Religion and Witchcraft

Church was the cornerstone of 17th century life

in New England. Most people in Massachusetts were
Puritanscolonists who had left England seeking
religious tolerance. ut the strict Puritan code was far
fro! tolerant. "t was against the law not to attend
churchwhere !en and wo!en sat on opposite sides
through long ser#ices. $he Puritan lifestyle was
restrained and rigid% People were e&pected to work
hard and repress their e!otions or opinions. "ndi#idual
di'erences were frowned upon. E#en the dark( so!)er Puritan dress was
dictated )y the church.
*ince Puritans were e&pected to li#e )y a rigid !oral code( they
)elie#ed that all sinsfro! sleeping in church to stealing foodshould )e
punished. $hey also )elie#ed +od would punish sinful )eha#ior. When a
neigh)or would su'er !isfortune( such as a sick child or a failed crop(
Puritans saw it as +od,s Will and did not help.
Puritans also )elie#ed the -e#il was as real as +od. E#eryone was
faced with the struggle )etween the powers of good and e#il( )ut *atan
would select the weakest indi#idualswo!en( children( the insaneto carry
out his work. $hose who followed *atan were considered witches. Witchcraft
was one of the greatest cri!es a person could co!!it( punisha)le )y death.
"n keeping with the Puritan code of confor!ity( the .rst wo!en to )e
accused of witchcraft in *ale! were seen as di'erent and as social outcasts%
$itu)a( a sla#e/ *arah +ood( a ho!eless )eggar/ and *arah 0s)orne( a sickly
old wo!an who !arried her ser#ant.
1ear of !agic and witchcraft was co!!on in New England( as it had
)een in Europe for centuries. 0#er 122 alleged witches had )een tried and
hanged in New England during the 1322s. ut the hangings in 1345 *ale!
would )e the last ones in 6!erica.
Econo!ic 7 *ocial -i#isions
"n 1345( *ale! was di#ided into two distinct
parts% *ale! $own and *ale! 8illage. *ale! 8illage
9also referred to as *ale! 1ar!s: was actually part
of *ale! $own )ut was set apart )y its econo!y(
class( and character. Residents of *ale! 8illage
were !ostly poor far!ers who !ade their li#ing culti#ating crops in the rocky
terrain. *ale! $own( on the other hand( was a prosperous port town at the
center of trade with ;ondon. Most of those li#ing in *ale! $own were wealthy
!erchants.
1or !any years( *ale! 8illage tried to gain independence fro! *ale!
$own. $he town( which depended on the far!ers for food( deter!ined crop
prices and collected ta&es fro! the #illage. -espite the three<hour walk
)etween the two co!!unities( *ale! 8illage did not ha#e its own church
and !inister until 137=.
ut there was also a di#ision within *ale! 8illage. $hose who li#ed
near "pswich Road( close to the co!!erce of *ale! $own( )eca!e
!erchants( such as )lacks!iths( carpenters( and innkeepers. $hey prospered
and supported the econo!ic changes taking place. ut !any of the far!ers
who li#ed far fro! this prosperity )elie#ed the worldliness and a>uence of
*ale! $own threatened their Puritan #alues. 0ne of the !ain fa!ilies to
denounce the econo!ic changes was the Putna!sa strong and in?uential
force )ehind the witchcraft accusations.
$ensions )eca!e worse when *ale! 8illage selected Re#erend *a!uel
Parris as their new !inister. Parris was a stern Puritan who denounced the
worldly ways and econo!ic prosperity of *ale! $own as the in?uence of the
-e#il. @is rhetoric further separated the two factions within *ale! 8illage.
"t is likely that the Aealousies and hostilities )etween these two factions
played a !aAor role in the witch trials. Most of the #illagers accused of
witchcraft li#ed near "pswich Road( whereas the accusers li#ed in the distant
far!s of *ale! 8illage. "t is not surprising that Re#erend Parris was a
#igorous supporter of the witch trials( and his i!passioned ser!ons helped
fan the ?a!es of the hysteria.
Puritan Children
"n 1345( children were e&pected to )eha#e under the sa!e strict code as the
adultsdoing chores( attending church ser#ices( and repressing indi#idual
di'erences. 6ny show of e!otion( such as e&cite!ent( fear( or anger( was
discouraged( and diso)edience was se#erely punished. Children rarely
played( as toys and ga!es were scarce. Puritans saw these acti#ities as
sinful distractions.

ut unlike young girls( )oys had a few outlets for their i!agination. $hey
often worked as apprentices outside the ho!e( practicing such skills as
carpentry or crafts. oys were also allowed to e&plore the outdoors( hunting
and .shing. 0n the other hand( girls were e&pected to tend to the house(
helping their !others cook( wash( clean( and sew.

Many children learned to read( )ut !ost households owned only the i)le
and other religious worksincluding a few that descri)ed e#il spirits and
witchcraft in great detail. $here were a few )ooks written for children( )ut
these often warned against )ad )eha#ior and descri)ed the punish!ent that
children would su'er for sinful acts.

*uch was the world of 6)igail Willia!s and etty Parris during the long( dark
winter of 1345. $here was little to feed their i!agination that did not warn of
sin and eternal punish!ent. "t is no wonder that the young girls were so
capti#ated )y $itu)a,s !agical stories and fortune<telling ga!es. $hese
acti#ities were strictly for)idden( which !ust ha#e .lled the! with fear and
guilt. $his !ay ha#e )een one reason for their hysterical )eha#ior. 6nd at a
ti!e when young girls were for)idden to act out or e&press the!sel#es( it is
easy to see why they were so enraptured )y the attention they recei#ed
when they )eca!e B)ewitched.C

0f course( there were pro)a)ly !any factors )ehind the girls, actions. ut
what is !ore surprising than the accusations fro! these i!aginati#e young
girls is the reaction fro! the co!!unity. $he girls !ay ha#e sparked the
witch hunt( )ut it was the adults who set the wheels into !otion.