Sacramento, CA
Parapsychology Plus
Today in Modern times, people are still captivated by the historical Salem Witch hunts and related trails. It
all began back in 1692 in Salem Town / Village Massachusetts. These events started with two girls who
started to exhibit bizarre hysteric behavior. This behavior seemed to spread to many other females who
resided in the same village and there seemed to be no explanation to their behavior. The citizens of this time
period were of English Puritan decent who believed that there were evil forces for this explanation caused
by the Devil and particularly with Witches referenced by the their Bible.
A good description of the 1692 Salem Witch Trails chronology of events can be found at referenced site:
http://www.salemweb.com/memorial
Some modern day Scientist and Historians believed that the bizarre behavior exhibited by the Salem
females was ascribed to calling out for attention caused by Puritan and repressed upbringing. Other
theories stem from research that during this time, a popular diet of rye flour had a derivative of ergot that
could cause toxicity and cause great harm to the mind and body. This may have medical explanations of why
these “witches” were having convulsions and hallucinations caused by the toxicity of ergot.
Some common myths about this historical time are that Witch hunts only targeted women. It is true over 90%
of the women were killed; although, some men fell victim, accused to being warlocks and also executed.
Certainly, Witch-hunts were sex related and targeted women mercifully.
Other myths include that Witch-hunts occurred during medieval times of barbarism and cruelty. Witch-hunts
actually took place after the Middle Ages, not ending until the 1700’s and were conducted by God fearing
civilized people. According to many Historians believe that Witch-hunters were highly educated, literate and
truly believed that they were sanctifying their communities by “killing” these accused witches. Christianity
was popular during the middle ages and regarded witchcraft as an illusion; such as the Devil were playing
tricks on these individuals making them believe that they were actually possessed by Witches.
No single Church was to blame for the hunts, many secular governments hunted witches for essential non-
religious reasons. As throughout history, and proven by the Holocaust, fear instilled in a society can cause
citizens to follow leaders and the common societal practices without questioning morality.
The Witch-hunt persecution and trails period has provided many documented facts and historical court
documentations, although, no one may truly understand the psyche and dysfunction of these persecutors
and victims.
A more provoking commemoration, the Salem Witch Trials Tercentenary Memorial dedicated in 1992, can
be found adjacent to the Charter Street Old
Burying Point.
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Referenced and Referred Sites:
http://history.hanover.edu/early/wh.html
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/salem
http://departments.kings.edu/womens_history/witch
http://departments.kings.edu/womens_history/witch/werror.html#cruelty
http://www.salemweb.com/memorial
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