The Crucible

1
The Crucible

• Background Notes on Salem

2
What Happened?

• 1689 Samuel Parris hired as minister of Salem
  Village
• January 20, 1692, Parris daughter and several
  other girls become sick
• February Dr. Griggs examines the girls and
  decides that they have been bewitched
• Feb. 29th Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osbourne
  are arrested for witchcraft.
• Tituba confesses to save her life and gives more
  names

3
What Happened?

• Over 150 people were arrested and imprisoned
• 5 died in prison
• 26 went to trial and were all convicted
• 19 were hanged and one was pressed to death.
• October 1692, the court was dissolved
• May 1693, Gov. Phipps pardons those who were
  accused and still living.
• Courts no longer allowed spectral evidence

4
Puritans Life in Salem

• The wilderness was nearby? seen as a place of the
  devil. Its where the Indians live.
• Suffer Indian attacks
• Believed that God told them to settle herethey
  were to be the light of the world, a perfect
  society.
• They left for religious freedom, but persecuted
  anyone who had different beliefs here

5
Puritans Life in Salem

• Belief in Predestination? looked for signs of
  Gods favor to see if they were going to heaven
  or hell.
• Limited medical knowledge.many things that could
  not be explained by medicine were said to be
  caused by something SUPERNATURAL

6
Puritans Life in Salem

• Their rules were strict, but as time passed and
  conditions got better
• Some people wanted to loosen the rules
• Others felt they should remain strict
• This caused A LOT of tension in Salem? Political
  Fighting
• Believed in the existence of witches
• Believed that the devil was everywhere

7
Puritans Life in Salem

• Believed that women were more likely to be
  witches because they were more likely to sin
• Constant fighting over land boundaries
• Small Pox epidemic
• Political fighting between Salem Town (Merchants,
  Shipping) and Salem Village (Farming)

8
Salem Village vs. Salem Town

• Farming
• Less and less land available
• No Meeting House (Church) have to travel to
  Salem Town
• Wants independence from Salem Town

• Merchants, Shipping
• Meeting House
• Political Power

9
Salem Village vs. Salem Town

• Village wanted independence from the town.
• Finally compromise allowed village to have own
  minister and meeting house, but they were still
  tied politically to TOWN

• Political Power

10
Salem Village vs. Salem Town

• Tension between rich and poor in village
• East Village Rich land, roads, access to market
• West Village Poor land, no roads, difficult to
  access market

• More prosperous with trade to Europe
• More More Power More Political influence
• Town collected Taxes from the Village

11
Salem Village vs. Salem Town

• Problem of revolving ministers
• Village supports Reverend Parris
• Factions develop in Village (Anti vs Pro Parris)

• Opposed Parris

12
Salem Village vs. Salem Town

• ANTI- Parris Villagers Small businessmen whose
  livelihoods depend on the Town
• Prosperous village farmers with access to town
  market,
• Most of the accused witches came from this group
• Why?

• Against Parris

13
Salem Village vs. Salem Town

• PRO Parris Villagers Middle income farmers and
  church members,
• poor farmers who were not church members
• leading citizens who make the accusations
• Why?

• Against Parris