Salem Village
By Kyle Tomlinson
Salem
has a very dark past with things ranging from witch hunts to killings. Salem
Village always had to compete with its more successful counterpart the Salem Town
the way the economy was growing better in the town compared to the village made
them go to drastic measures. The Town
was mostly known by the Putnam family and to be farmers, and the years leading up
to the trails with the towns growing economy and the villages not growing
economy made the relationship between the two escalate to very high tensions.
During the 1690 the merchants of the town controlled most of the wealth and power, and this made the problems between the successful merchants and struggling farmers become vulnerable to conflict (Boyer, 3). Salem Village was trying to get more autonomy for themselves along with a better economy but ended up getting worse then Salem Town. While they are split into these two rivalry areas problems between them started to grow (Murphy, 1). People wanted to become most dependent on themselves and not others which led to the rise of these witch accusations. Most of the accusations came from the most western part of Salem Village, who were the farthest from Salem Town, and directed to people who had any types of connections to the Town (Boyer, 5). These accusations became very common during this time because of economical and personal problems (Murphy, 3). While most of the accusers were from the Putnam family, they were also connected to the traditional agriculture ways they have been known for doing. These people who were called witches where people with connections to the town because the village was becoming farther and farther away from being as successful as the town and they felt that they needed to create these stories to get at the town.
Economy played a huge factor in the reasons the trails took place. It started with the village not growing as rapidly as the town and made them start to resent each other. While the opinions from the village towards the town were mostly hatred than anything else, the first person that was accused was a lady known as Tituba who talked to some girls about sorcery, which was not uncommon, until the girls started to say that they were being possessed (Boyer, 6). Most of the accusers where from the Village with no relation with the town, and the people that were being accused in some way had ties to the town. This made the somewhat of a obvious point that there is some sort of reoccurring factor playing along with the point that people are all targeting the more economically successful group of people. Most of the people who were accused were female who were somewhat close to the people who were in the town. While the start of the trails was a cause of anger and jealousy near the end of the trails it is known that they started to just say that other people where witches trying to save their own life. This tells us that the main reason that the trails took place was because of the economical success of the town and the desperation of the village to try and help them.
During the 1690 the merchants of the town controlled most of the wealth and power, and this made the problems between the successful merchants and struggling farmers become vulnerable to conflict (Boyer, 3). Salem Village was trying to get more autonomy for themselves along with a better economy but ended up getting worse then Salem Town. While they are split into these two rivalry areas problems between them started to grow (Murphy, 1). People wanted to become most dependent on themselves and not others which led to the rise of these witch accusations. Most of the accusations came from the most western part of Salem Village, who were the farthest from Salem Town, and directed to people who had any types of connections to the Town (Boyer, 5). These accusations became very common during this time because of economical and personal problems (Murphy, 3). While most of the accusers were from the Putnam family, they were also connected to the traditional agriculture ways they have been known for doing. These people who were called witches where people with connections to the town because the village was becoming farther and farther away from being as successful as the town and they felt that they needed to create these stories to get at the town.
Economy played a huge factor in the reasons the trails took place. It started with the village not growing as rapidly as the town and made them start to resent each other. While the opinions from the village towards the town were mostly hatred than anything else, the first person that was accused was a lady known as Tituba who talked to some girls about sorcery, which was not uncommon, until the girls started to say that they were being possessed (Boyer, 6). Most of the accusers where from the Village with no relation with the town, and the people that were being accused in some way had ties to the town. This made the somewhat of a obvious point that there is some sort of reoccurring factor playing along with the point that people are all targeting the more economically successful group of people. Most of the people who were accused were female who were somewhat close to the people who were in the town. While the start of the trails was a cause of anger and jealousy near the end of the trails it is known that they started to just say that other people where witches trying to save their own life. This tells us that the main reason that the trails took place was because of the economical success of the town and the desperation of the village to try and help them.
Bibliography
Boyer, Paul S. "Salem Witchcraft Trials." N.p., 1995. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.
Linder, Douglas. "An Account of the Salem Witchcraft Investigations, Trials, and Aftermath." An Account of the Salem Witchcraft Investigations, Trials, and Aftermath. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Murphy, Kate. "Review of Salem Possessed." Review of Salem Possessed. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
"Salem Witch Trials." Salem Witch Trials. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.
Boyer, Paul S. "Salem Witchcraft Trials." N.p., 1995. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.
Linder, Douglas. "An Account of the Salem Witchcraft Investigations, Trials, and Aftermath." An Account of the Salem Witchcraft Investigations, Trials, and Aftermath. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Murphy, Kate. "Review of Salem Possessed." Review of Salem Possessed. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
"Salem Witch Trials." Salem Witch Trials. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.