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How could a society confide in the testimony of young children with no evidence supporting their accusations, such as that as the case with Sarah Good, one of the first of three to be convicted in the Salem hysteria? For anyone to understand this, we must examine the foundation of where this hysteria started. ... With Salem, Puritanism dominated. ... Well, the diminishing of Salem’s social structure made rash the murders of many innocent people. ...
What most people don’t realize is that Salem Town and Salem Village are two separate identities within the same town, sort of. In 1692, Salem, Massachusetts, had split into two diverse areas. ... The residents of Salem Village tended to be in the realm of poor farmers who made their keep from the goods their farms produced. The occupants in Salem Town, however, tended to be wealthy merchants with the town centering itself on sea trade.
Not only was there a division between Salem Village and Salem Town, but there also became a division within Salem Village itself. People, who lived near the road that separated Salem Town and Salem Village, indulged themselves in the ever-changing economy by becoming carpenters, blacksmiths, and innkeepers. Farmers, however, who failed to become a part of this ever-growing opulence, saw the Salem Town’s prosperity as a threat to them and their Puritan values. One of the families tied to numerous accusations during the witch trials and one of the first to condemn Salem Town’s growing economic status were the Putnams. To make matters worse, Salem Village had appointed a new minister, Samuel Parris, who had a strict outlook on Puritan values and proclaimed that the new prosperity thriving within Salem Town was the work and influence of the devil.
Approximate Word count = 1338
Approximate Pages = 5.4
(250 words per page double spaced)
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