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Opening statement
During the trials, due process of law was suspended and emotioned ruled. Contrary to popular beliefs, this was not an example of what would happen if Christian filled government roles. Rather, it was a time when Christian weren't following their own rules. Why did this happen? This timeline seeks to explain the root issues that led to the trils which, in the word of Cotton Mather, a prominant preacher of the day, were a culmination of the spiritual war which had been raging in New England. -
Other theories...
Some people think that, yes, the girls were demonically affected. Others perfer to believe in something more.... well, believable. Some of these theories include Ergot poisoning, Lyme disease, PTSD, Encephilitis, or psycosmatic disorders. -
Pilgrims arrive in America *
Separatists - Attempting to separate themselves from worldly influences. "One small candle to light a thousand" was their motto. -
Naming of Salem*
Salem was named by Puritan minister, Francis Higginson. He chose this name from "Shalom", which means peace, after reading in Psalm 72. Salem was destined from the beginning to be a candle of peace. -
Founding of Salem *
Salem was founded to be a light of the gospel.
Johnn White - "It will be a service unto the church of great consequence to carry the gospel into those parts of the world and a bulwark against anichrist." This was a declaration of war against Satan. -
Founding of Salem - part two
At the founding they created a covanental peace pact which outlined their community structure. It listed three governing pillars.
1) The home with children respecting the authority of their parents.
2) The church with Mtthew 18 as their pattern for settling conflict.
3) The civil government using the rule of law.
a) Law is supreme (unlike in Europe)
b) No one is to be indited without due process of law. (trial)
c) Innocent until proven guilty -
Puritans arrive in America
Unlike the Pilgrims, the Puritans came to New England to "purify from within."
Some of their leaders included William Bradford, Roger Connan, and John Winthrop. -
Puritan beliefs about spiritual warfare
1) Satan is limited by God's soveriegnty
2) The devil is most successful in people who allow sin to fester in their lives.
3) Ingorance makes people susceptible to Satan
4) Focusing on Satan's power (indulge in curiosity) allows it to become more spectacular Continued in paart two... -
1630's Salem brings Pilgrims and Puritans together *
The Puritans and the Pilgrms had some minor religious differences which created a rift between them. This all changed during a time of illness when the pastor was too sick to preach. The doctor took his place and preached of the area of tesion, after which they decided to set aside of differences and get along. -
Puritan beliefs about spiritual warfare part two
5) Satan and his minions are fallen angels exercising wicked waya against people. They hover in the atmosphere working to thwart God's plan
6) The demonic kingdom is organized like a military - Each assigned countries, cities etc..
7) Christ's kingdom will have ultimate victory -
1650's Putnams and Porters feud*
The Putnams and Porters feuded and sued over land and inheritance issues causing bitterness and dissonace which lasted for the next two generations. As a result, the children grew up resentful of their neighbors. -
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Life of Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather was an influential preacher in New England. He wrote over 450 book and pamphlets on religion and corn hybridinization. He was an instrumental factor in ending the trials. -
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King Philip's war *
King Philip (indian chief) thought the indians were being converted to Christianity as a tactical advantage for war. He went to war to try to exterminate Christianity. -
Samual Parris named minister of Salem*
Forerly a merchant, he was angry towards his father over inheritance issues. His bitternes blinded him to what was happening in his town and in his own cellar. He used personal illustrations from the Putnam Porter feud in his sermons instead of guiding his people to forgiveness according to Matthew 18 as was perviously agreed. -
Winter - Beginning of the problems
Seven girls ages 7 to 17 start meeting in the cellar of Reverand Parris. These girls start dishonoring their fathers by talking about subjects they were told not to discuss without an adult present. These gossip fests lead to an unhealthy curiosity about who they were going to marry. This was the beginning of things because Parris's Barbadian servent (Tituba) started teaching the girls her native witchcraft to answer their questions. Tituba was later in the first of the accused. -
Manifestations
There are several documented incidents that sho paranormal activities happening in the girls' lives. These include their bones being twisted so drastically that they had to broken to straighten, uncontrolled running and throwing themselves in fires, uncontrollable screaming and Elizabeth Putnam actually flew off her bed and hovered near the ceiling Cotton Mather prayed for deliverance. -
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Accusations
Some village girls start having "spells" where their bodies would twist in ways they were obviously not meant to. To explain this the towns people assumed that they were being tourtured by witches and ask the girls about it. Thus the accusations begin. -
Local doctor states he belive the girls are bewitched
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Trials and Executions
The governor finally put an end to things when his wife was accused of witchcraft. In all, twenty people were actually executed while over one hundred died in jail. Ninteen were hung and one was cruched to death with a rock on his chest. Someone did some research on the lives of those twenty and conclude that ten were strong Chirstians and prayer warriors, two were non-believers who were swept up in the hyteria, four were slightly involved in witchcraft, and only two were actual witches. -
Giles Corey is crushed to death
Giles Corey was the only accused crushed to death during the trials. He is on record for stating that he believes that the girls' rediculous behavior was a result of passive fathers and what they all needed was a good spanking. -
More arrests prohibited and many accused are released
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Day of fasting and prayer of repentence.
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Jonathan Edwards life*
Preacher during he great awakening -
Ann Putnam's Confession*
Twelve years after the trials, an embittered Ann Putnam Jr. stands up in a church service and publicly repents for her contribution during the trials. She is forgiven and re-allowed membership in the church. Many historians believe this was the beginning of the Great Awakening. -
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Life of Benjamin Franklin*
He studied what happened during the trials and incorparated these lessons into the writing of American documents. -
The Crucible is written*
The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller supposedly documenting the Salem witch trials. Unfortunately, whether knowingly or unknowingly, it is strewn with false facts which have no real historical evidence. Sadly, this is studied as truth in most public schools today. -
Lessons to be learned - Part one
1) Children should be taught to forgive and to not hold grudges or cultivate bitterness.
2) Children should be taught respect for authority.
3) The line between church and state should be kept strong. (During the trials the church didn't take care of what it should've so the government took over and tried to controll a spiritual issue in physical ways.)
4) Hysteria can put innocent people to death.
5) Dabbling in the occult will get you in deeper than you want or can get out of. -
Lessons to be learned - Part two
5) State must ahere to "Innocent until proven guilty. During the trials this was switched and the accused were assumed guilty until proven innocent. The trials went wrong because this and their law about wtches not being condemed without two or three witnesses were ignored. Spectral evidence cannot be seen, therefore the trials should never have happened at all. "Even Jesus was accused of being a devil, anyone can be accused." - Increase Mather A group of clergy used this as a warning to Salem. -
Lessons to be learned - Part three
Another example of decisions made by the hysteria is that if one confessed to witchcraft he was often allowed to live while not confessing lead to being executed or a long stay in jail. Sadly, there is still a tendency for courts to assume guilt without proof. Charges of child abuse or neglected child support and division of property in a divorce being in the woman's favor are just a few examples. On a different level, these nine months of history are being reenacted today.
