Conspiracy Theories

Witch Trials

What caused the Witch Trials in Salem Massachusetts?

xAlienConfirmed: Okay so they thought witches were in alliance with the devil rather than God and you know how religious people were back then

Ivvy_E_Grace:Yeah. Didn't help that it was a Puritan village

Cazypup: Puritans were crazy

Ivvy_E_Grace: The witch trials, if I remember right, started with this group of girls 'circle girls' who would go to this slave name Tituba and she would do things to entertain them that were considered witchcraft

Cazypup: Some suggest that it was ergot, a fungus that infected rye and caused people to go delusional.Some even think it's because the girls were bored

Ivvy_E_Grace: That's one of the biggest theories. That the girls just wanted attention.

Cazypup: It makes sense because Puritan girls couldn't really do anything

xAlienConfirmed: There are some connections in witches. For example most witches that were accused, were 1) female 2) of puritan heritage 3) accused of being a witch by another suspected witch 4) have been accused of being criminal wether or not its been confirmed doesn't matter apprently, 5) are from the lower class 6)have a reputation for being stubborn and some others that I forgot

Cazypup: Those who were suspected would always accuse others to save themselves

xAlienConfirmed: Exactly

Ivvy_E_Grace: The last one definitely because it's easier to accuse someone who's already not trusted

xAlienConfirmed: There was only one girl from Salem that was rich, and true

Ivvy_E_Grace: Just as an added note, the main girl of the small group was actually the reverend's daughter

Cazypup: Maybe it was the Reverend wanting to get rid of the people he or even his daughter didn't like

xAlienConfirmed: That's a theory

Ivvy_E_Grace: That's a good idea

xAlienConfirmed: Okay so apparently six girls were the ones accused in Salem

Ivvy_E_Grace: Accused of being witches? Cause there were many woman and men that were accused

xAlienConfirmed: The six are: Rebecca Nurse, Bridget Bishop, Mary English, Ann Putnam Sr., Tituba, and Mary Warren. Of these six, five were accused, three were accusers, two were hanged, one escaped. One was Salem's wealthiest woman and one owned nothing, not even herself. Which is kinda sad. Also I might have mispelled their names They're the most known ones

Ivvy_E_Grace: No you got spellings right

xAlienConfirmed: Oh yay!

Cazypup: Which is the one that escaped?

xAlienConfirmed: Not sure

Ivvy_E_Grace: And you're right that those were the most well known ones but there were many others. One man was actually pressed to death And I think the one that escaped is Ann Putnam

xAlienConfirmed: Wow and I'm gonna have to research her

Ivvy_E_Grace: I found something that says actually a few people that were accused managed to escape prison

xAlienConfirmed: Rebecca Nurse, who was executed as a witch in Salem in 1692, may have been accused because she and her husband had recently gained a large tract of land, sparking the envy of their neighbors. Which is an explainable theory that adds up to the Rev guy and his daughter. Who might have been jealous as well Who were they?