The year’s best board games and tabletop role-playing games weren’t necessarily released this year. They were part of a long story of witch The Salem Witch Trials: A case Arthur Miller’s drama The Crucible has its feet in two eras of time, Puritanical New England Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and Cold War Washington of the 1950’s. Spectral evidence refers to a witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. Salem Witch Trials Although Mather was not directly involved in the proceedings of the Salem witch trials, he wrote a letter to one of the magistrates in the trials, John Richards of Boston, urging caution in the use of spectral evidence. However, these Witch Trials brought money to the church and brought greedy people power. Salem Witch Trials Did The Salem Witch Trials Happen Connecticut's Witch Trials In this lesson, students will explore the characteristics of the Puritan community in Salem, learn about the Salem Witchcraft Trials, … The 1692 Salem witch trials are a big blot on American history. We asked contributors from around the … During the trials, the accuser would give testimony that an accused witch’s spirit (specter) appeared to the witness in a dream or vision. The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. As in European witch trials (where an estimated sixty thousand accused witches were executed in the preceding centuries), the problem was using spectral evidence as proof, which, it was argued, may have been the Devil’s illusion to foment discord. Starting at the first trial, ministers warned the judges against using only spectral evidence in their trials to condemn the accused. 4. The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692 happened at the worst possible time. Spectral Evidence & Witch Trials - The Salem Witch Trials ... These historical trials began in May 1692 and spanned around 15 months, taking place in… The Salem witch trials were one of the earliest examples of mass hysteria in colonial America. Mather, though defended the use of spectral evidence, the warded caution to the court’s use of it. This accusation was taken very seriously during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, and the evidence was interpreted to mean that the defendant was in communication with the devil. With the Bill of Rights in place, interpretations of the First Amendment consistently ruled that slander and defamation were not protected by the Constitution. Connecticut’s 17th-century witch trials have long been overshadowed by the more numerous and better publicized proceedings in Salem, Massachusetts. Print. accepted evidence in the Salem Witch Trials that was a simple claim by a witness of seeing a spirit. ... To make matters worse, the girls started making accusations against innocent people without any evidence except for “spectral evidence.” The girls accused three women to begin with. They would call both the accusers and the accused to It was accepted in the … That is exactly what happened during the Salem Witch Trials. Spectral evidence was testimony in which witnesses claimed that the accused appeared to them and did them harm in a dream or a vision. Say what you like, but Sarah Good was no weak woman. Parris to move from the town and out of the church. What role did ergot play in the Salem witch trials? Salem witch trials (1692–93), a series of investigations and persecutions that caused 19 convicted ‘witches’ to be hanged and many other suspects to be imprisoned in Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It shows us how much is yet to be learned, and ways in which we can prevent future happenings similar to these. Mather was also the author of the "Return of the Several Ministers," a report sent to the judges of the Salem court. What were the British two colonies which emerged in the early 17th century? Sometimes instead of using spectral evidence, people who commit crimes or act differently are accused of witchcraft immediately. How many people lost their lives? Published in mid-October of 1692, this 16-page book by Samuel Willard criticizes the use of spectral evidence in the Salem Witch Trials. Despite these crucial influences Mather had, the most important was the use of Spectral Evidence. The events in Salem in 1692 were but one chapter in a long story of witch hunts … Carrier: Well, it’s made up, you see. Two opposing sides formed on the use of spectral evidence. In 1691, a group of girls from Salem, Massachusetts accused an Indian slave named Tituba of witchcraft, igniting a hunt for witches that left 19 men and women hanged, one man pressed to death, and over 150 more people in prison awaiting a trial. A disadvantaged down-and-out, Good was clear-cut for a witchcraft conviction. It was also the last of the religious witch hunts. Spectral evidence was admitted in the Salem Witch trials, but condemned by many before and after as legally invalid. Salem, Witch Trials. Salem witch trials, illustration from Pioneers in the Settlement of America by William A. Crafts, 1876. Spectral evidence was the most significant type of evidence used against the accused during the Salem witch trials. That happened at Salem in North America in 1692 but the authorities decided that spectral evidence was not enough to obtain a conviction. Spectral evidence, which is a form of evidence based upon dreams and visions, was admitted into court during the Salem witch trials by the appointed chief justice, William Stoughton to convict any and all those who he deemed to be witches. Massachusetts in 1620, they were Puritans and they established the Massachusetts bay Colony on puritan principles, were particularly mindful of … 1 answer: Ira Lisetskai [31] 1 year ago. This belief in the power of the accused to use their invisible shapes or spectres to torture their victims had sealed the fates of those tried by the Court of Oyer and Terminer. The event lasted just under a year and created the biggest mess of chaos in such a small area. William Stoughton (1631 – July 7, 1701) was a colonial magistrate and administrator in the Province of Massachusetts Bay.He was in charge of what have come to be known as the Salem Witch Trials, first as the Chief Justice