The Witch Trials

18 Pages 4392 Words

What caused the Salem witch trials of 1692? This question has been asked for over 300 years. Although it is a simple question, it
does not have an easy answer. The answer is difficult because there are numerous factors and events that helped create and
influence the trials. The main factors that started and fueled the trials were politics, religion, family feuds, economics, and the
imaginations and fears of the people. The following essay on these causes and the events surrounding the Salem witch trials of
1692 is divided into four sections: 1) Salem Politics 2) Cold Winter Days 3) Salem Witchcraft 4) Aftermath.

Salem Politics

Salem Village had a very colorful history before the famous witch trials. It was not exactly known as a bastion of tranquillity in
New England. The main reason was its 600 plus residents were divided into two main parts: those who wanted to separate from
Salem Town, and those who did not. The residents who wanted to separate from Salem Town were farming families located in the
western part of Salem Village. Those who wanted to remain a part of Salem Town were typically located on the eastern side of
Salem Village--closest to Salem Town. The residents who wished to remain a part of Salem Town were economically tied to its
thriving, rich harbors.

Many of the Salem Village farming families believed that Salem Town’s thriving economy made it too individualistic. This
individualism was in opposition to the communal nature that Puritanism mandated. Thus, they were out of touch with the rest of
Salem Village. One particularly large farming family who felt that Salem Town was out of touch with the rest of Salem Village
was the Putnams.

The Putnams were the leaders of the separatist group primarily because they owned the most farmland in Salem Village. They
hoped to solidify a separation from Salem Town by establishing a congregation unique from it. So...