Table of Contents
What did the Salem witch trials reveal?
The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft—the Devil’s magic—and 20 were executed. Eventually, the colony admitted the trials were a mistake and compensated the families of those convicted.
What is the purpose of the court in Salem?
The Salem Municipal Court is responsible for administering justice services that protect the rights of individuals, preserve a safe and livable community, and inspire public confidence.
What was the conclusion of the Salem witch trials?
Though the Massachusetts General Court later annulled guilty verdicts against accused witches and granted indemnities to their families, bitterness lingered in the community, and the painful legacy of the Salem witch trials would endure for centuries.
What happened to the Court after the Salem witch trials?
Not long after, Governor Phips dissolved the Court of Oyer and Terminer. In January 1693, the newly created Superior Court of Judicature began hearing the remaining witch trials. The judges could not accept spectral evidence and most of the remaining trials ended in acquittal. Phips pardoned the rest.
Why was the Salem witch trials significant?
The Salem witch trials seriously threatened the new Massachusetts Bay government. “They signaled the beginning of the end of Puritanism as a potent force in Massachusetts and triggered a distrust of government.
What happened after the Salem Witch Trials?
After the prisoners awaiting trial on charges of practicing witchcraft were granted amnesty (pardoned) in 1693, the accusers and judges showed hardly any remorse for executing twenty people and causing others to languish in jails.
Who finally ended the Salem Witch Trials?
Governor Sir William Phips
Today is October 12, 2017, and on this date, 325 years back, in 1692, Governor Sir William Phips issued a declaration effectively ending the Salem Witch Trials.
Who is responsible for the Salem Witch Trials essay?
Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams is mostly responsible for the Salem witch trials because she was the first person to start accusing innocent people of witchcraft.
How was testimony given in the Salem witch trials?
Even though the accused was nowhere near the “afflicted” person at the time, testimony was often given that the “witch” had bit, pinched, choked or otherwise harmed the “afflicted” accuser.
Why did Tituba go to jail after the Salem witch trials?
Tituba After the Salem Witch Trials: Tituba remained in jail in Boston because Parris refused to pay her jail fees, for reasons unknown. It is possible he wanted to be rid of her because she served as a reminder of the witch trials or because he was angry at her for recanting her confession.
How did Governor Phips stop the Salem witch trials?
Governor Phips Halts the Executions. When some witnesses accused the wife of the newly-arrived Governor William Phips, Mary Phips, of witchcraft, citing spectral evidence, the governor stepped in and stopped the further expansion of the witch trials. He declared that spectral evidence was not admissable evidence.
What did the Reverend Barnard do in the Salem witch trials?
On September 7, 1692, the Reverend Barnard ordered all those accused of witchcraft to come together at the Andover meeting house, where the Salem Village “ afflicted girls ” were being kept. Once the accused had all been gathered, he conducted the “Touch Test,” one of the most diabolical schemes of the witch trials.