of the Special Court of Oyer and Terminer in 1692, and then as the Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature in 1693. Spectral evidence consisted of Satan or some other supernatural being appearing in the form of an accused witch. Several men testified that she had visited them, in spectral form, in bed at night. What is spectral evidence Salem witch trials quizlet? The admittance of spectral evidence in court made it virtually impossible for someone to prove their innocence during the witch trials. Smithsonian reports “ More than 200 people were accused of practicing … Such testimony was frequently given during the witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries. Spectral evidence From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Spectral evidence is a form of legal evidence based upon the testimony of those who claim to have experienced visions . Spectral Evidence.. “Spectral evidence refers to a witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. 15. Bridget Bishop Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., Elizabeth Hubbard, Mary Walcott, and Mercy Lewis all … The judges allowed for “spectral evidence” for which there was no legal precedent, thus elevating subjective experience over objective evidence and reason. “Spectral evidence refers to a witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. “Spectral evidence refers to a witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. During the trials unusual things happened and innocent people were blamed. After months of trials, the governor finally decided to put an end to the trials with the last trials being held in May of 1693. Courts relied on three kinds of evidence: 1) confession, 2) testimony of two eyewitnesses to acts of witchcraft, or 3) spectral evidence (when the afflicted girls were having their fits, they would interact with an unseen assailant – the apparition of the witch tormenting them). The Salem Witch Trials were unfair. he was a paranoid, power-hungry, yet oddly self-pitying figure. Salem Witch Trials: In 1692 the community of Salem, Massachusetts, was engulfed in a series of witchcraft afflictions, accusations, trials, and executions. Sources: Mather, Cotton. Courts relied on three kinds of evidence: 1) confession, 2) testimony of two eyewitnesses to acts of witchcraft, or 3) spectral evidence (when the afflicted girls were having their fits, they would interact with an unseen assailant – the apparition of the witch tormenting them). One point of view of the Salem Witch Trials has to do with gender. The accused were prosecuted and executed for allegedly practicing witchcraft, when little to no evidence of it existed. He was hanged on August 19, 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Salem Witch Trials after being falsely accused and … So-called “spectral evidence”, in which a victim testifies to experiencing an attack by a witch in spirit form, invisible to everyone else, was not accepted as evidence. Salem Witch Trials Weekly, produced by the Salem Witch Museum. William Stoughton (1631 – July 7, 1701) was a colonial magistrate and administrator in the Province of Massachusetts Bay.He was in charge of what have come to be known as the Salem Witch Trials, first as the Chief Justice of the Special Court of Oyer and Terminer in 1692, and then as the Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature in 1693. spectral evidence. So-called “spectral evidence”, in which a victim testifies to experiencing an attack by a witch in spirit form, invisible to everyone else, was not accepted as evidence. The Salem Witch Trials inaccurately portrays that religion always leads to a witch trial. It was a time of hysteria, when courts believed in the devil, spectral evidence and teenage girls. The Superior Court of Judicature, formed to replace the “witchcraft” court, did not allow spectral evidence. The Answer (1 of 6): The case against Bridget Bishop rested in large measure on what was known as spectral evidence, that is to say, evidence of the witness being visited by the spectre or apparition of the accused. However, this separation did not wipe away the history of … Indeed the statistical evidence suggests the same in which basically a … First, Increase Mathers, a Puritan minister and the President of Harvard University at the time, insisted that spectral evidence be thrown out of court. a clear case of people targeting others they did not like due to wanting their land or just having a personal feud with them. That court relied heavily on the spectral evidence, examinations, interrogations, and affidavits previously … It was accepted in the courts during the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692 happened at the worst possible time. Before however they did rely on spectral evidence and the girls were lying so if they were thrashing about and people believed them, the person was accused of being a witch. It is significant to the parallels between the Salem witch trials and more modern examples of “witch hunting” like the McCarthy hearings of the 1950’s. Published in mid-October of 1692, this 16-page book by Samuel Willard criticizes the use of spectral evidence in the Salem Witch Trials. The allowance of spectral evidence was pushed for by Cotton Mather. The Salem witch trial madness began when two young girls, Abigail Williams and Betty Parris, became afflicted by an unexplainable disease. The hysteria came to an end when Governor William Phips ordered the trials halted and the court disbanded. Bewitchment in Salem, produced by the Salem Witch Museum in conjunction with SATV. Little is known about … Court of Oyer and Terminer. “Spectral evidence refers to a witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. Spectral Evidence: Spectral evidence was the most significant type of evidence used against the accused during the Salem witch trials. It was one of the largest witch hunts. What is spectral evidence? I learned more about Spectral Evidence and the d  iffering opinions on whether or not it should be used in court. The Salem Witch Trials began in 1692, and many people were accused and executed before they were over. 5. John Proctor and the Salem Witch