The Salem witch mania, also known as the Salem witch trials, occurred in the late 17th century in colonial Massachusetts. It was a period of mass hysteria and paranoia, with accusations of witchcraft leading to the execution of 20 people and the imprisonment of many others. The events began in 1692 when a group of young girls in Salem Village claimed to be possessed by witches. They exhibited strange behavior and would have fits and convulsions. Unable to find a logical explanation, the community turned to the supernatural and believed that the Devil was at work. The girls accused three women of being witches, sparking a chain of accusations and trials.
Ultimately, how you perceive the Salem witch trials might depend on which threat you fear more. If you don't want to believe that a community could be destroyed over petty land disputes alone, than ergot helps the trials make sense. But if you don't like thinking society can crumble because of a few loafs of fungal bread, then you'd lean toward a social explanation of the trials.
It would be wrong to imagine Salemites as paper-dot-popping day trippers due to bad bread, but some symptoms of ergotism do resemble LSD albeit in lower intensity. Caporael, whose original paper is modest in its conclusions, gestures toward a third way Perhaps a medical explanation provided a vehicle for the fervor.
The girls accused three women of being witches, sparking a chain of accusations and trials. As the panic and fear spread, more and more individuals were accused, including men, women, and even children. The accused were subjected to intense interrogations and trials, often relying on spectral evidence, or the testimony of the afflicted girls who claimed to see the spirits of the accused tormenting them.
Manic Satanic Panic
Beginning in 1692, more than 150 men, women and children colonists in Massachusetts were wrongly accused of witchcraft without evidence in what is referred to as the Salem Witch Trials . It lasted for a time before the excitement surrounding “witches” died down and courts annulled guilty verdicts. More than 300 years later, in the 1970s Americans put their peers on trial for practicing Satanism and its rituals. These trials also occurred without any solid evidence. The United States became obsessed with the menace of Satanism.
From the 1970s until the early 1990s, people worried about the presence of Satan in their communities. It began with fear of serial killers like Charles Manson. Some Americans wrote books, like Michelle Remembers and The Satanic Bible , detailing their experiences with Satan. The Exorcist and its subsequent movie ’s claim that it was based on a true story influenced the way people considered Satan’s presence. Police were trained to handle Satanic cults. All of these publications and their frenzied media coverage made the average American believe that Satanic rituals were becoming a norm for a part of the population.
At the same time, there was a rise in need for daycare because of the emerging visual of the white woman in the workforce. Fact-checking site Snopes explains that this increased need for childcare in the period caused great anxiety among parents and encouraged a mistrust among care providers. This mistrust caused a rise in abuse allegations against daycare providers, with parents claiming that care providers were Satanists and forcing their children into their Satanic rituals. Some children were made to support such allegations .
While it may seem absurd that anyone would believe these claims, hundreds of people were accused, many were jailed, and one couple even stayed in jail until 2013. This pair, the Kellers, faced charges of sexual assault, serving blood-laced Kool Aid, cutting the heart of a baby out, flying children to Mexico to be raped, killing children, resurrecting them, and other allegations. They served 22 years in jail on the basis of the Satanic Panic. Prosecutors finally exonerated them in 2017.
The idea of stranger danger is also relevant to understanding the context here. This sort of shocking news spreads so quickly and so widely, so its relating themes do as well. Therefore, with the Satanic Panic, people learned to fear others, to be nervous in their own neighborhoods, and to not let anyone else watch their children. Other news at the time, such as the Tylenol murders of 1982, a man lacing his son’s Halloween candy with poison, and a rise in AIDS further intensified the fear of some unknown evil taking control. Because of the overarching, fear-mongering media, it became easier to pin something on another neighbor instead of inspecting the actual causes of unrest in America. It’s the same social dynamic that’s seen when going back to the Salem Witch Trials. Anyone who shows any signs of being “evil” or different appears to be a new predator, and people won’t hesitate to attack them.
