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SALEM WITCHCRAFT TRIALS

Salem Before The Trials

Even prior to the Witchcraft Trials, Salem maintained an interesting history. Why? Because the residents of Salem were divided into two sections: residents desiring separation from Salem Town, and those who wanted to remain residents of Salem.

A number of Salem farmers supported the ideal that the thriving economy of Salem was focused on the individual, which was in opposition to Puritian beliefs. This view made these families isolated from the rest of Salem. The most notable of these out of touch individuals being the Putnams.

Who were the Putnams?

The Putnams were the leaders of the Separatists (extreme Puritans). They owned more farmland than anyone else in Salem. In 1689,the Putnams created a new congregation under Rev. Samuel Parris, in which they began worshipping in the Salem Village Meetinghouse.

Who Were The Puritans?

"Puritan Religion

The full covenant of the Church at Salem, founded 1629

1. First we avowe the Lord to be our God, and ourselves his people in truth and simplicitie of our Spirits.

2. Wee give ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the word of his grace, fore the teaching, the ruleing and sanctifyeing of us in matters of worship, and conversation, resolveing to cleave to him alone for life and glorie; and oppose all contraire wayes, canons and constitutions of men in his worship.

3. Wee promise to walk with our brethren and sisters in the Congregation with all watchfullness, and tendernis, avoyding all jelousies, supsitions, backbyteings, conjurings, provoakings, secrete riseingss of spirit against them, but in all offences to follow the rule of the Lord Jesus, and to beare and forbeare, give and forgive as he hath taught us.

4. In publick or private, we will willingly doe nothing to the offence of the Church, but will be willing to take advise for ourselves and ours as occasion shall be presented.

5. We will not in the Congregation be forward eyther to show our owne gifts or parts in speaking or scrupuling or there discover the fayling of our brethren or sisters butt attend an orderly cale there unto; knowing how much the Lord may be dishonoured, and his Gospell in the profession of it, sleighted by our distempers, and weakness in publyck.

6. We bynd ourselves to studdy the advancement of the Gospell in all truth and peace, both in regard of those that are within, or without, noe waye sleighting our sister Churches, but using theire Counsell as need shallbe; nor laying a stumbling, before any, noe not the Indians, whose good we desire to promote, and soe to converse, as wee may avoyd the verrye appearance of evill.

7. Wee hearby promise to carrye our selves in all lawfull obedience, to those that are over us in Church and Common weale, knowing how well pleasing it wilbe to the Lord, that they should have incouragement in theire places, by our not greiveing theyre spirites through our iregularites.

8. Wee resolve to preove our selves to the Lord in our particular calings, shunning ydleness as the bane of any state, nor will we deale hardly, or opressingly with Any, wherein we are the Lords stewards: alsoe

9. Promyseing to our best abilitie to teach our children and servants, the knowledge of God and his will, that they may serve him alsoe and all this, not by any strength of our owne, but by the Lord Christ, whose bloud we desire may sprinckle this our Covenant made in his name."(http://www.dla.utexas.edu/depts/ams/online/smith/projects/salem2/GROUP~1.HTM)

The people of Salem were angered by the rights of Parris as minister. He was given a modest salary, use of a house, free firewood,and title and deed to the parsonage and its surrounding land. The Salem Town supporters began refusing attendence to the worship at the Meetinghouses and began to withhold their local taxes, which helped pay the minister's salary and provide his firewood.

Reverand Parris was a married man with had a nine year old daughter, Betty. He also raised his niece Abigail and maintained a small farm.

During the cold winter months, girls would often read books about prophecy and fortune telling, and they would form a circle in which they would practice their fortune telling they had learned from reading. Betty, Abby, and Parris' slave from Barbados, Tituba often participated in the circle. Tituba would tell the girls stories of witchcraft and demons. The circle began growing as more and more girls came to hear Tituba's interesting stories. Due to the Parris family's difficult social and financial issues, the girls began to express their emotions in unusual ways. Parris was very concerned with these unusual actions and contacted William Griggs, the village's physician, to examine the girls. His diagnosis: witchcraft.

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