Trials. What are some of the theories surrounding the cause of the Salem witch trials? Even confessions were considered doubtful without other evidence. The Salem Witch Trials was an event that happened in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. With regard to the Salem Witch Trials, spectral evidence is regarded as presumed and alleged evidence citing the presence of spirits considered to be notorious, evil, and harmful in nature; due to the implicit difficulty in facilitating tangible evidence of one’s involvement within such activities, the notion of spectral evidence became a standard … Spectral evidence was a form of evidence accepted in the courts during the Salem Witch Trials, one of the darkest, most misogynistic periods of American history. This could have been a promotional technique for his book "Memorable Provinces" or he could have truly believed that there was validity in the supernatural evidence. read about one of the accused people during the witch trials. THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE; THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECTRAL EVIDENCE RECONSIDERED A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of History The College of Williams and Mary in Virginia In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Susan K. Ocksreider 1984 Ultimately this paper finds that the use of spectral evidence was legitimate as it followed the slim guidelines available at the time. In these trials he … The Salem Witch Trials were a difficult and dark chapter in the history of the United States of America. In 1692, Governor Phips assembled with the court and decided the seven judges (Salem Witch Trials). People also became skeptical about so-called spectral evidence. Gov. As the trials went on, judges seemed to rely increasingly on spectral evidence, but you wouldn’t dare want to challenge their authority. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft—the Devil's magic—and 20 … On June 2 Bridget Bishop—who had been accused and found innocent of witchery some 12 years earlier—was the first of the defendants to be convicted. What evidence did they have? Thus, spectral evidence is testimony about what an accused person’s spirit did, rather than actions of the accused person in the body. On June 10 she was hanged on what became known as Gallows Hill in Salem Village. Salem Witch Trials Begin. The Salem witch trials were prosecutions conducted of people indicted for witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. Miller presents America’s deepest past in order to make a modern point. Although Mather was not directly involved in the proceedings of the Salem witch trials, he wrote a letter to one of the magistrates in the trials, John Richards of Boston, urging caution in the use of spectral evidence. spectral evidence can be defined as “testimony given that an accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to the witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location” (sutter, 2003, para.7) this type of evidence was allowed during the trials because all a person had to say that they saw the spirit of the … The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-day Chronicle of a Community under Siege. The most popular and used one was Live spectral evidence. Such ‘evidence’ is impossible to verify or refute, but it was sill used by the court to send people to their deaths” (3). In the Salem witch trials, spectral evidence was used as evidence in the courts, especially in the early trials. testimony that the accused person’s spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person’s physical body was at another location.” The Salem witch trials testify to the importance of due process in protecting individuals against false accusations. A period of less than a year caused such turmoil that Salem, Massachusetts, is still widely known for the trials. Published in mid-October of 1692, this 16-page book by Samuel Willard criticizes the use of spectral evidence in the Salem Witch Trials. What were the 5 types of evidence allowed in the Salem witch trials? The Salem Witch Trials, the events of 1692 in Salem Village which resulted in 185 accused of witchcraft, 156 formally charged, 47 confessions, and 19 executed by hanging, remain one of the most studied phenomena in colonial American history. Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archives. Spectral evidence – refers to a witness testimony that the accused person’s spirit or spectral shape appeared. Courts relied on three kinds of evidence: 1) confession, 2) testimony of two eyewitnesses to acts of witchcraft, or 3) spectral evidence (when the afflicted girls were having their fits, they would interact with an unseen assailant – the … Sometimes instead of using spectral evidence, people who commit crimes or act differently are accused of witchcraft immediately. 7 0. These trials relied heavily on spectral evidence, or testimony based on dreams or apparitions seen by the afflicted. The Salem Witch Trials was the first and last time spectral evidence was allowed in a trial. The governor pardoned the rest of the accused witches and they were released from jail. The book is structured as a debate between “S and B,” which stands for Salem and Boston, with … What do you think was the major cause of the Salem witch trials? When the accusations began to circulate Salem Village, Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin were called upon to investigate the matter. According to Mark Podvia (see Timeline, PDF), the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony adopted the following statute in 1641: “If any man or woman be a WITCH, that is, hath or consulteth with a familiar spirit, they shall be put to death. The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, ... “Spectral evidence refers to a witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. With this worldview, it was not a stretch for them to accept 'spectral evidence' of spirits and visions—which was the primary evidence used as proof of guilt during the Salem Witch Trials. John and his wife were tried on August 5, 1692. She was convicted on During the trials, spectral evidence was the best proof you would have to indict a witch. Even “spectral evidence” could get someone accused during the Salem witch trials. While there was no need to provide evidence for accusing someone of witchcraft—just pointing fingers was enough—spectral evidence was often used during the trials. The Salem Witch Trials inaccurately portrays that religion always leads to a witch trial. See the Salem Witchcraftessay for a detailed explanation of the events, causes and aftermath of the Salem witch trials. InEnglish tradition, spectral evidence was not accepted as evidence There are documented deaths directly caused by the Salem Witch Trials that, for whatever reason or another, are not being included in this official death count. Penniless, pregnant, and pugnacious! In these trials he … Spectral evidence was testimony in which witnesses claimed that the accused appeared to them and did them harm in a dream or a vision. 