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Puritanism/ The Salem Witch Trials Who were the Puritans? -a group of people within the Church of England who desired a very strict reformation of the church. Wanted to “purify” religious devotion - no ceremonies, no ritual believed in state-church (Theocracy) - did NOT want separation of church and state Most early Puritans were from English middle class What did they believe? Man is innately corrupt and CANNOT win salvation through good works PREDESTINATION- the idea that fate of one’s soul has already been determined by God - Those who are chosen to receive grace are the “elect” - God’s choice not for man to try to understand Believed in LITERAL interpretation of Bible - believed in the existence of witches/ Wizards - Satan or other evil spirits can take shape of a person - Possessed persons can take the form of animals SALEM WITCH TRIALS What? o 19 men and women were accused and convicted of witchcraft were hanged at Gallows Hill in Salem Massachusetts o Hundreds of others accused/ spent several months imprisoned/ some died in prison o Lives were ruined/ families and communities torn apart When? o Accusations and trials took place between September and June 1692 o Actual hangings took place months later How did this happen? o Nature of relationship b/w church and state o Mass hysteria o Superstition/ fear of unknown/ fear of change o Personal grudges/ vengeance o Grain infected with mold which acted as hallucinogen Why does it matter? o Danger of loss of reason that results from mass hysteria o Dangers of NOT separating church and state o Can help us understand other “witch hunts” that have occurred throughout history (into modern times) Other Witch Hunts? o Spanish Inquisition o McCarthyism/ Red Scare o AIDS scare/ hysteria o Internment camps for Japanese-Americans during WWII o Other ?