Abstract The paper first takes a look at the women accused and their backgrounds and pleas. Its inspects each one's life and social backgrounds and why it was thought that they were witches. The paper also includes recent studies as to why these poor women were thought to be witches by the towns people in Salem.
From the Paper "Witchcraft has historically been a part of English folklore and theology. Obsession with paganism began with a vengeance following the Reformation and, unfortunately, continued when many moved their families to the New World to avoid religious persecution. Though men were occasionally accused of practicing witchcraft, it was primarily women who were targeted. Why? The male-dominated society maintained that women, being the weaker sex, were more susceptible to the temptations of Satan. "
Abstract This paper offers an in-depth review of how the family has been depicted in TV sit-coms and the like over the past 50 years. It examines dozens of shows and discusses how the roles of the husband and wife, and the values within the family has evolved. Also looks at racial issues.
From the Paper "In the fifty years between the first season of I Love Lucy to the first season of The Osbournes, the ethics, mores and socio-economic configuration of the TV-viewing audience has changed greatly. Closely aligned to the revaluated morals of contemporary society have been the representations of family on television. Of particular significance is the way in which the sitcom family is depicted on American TV. Throughout the history of the sitcom, the mother and father and children have adhered to a consistent and perpetuated set of stereotypes informing the way they act. Largely, these representations are dictated by the social class and economic situation of the characters. From their beginnings in a pleasant romp in suburban middle class existence, the members of the sitcom family have become edgier and more prone to throw insults at each other. Conflict has always threatened the family, but with a new age comes transformed values and new forms of danger to the family unit. Issues of sexuality, violence and substance abuse have increasingly played a major role in the lives of TV families over the past three decades. Though the troubles they face may be more serious than the fifties sitcom predicament, and they have changed greatly from the respectable ideals of the fifties sitcom, the family, as will be demonstrated, is perhaps as strong, if not stronger than ever."
Abstract This paper discusses how there is no simple answer to what caused the Salem witch trials. It points out that the contributing factors that started and fueled the trials were the Puritan faith, politics and the imaginations and fears of the people of Salem. The paper discusses these factors.
From the Paper "Salem was not exactly a pleasant place to live even before the witch trials began. Residents were divided into two groups: those who wanted to separate from the town, and those who did not. The new minister, Reverend Samuel Parris, also had opponents of his own. The Reverend Parris was generously paid in exchange for his services in Salem, which did not suit well with taxpayers. Reverend Parris had a relatively small family. He was married and had a nine-year-old daughter, Betty, and a niece, Abigail Williams, who was an orphan. Abigail earned her stay by doing most of the household chores. Reading was Betty's favorite pastime. Books on prophecies and fortunes were scarce in Salem, yet popular among the girls' interest. They also would form circles to act out their conceptions. Tituba, Reverend Parris' slave, would often participate in the circle. She would amuse the girls with stories of demons and witchcraft. Other girls from around town would join the circle to listen to Tituba. After a few sittings, Betty and Abigail began to show bizarre behavior that concerned Samuel Parris. He believed their behaviors were a form of an illness and called upon a physician. After close examination, the physician found no physical cause and concluded the girls were bewitched."
Abstract In this paper the author looks at the men and women of Salem, Massachusetts who were accused and executed during the hysteria of 1692 as a result of fear, superstition, and a court system that failed to protect them. He highlights how since that time, advocates of civil rights and human tolerance use the events of 1692 as a yardstick to measure the depth of civility and due process in society. The author tries to explain the incidents of 1692 through the fear of witchcraft as diagnosed by the local doctor when he could not explain the strange behavior of some of the village girls. The paper details the events as they were recorded and the aftermath of the hysteria and how the injustices were admitted. In conclusion the author reminds us that we need to learn from the mistakes that were made back in 1692 so that we may apply an understanding to our own society and its concepts of crime, justice and punishment.
From the Paper "In addition to allowing this case of double jeopardy, admissible evidence to the Court of Oyer and Terminer included spectral evidence. According to National Geographic, a specter is defined as an active agent of a living witch. It can interact with others, but cannot generally be seen by anyone except the victim of the evil. In contrast, a ghost is the active agent of a deceased spirit (nationalgeograpic.com). Thus, spectral evidence could be explained as the afflicted girls falling into convulsions as the accused witches stood up for questioning in court.The afflicted claimed that the accused specter was roaming the room, biting them, pinching them and often appearing as a bird or other animal someplace in the room, usually on a particular beam of the ceiling. Chief Justice Stoughton believed that God would not allow the Devil to assume an innocents shape, (Guiley 293) thereby postulating the use of spectral evidence."
Abstract This paper reviews the 1692 Salem Witchcraft Trials and the social psychology that dominated during this period. This paper discusses the cultural perspective of the sociology of the time that created distrust and lack of interconnected social fabric breeding. This paper also indicates that skepticism and fear dictated people's belief systems, moralities, influenced their identities and affected their interrelationships.
Contents:
Introduction
Social Psychology and Religion in the Witch Trials
Conclusions
From the Paper "The witchcraft trials held during 1692 resulted in roughly 150 accusations and 19 executions of victims proclaimed to be witches (Salem 1). The out of control behaviors demonstrated by young women during the trials was more the result of environmental factors, perhaps including dietary deficiencies and group think than the result of actual witchery (Salem 1). The religious beliefs that dominated during the witch trials, those of the New England Puritans, helps explain why culturally members of society blamed witchery and enchantment by the devil for the woman's behavior rather than seek scientific evidence to explain bizarre behaviors demonstrated by the afflicted.
Religious leaders are also to blame for the hyper reaction many people living in Salem had to the irregular behaviors demonstrated during the trials. Many suggest that ministers acted on "the superstitious beliefs of the masses" (Gragg 208) in an effort to influence the masses toward certain religious leanings. The New England Puritans living during the time of the witch trials were if nothing else "zealously obedient to the admonishment from the apostle Peter" who suggested that citizens must be vigilant and sober as the devil "walketh about seeking whom he may devour" (National Geographic 1). "
