The Witches of Salem

The Witches of Salem

The trials of Salem Witch calls were conducted between 1692 and 1693 in Massachusetts. More than 200 people were suspected of practicing witchcraft or black magic in the village of Salem.

Of these 19 were executed by hanging, four died in prison and an octogenarian died from torture, when they smashed with rocks to confess his alleged guilt.

In January, Betty Parris, daughter of Pastor Samuel Parris and Abigail, niece of religious, presented a case of strange behavior, screaming, throwing things, getting into weird positions and speaking gibberish. Another girl named Ann Putnam, from the most influential families of the people, also showed the same behavior.

A doctor diagnosed the place that actions were caused by supernatural forces.

In late February, the girls said three women were the cause of his grief Tituba, a slave of Reverend Parris; Sarah Osborne, an elderly woman; and Sarah Goode, a homeless and begging.

On March, the three women were questioned for days. Osborne Goode and pleaded not guilty, not Tituba. The three were detained in jail. Goode's daughter, aged four, was also interrogated and taken to jail with her mother.

Gradually the strange behavior manifested in greater numbers of children and adolescents, who claimed the existence of witches flying on broom handle, the presence of ghosts and several residents accused of crimes and pacts with the devil.

Those who criticized the trials, and had doubts about the veracity of the accusations were charged in turn and sometimes hanged.

The judgments were based on alleged evidence without proof, until Massachusetts Governor William Phips returned from a trip to England and appointed a new court to hear the cases of witchcraft.

The chief judge of the court was William Stoughton, known as witch hunter.

They terminate Juci

But the educated elite of the colony began to show signs of discomfort with the growing hysteria and increased charges respectable people all lights. Publications began to appear that questioned the procedure, as Increase Mather's work titled America's first tract on evidence in which it stated that it was better to have witches out of jail innocent unjustly punished. Also the Rev. Samuel Willard of Boston, well respected, circulated the idea that the Devil sometimes constructed spectra without the consent of these.

Finally the governor excluded the testimony based on spectral visions, so that the "evidence" against the remaining defendants were without effect.

Les was granted freedom and errors of judgment were recognized.

What happened after

One of the judges, Samuel Sewall made ​​a confession of guilt. Several witnesses said they had acted impulsively.

The main promoter of the trials and hangings, Judge Stoughton, stood firm and never looked back. It was the next governor of the colony.

LAS BRUJAS DE SALEM

Los  juicios a las llamadas Brujas de Salem fueron conducidos entre 1692 y 1693 en Massachusetts.  Más de 200 personas fueron sospechosas de practicar brujería o magia negra en el pueblo de Salem.

De ellas 19 fueron ejecutadas en la horca, cuatro murieron en la cárcel y un octogenario murió a causa de torturas, cuando lo aplastaron con piedras para que confesara su supuesta culpa.

En el mes de enero,  Betty Parris, la hija del  pastor  Samuel Parris y Abigail,  sobrina del religioso, presentaron un caso de extraña conducta, con gritos, arrojando cosas, poniéndose en extrañas posiciones y hablando en jerigonza. Otra chica, llamada Ann Putnam,  proveniente de la familia más influyente del pueblo, también presentó el mismo comportamiento.

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