Worksheet

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vRl2nC0rNoAX66PZaqQ7sC2FlyeBgsHyi7sba0E_zPo/edit?usp=sharing

Map of Salem Village

The map above depicts Salem Village (on the left/west) and Salem Town (on the right/east). Most people in Salem Village were relatively poor farmers, while most people in Salem Town were relatively wealthy merchants and townspeople. The residents of Salem Village had to pay taxes to Salem Town. The map shows that most of the people who made accusations were from Salem Village, and most of those accused were from Salem Town.

Chart of Size of Family Farms in Salem Village, 1640-1700

Testimony Of Abigail Hobbs

Below is the testimony of a sixteen-year-old accused of witchcraft, Abigail Hobbs, taken on April 19, 1692. Judge: Abigail Hobbs, you are brought before Authority to answer to various acts of witchcraft. What say you? Are you guilty, or not? Speak the truth.  Abigail Hobbs: I will speak the truth. I have seen sights and been scared. I have been very wicked. I hope I shall be better, if God will help me.    Judge: What sights did you see?  Abigail Hobbs: I have seen the Devil.  Judge: How often, many times?  Abigail Hobbs: But once.  Judge: What would he have you do?  Abigail Hobbs: Why, he would have me be a witch.  Judge: Would he have you make a covenant with him?  Abigail Hobbs: Yes. Vocabulary: Testimony: a statement taken in court to determine guilt or innocence Covenant: a very strong promise, an agreement, a contract

A Discourage On Witchcraft

In the excerpt below, Cotton Mather, an influential leader of the Puritans, argues for the existence of witchcraft:  I will prove that Witchcraft exists. Those who deny it exists argue that they never saw any witches, therefore there are none. That would be as if you or I said: We never met any robbers, therefore there are none.I have two pieces of evidence that witchcraft exists: First, the Scripture mentions witchcraft. Secondly, many people have experienced the horrors of witchcraft. Vocabulary: Scripture: the Bible

Witch Test

• Touch test - The person afflicted with fits would become calm when touching the witch who cast the spell on them.
• Confession by Dunking - They would dunk an accused witch in water until they finally confessed.
• Lord's Prayer - If a person could not recite the Lord's Prayer without error, they were considered a witch.
• Spectral evidence - The accused would claim to have seen the witch in their dreams working with the devil.
• Submersion - In this test the accused was bound and dropped in the water. If they floated, they were considered a witch. Of course, if they didn't float, they would drown.
• Pressing - In this test, heavy stones would be placed on the accused. This was supposed to force the confession out of the witch. Unfortunately, the person being pressed couldn't breathe to give a confession even if they wanted to. An 80 year-old man named Giles Corey was crushed to death when this test was used on him.