4. Salem witch trials (1692–93), a series of investigations and persecutions that caused 19 convicted ‘witches’ to be hanged and many other suspects to be imprisoned in Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. to distress with mental or bodily pain. Far more women than men were among the accused, convicted and executed. when confronted with accusatory testimony of her appearing as a specter to abuse victims. Men weren't the only victims in Salem. Spectral Evidence. The Salem Witch Trials were a difficult and dark chapter in the history of the United States of America. Two dogs were also killed during the scare. Mather was also the author of the "Return of the Several Ministers," a report sent to the judges of the Salem court. What was the main evidence against accused witches in the Salem Witch Trials? One of the reasons that the witch trials stand out in the history of early American law is that the court admitted spectral evidence to the proceedings. Answer Comment. It was a scary and horrible time for many of the residents of Salem, Massachusetts. The admittance of spectral evidence in court made it virtually impossible for someone to prove their innocence during the witch trials. Some supposed victims of witchcraft claimed they were being tormented by the ‘specters’ of the people who bewitched them. It was accepted in the courts during the Salem Witch Trials. In very few cases was there physical evidence of verifiable offenses, leaving only “spectral evidence” to determine a case. Sometimes instead of using spectral evidence, people who commit crimes or act differently are accused of witchcraft immediately. A period of less than a year caused such turmoil that Salem, Massachusetts, is still widely known for the trials. The Salem Witch Trials began in the first quarter of 1692 and would continue throughout the year. John Hathorne was the magistrate of Massachusetts Bay Colony towards the beginning of the Salem Witch Trials and is known for how vocal he was during the trials.. Hathorne was absent from the list of men appointed to the Court of Oyer & Terminer in June 1692. Spectral evidence—testimony about what an accused person's spirit did—was used in the Salem Witch Trials of colonial Massachusetts. 6. The impacts that these witch trials had on Salem Village were tremendous they caused Rev. It was accepted in the … Hall, Magic Mirror, 35-36. Also known as "the Salem Witchcraft Trials," these legal proceedings in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, resulted in 20 people, mostly women, being hanged for witchcraft. 8. Salem Village separated from Salem Town in 1752 and became the town of Danvers. Most accusers were teenage girls Mostly populated by Puritans, Salem Village was experiencing economic hardship in 1692, and residents were only too willing to blame someone else for their troubles. “Spectral evidence refers to a witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. How was spectral evidence used in the Salem witch trials? This image is a fanciful representation of the Salem witch trials. Evidence used in the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials of the 1690s was primarily “spectral evidence,” which referred to sightings of supernatural beings that had assumed human form. Even confessions were considered doubtful without other evidence. Sarah Good and the Salem Witch Trials. A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials One town's strange journey from paranoia to pardon By Jess Blumberg Smithsonian.com, October 24, 2007, Subscribe The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. The 1692 Salem witch trials are a big blot on American history. Interesting Facts about the Salem Witch Trials. The law of the Salem Witch Trials is a fascinating mix of biblical passages and colonial statutes. ... Salem Story, Reading the Witch Trials of … The trials did not end at the release of the witches. The Salem Witch House––the home of hanging Judge Jonathan Corwin––is Salem’s only remaining building with direct ties to the Witch Trials of 1692. The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692 happened at the worst possible time. Mather’s characteristics of witches invaded the minds of the people in Salem and clouded their judgment. Salem witch trials, (June 1692–May 1693), in American history, a series of investigations and persecutions that caused 19 convicted “witches” to be hanged and many other suspects to be imprisoned in Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony (now Danvers, Massachusetts).. Witch hunts. The girls were experiencing several bizarre symptoms, … Spectral evidence is testimony given that an accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to the witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. The “touch test” was also used to determine guilt or innocence. It is highly possible though that Phips, as the governor of the colony, was just trying to pass the blame for the Salem Witch Trials onto someone else and, since Stoughton was the chief justice in the trials, he was an easy target. These historical trials began in May 1692 and spanned around 15 months, taking place in… What were the 5 types of evidence allowed in the Salem witch trials? 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