HIST 2930 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Salem Witch Trials, Cutaneous Condition, Wheel Of The Year
2 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
Around the 1500-1600s, men and women are being persecuted for black magic (witchcraft: 50,000 to 100,000 were executed. Women were accused because of their sex, out of fear or many were impoverished. Gave advice to legal authorities when questioning witches in court. Burned alive because the fire was the only way to get rid of the evil. In actuality, most of them were hanged: gender imbalance, more women then men, mid-wives were often targeted, female healers and anyone who specialized in spiritism (ex: fortune tellers) Most convicted witches were single women or widows. Women are physically and morally weak in which a husband has to protect them but without a husband they are more susceptible to the influence of the devil. Women"s work was in the home took care of livestock or children and if something happened to them it was blamed on the women: sexuality.
