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The Cause of The Salem Witch Trials and The Role of The Puritan Views and Values in Colonial Massachusetts

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Words: 704 |

Pages: 2|

4 min read

Published: Sep 12, 2018

Essay grade:
Good
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Words: 704|Pages: 2|4 min read

Published: Sep 12, 2018

Essay grade:
Good
arrow downward Read Review

See expert comments

Back in colonial Massachusetts, regular people were accused of being involved in witchcraft or linked to the devil. The Salem Witch Trials lasted in the period between 1692 and 1693, where over 200 people were accused. However, only 20 individuals were put to death for this reason. The witch belief began when girls had shown strange or compulsive behavior and women accused others of witchcraft. Such victims were Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne.It would be better to say something like "Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne were among the first to be accused of witchcraft."

Close Comments Theories have been conjured as to why the Salem Witch Trials were put to action. Some may believe that ergot poisoning to the girls had led to the mass hysteria of witches, but interestingly enough, an isolated community producing rumors of its own could have led to the obsession of witches as well. So, what really caused the Salem Witch Trials?

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Linnda R. Caporael, a researcher who created the ergotism theory, believed that ergot poisoning in the rye that was grown in Salem was the cause of the strange behavior in the girls. In 1962, Elizabeth (Betty) Parris and Abigail Williams started having fits and outbursts of screaming. The local doctor had diagnosed them with being cursed from a witch. Nowadays, where statements are supported with evidence, the doctor seems illogical and ridiculous.The sentence is confusing. It's not clear what is meant by "nowadays" - does the author mean that we now know more about medicine than people did in colonial Massachusetts? Also, it's not accurate to say that the doctor "seems illogical and ridiculous" - based on the medical knowledge available at the time, his diagnosis of witchcraft may have been the most logical explanation he could come up with.

Close Comments However, colonial Massachusetts trusted doctors and people was majorly religious to Puritan values. So, when witches became a possible danger in their eyes, people were paranoid. Caporael created a theory where girls suffered from convulsive ergotism. “The symptoms of this poisoning include crawling skin, headaches, vertigo, hallucinations, epileptic-like convulsions, vomiting, and diarrhea.” Yet, according to Nicholas P. Spanos and Jack Gottlieb, the girls did not show all symptoms that pointed to ergot poisoning, which begs the question as to why the poisoning did not spread to anyone else in Salem? Another flaw in Caporael’s theory is that convulsive ergotism only occurs when there is a lack of vitamin A in the area, but the village was considered an agriculture based community. “The diets of the population certainly included enough fish and diary to provide sufficient vitamin A to prevent convulsive ergotism.” Convulsive ergotism could not have been the main cause of the girls’ peculiar habits.The sentence is a bit too definitive. While it's true that there are flaws in Caporael's theory, it's still possible that ergot poisoning played a role in the Salem Witch Trials.

Close Comments

An isolated community with Puritan values can believe in witches without evidence or reasoning. The Salem Village could have easily been influenced to think that witches were among them. The term, groupthink, is defined as “a way of thinking characterized by an excessive emphasis on group cohesion and solidarity.” The individuals surrounding each other affect how the group in general understands and thinks in a situation. In this case, the villagers of Salem believed to have seen witchcraft and the devil at work, which could have been hallucinations from groupthink. “This pressure to conform and to limit personal beliefs likely increased significantly once accusations were being made, lest someone turn an accusation on someone who dared to speak [their] mind.”3 Living in an isolated area also influences the way the group thinks because there is no other outside source inputting information. Colonial Salem was filled with people that believed to have witnessed witchcraft, but have only experienced it when another colleague has said the same thing. If they had opposed one another, accusations would be made and one would be either put in jail or executed. Now, no theory has been proven to be the actual reason for the cause of the Salem Witch Trials, but the theory of groupthink is the most possible reason.

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The Salem Witch Trials lasted from the February of 1692 to the May of 1693. Fortunately, the trials died down significantly in 1693 and the Massachusetts General Court said the trials were unlawful, which prompted a public apology from Samuel Sewall for his involvement in the trials. The theory that ergot poisoning had caused the belief of witchcraft was disproved by Nicholas P. Spanos and Jack Gottlieb. Convulsive ergotism couldn’t have been the cause since it wasn’t spread to everyone who at the same rye and vitamin A was abundant in the village. The most believable and interesting possibility is that groupthink was at work in Salem.The sentence could be stronger. Instead of saying "believable and interesting," the author could say something like "the most compelling explanation supported by the available evidence."

Close Comments Their minds were triggered into thinking that the devil was around them and as a result, 200 villagers were accused.

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This essay was graded by
Dr. Charlotte Jacobson
Essay’s grade:
Good
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Expert Review
This essay effectively explores the causes of the Salem Witch Trials, highlighting various theories such as ergot poisoning and groupthink. The writer shows a strong understanding of the topic, and the essay is well-organized and focused. The sentence structure is generally sound, with only a few minor errors in grammar and voice. Overall, the essay is a good piece of writing, but could benefit from some minor improvements.
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What can be improved
The essay "The Cause of The Salem Witch Trials and The Role of The Puritan Views and Values in Colonial Massachusetts" is a well-structured and informative piece. However, there are some areas where it could be improved. For example, the writer could have provided more evidence to support the theories of ergot poisoning and groupthink. Additionally, the sentence structure is repetitive at times and could benefit from more varied syntax. Moreover, the essay could be improved by avoiding colloquial phrases such as "interesting enough," and by using more formal language throughout. Additionally, the essay lacks a clear thesis statement or introduction that outlines the main argument. The writer could also have discussed the role of Puritan views and values in more detail, as this is only briefly mentioned in the essay. To improve the quality of the essay, the writer should focus on providing more detailed evidence and analysis to support their arguments. They could also benefit from reviewing and editing their work to improve sentence structure and grammar, and using a more formal tone throughout. Additionally, a clear thesis statement and introduction could help to focus the essay and provide direction for the reader.

Cite this Essay

The Cause of the Salem Witch Trials and the Role of the Puritan Views and Values in Colonial Massachusetts. (2018, Jun 15). GradesFixer. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/the-cause-of-the-salem-witch-trials-and-the-role-of-the-puritan-views-and-values-in-colonial-massachusetts/
“The Cause of the Salem Witch Trials and the Role of the Puritan Views and Values in Colonial Massachusetts.” GradesFixer, 15 Jun. 2018, gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/the-cause-of-the-salem-witch-trials-and-the-role-of-the-puritan-views-and-values-in-colonial-massachusetts/
The Cause of the Salem Witch Trials and the Role of the Puritan Views and Values in Colonial Massachusetts. [online]. Available at: <https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/the-cause-of-the-salem-witch-trials-and-the-role-of-the-puritan-views-and-values-in-colonial-massachusetts/> [Accessed 28 Mar. 2024].
The Cause of the Salem Witch Trials and the Role of the Puritan Views and Values in Colonial Massachusetts [Internet]. GradesFixer. 2018 Jun 15 [cited 2024 Mar 28]. Available from: https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/the-cause-of-the-salem-witch-trials-and-the-role-of-the-puritan-views-and-values-in-colonial-massachusetts/
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