tensions in Salem - class

Two major settlements: Salem village and Salem town.Together, they made up about 600 people. Salem village was largely agricultural, made up of well established puritans . Most of the accusers came from the village. Salem town was more connected with the atside world, therefore less reliant on agriculture and less religiously driven.

Tensions between Salem village and Salem town

Residents of Salem village attempted to gain independence from the town, however were met with significant resistance. The town was reliant on the village for agricultural produce, so of course were hesitant to allow complete independence. Tensions also arose between different goals. The village was more concerned with public goodwill, whilst the emerging merchants in the town were concerned with private interests.

Putnam family and Porter family

The Putnam s were one of the most important families in Salem village. They were heavily involved in all the accusations due to their daughter, Ann Putnam, was one of the possessed girls.they were opposed by the Porters, who were the richest family in Salem.The Porter family had a number of businesses,, and with their wealth attempted to bring a stop to the witch craze, but only brought themselves suspicion.

Social tensions- religion.

Salem was a theocratic society.The settled puritans saw themselves as Gods chosen people, concerned with uprooting the devil out of everyday life.The scientific was largely ignored in New England, with puritans preferring to interpret crop failures, fires and certain illnesses as the work of the devil.

Cotton and Increase Mather

Cotton and Increase Mather were two popular, Puritan clergymen in Massachusetts. Cotton (son) and Increase (father) were 2nd and 3rd generation colonists whose grandfather had migrated to New England in the 1630s. Cotton was a well connected clergy man with a Harvard education and heavily religious background. Cotton went on the preach particularly about the danger of witches.

The publication of “ Memorable Providence relating to witchcraft possessions. “

published by Cotton Mather in 1689. acted as an inspiration and a guide to those who conducted the salem hunt and subsequent trials . it contained two sections:

• extensive account of the goodwin possessions.

• sermon delivered by mather, a warning against the presence of witches and offering advice on how to seek them out.