The Salem Witch Trials
Between 1692 and 1693, mass hysteria flooded the courts of Salem, Massachusetts with accusations of witchcraft. Many young women threw displays of spiritual "possession" that convinced court officials that their accusations were true. Almost all accusations let to guilty sentences, as the courts did not provide any solid support for defendants. Other towns had witnessed similar witch hunts, yet Salem surpassed other scenarios by the sheer number of those involved. Eventually, over 160 individuals were accused, 47 confessed to committing witchcraft, 19 were hanged, and 5 died in jail awaiting trials or sentences. In addition to this, 2 dogs were executed in relation to the charges, and one man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death by stones. The colonial government and outside courts later regained control of the masses and pardoned many of those convicted. Altogether, these characteristics of Salem are interpreted as the effects of a failed justice system and an irrational crowd.
The causes of the "bewitched" effect of many testifiers in Salem are uncertain, yet some explanations have prevailed above others. One plausible cause is that the accusers lied to attain property from those accused. There were significant class differences between east and west Salem at the time. Courts in Massachusetts offered land or other property to plaintiffs of witch trials when guilty verdicts were made. It is possible that accusers took advantage of the Puritan town's fears and the courts process to economically benefit themselves. Another potential cause is ergot poisoning, or ergotism. Ergot is a fungal disease that grows on certain grains; if these grains are processed and baked, the fungus may survive to contaminate any consumer of the baked product. Once contaminated, the subject can develop ergotism and may experience hallucinations and several physical symptoms. These hallucinations, similar to the effects of LSD, may have caused inhabitants of Salem to act "bewitched" and to accuse their believed tormentors. An argument against this theory relates to gangrene, another symptom of ergotism.
As no reports of gangrene were given in Salem at the time, it is uncertain as to whether ergotism was a factor in the hysteria. The final accepted possibility is boredom in Salem. Many of the accusers were young girls who may have paired together in pretending to be bewitched. In this case the hysteria and chaos in Salem would have been based on mere child's play. None of these causes are absolute, yet they remain accepted as explanations of the events in Salem.
The causes of the "bewitched" effect of many testifiers in Salem are uncertain, yet some explanations have prevailed above others. One plausible cause is that the accusers lied to attain property from those accused. There were significant class differences between east and west Salem at the time. Courts in Massachusetts offered land or other property to plaintiffs of witch trials when guilty verdicts were made. It is possible that accusers took advantage of the Puritan town's fears and the courts process to economically benefit themselves. Another potential cause is ergot poisoning, or ergotism. Ergot is a fungal disease that grows on certain grains; if these grains are processed and baked, the fungus may survive to contaminate any consumer of the baked product. Once contaminated, the subject can develop ergotism and may experience hallucinations and several physical symptoms. These hallucinations, similar to the effects of LSD, may have caused inhabitants of Salem to act "bewitched" and to accuse their believed tormentors. An argument against this theory relates to gangrene, another symptom of ergotism.
As no reports of gangrene were given in Salem at the time, it is uncertain as to whether ergotism was a factor in the hysteria. The final accepted possibility is boredom in Salem. Many of the accusers were young girls who may have paired together in pretending to be bewitched. In this case the hysteria and chaos in Salem would have been based on mere child's play. None of these causes are absolute, yet they remain accepted as explanations of the events in Salem.