Many times when a piece of fake news surfaces, it is because it is of national importance or concern. In 2019, for example, national politics have often been involved, such as in pizzagate and sharpiegate. In the case of the Satanic Panic, however, and also in the Salem Witch Trials, the focus was more on the idea of community. The Panic was focused not only on particular communities, but also on the idea of community itself in modern America. It was an era where Americans retained an idealistic view of the country and pushed back against apparent threats to it. They wanted to preserve a concept of a once “perfect” society, where all families lived peacefully and undisturbed in their neighborhoods. The idea that some people might be “evil” was new and scary, and so they pushed those citizens out.
While it may have been nonsense, the fearful results of the Panic’s media coverage contributed to a widespread fear of Satanic practices and a series of serious allegations. Psychologist Deborah Serani has examined fear-based media and its negative effects on consumers’ health. She explains that news outlets’ motives have turned more towards viewing “ the spectacular, the stirring, and the controversial as news stories.” This kind of news then leads to competition between outlets. Who can stir up the most in their viewers? This dynamic led sensationalistic and fear-mongering “news” to become the norm. Some have critiqued this kind of news as being driven more by emotions than facts. Yet, because it is profitable, it continues.
It may be easy to brush off the idea of another event like this happening in future decades, but it may not be so far off the horizon. These events are more recent than they seem, and some are still suffering the consequences of them. What is perhaps even more important than what media outlets release is how consumers react. News channels and other media care about what gets them the most clicks, the most views, the most money. If Americans get so terrified into believing the fear-mongering stories that come out in the future, there will be more dire consequences. Sensationalistic media occurs at the cost of people’s lives, as shown in the case of the Kellers. News will continue to stray further and further from the balanced, unbiased journalism that many communities worldwide want it to be and yet another witch hunt will ensue to identify and punish the next enemy.
Nicholas Spanos wrote two papers arguing that Caporael's theory was bunk (he's been joined by other scholars, like Alan Woolf). Spanos's objections are numerous, including, at base, that some of the reported symptoms didn't match the symptoms of ergotism. For example, bruised skin is common but is hard to find in the records.
Under the belief that the Devil could take the form of anyone, innocent people were targeted and forced to denounce others or face their own execution. The trials were highly biased and unfair, with little evidence required to condemn someone to death. Even those who claimed their innocence were not spared, as their protests were viewed as a sign of guilt. Eventually, public opinion began to turn against the trials as prominent members of the community were accused and executed. The governor of Massachusetts intervened and put an end to the trials in 1693. The aftermath of the Salem witch mania left a lasting impact on the community, with guilt and regret for the lives lost and the injustice that occurred. The Salem witch trials serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of mass hysteria and the consequences of unchecked fear and ignorance. They are often seen as a dark chapter in American history and a cautionary tale against allowing superstition and prejudice to cloud judgment..
Reviews for "The Influence of European Witchcraft Trials on the Salem Witch Mania"
1. Emily - 2/5
I was really disappointed with "Salem witch mania". The writing style was dry and lacked any compelling storytelling. The author seemed more interested in providing a long list of factual information rather than crafting an engaging narrative. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, making it difficult to stay interested in the subject matter. Overall, I found this book to be a tedious read and not worth my time.
2. John - 1/5
I found "Salem witch mania" to be incredibly biased and lacking in objectivity. The author seemed to have a clear agenda, vehemently defending the accused witches without providing a balanced perspective. The historical context was thin, and the book lacked depth in its analysis of the societal factors contributing to the "witch mania". I was hoping for a more comprehensive and unbiased exploration of the subject, but unfortunately, this book fell short.
3. Sarah - 2/5
I don't understand the hype around "Salem witch mania". The author's writing style was convoluted and hard to follow, with frequent tangents that derailed the narrative. The book felt more like a collection of disconnected anecdotes rather than a cohesive exploration of the topic. Additionally, the lack of proper citations and references made it difficult to trust the accuracy of the information presented. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a comprehensive and well-researched account of the Salem witch trials.
4. Michael - 2/5
"Salem witch mania" was a letdown for me. The author presented the subject matter in a way that was sensationalized and sensationalistic, focusing on the most salacious details rather than providing a nuanced understanding. I felt that important perspectives were missing, and the book failed to delve into the complexities of the time period. The author's writing style was also repetitive and lacked originality. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and found it to be a shallow and sensationalized account of the Salem witch trials.