Witchcraft

By, Holly HammanIvan RomeroJosh Leach

Mallory Robson

 Do you believe in Witchcraft?

 Witchcraft is commonly misunderstood. Many people have their own beliefs on the subject without knowing very much information on it. Most of us know what in general a witch is, however we don't know what it is they practice exactly, or what kind of hardships they faced, but we are here to provide a better understanding using general knowledge and specific examples

Witchcraft in the 16th and 17th century was based mostly in Europe. A witch was determined by many different signs. The accused witches were put through different tests to see if they actually were practicing witchcraft. If the tests came out positive, they would face cruel and unusual punishment. There are a few cases in which you may be familiar with that involve the trials of witches.

What is witchcraft?

• A general agreement hasn’t been reached on what witchcraft was, or might be

• There are about 3 definitions that can be used to understand witchcraft

Standard definition

• “witchcraft, a form of sorcery, or the magical manipulation of nature for self-aggrandizement, or for the benefit or harm of a client. This manipulation often involves the use of spirit-helpers, or familiars.”

New Englanders definition

• Early colonists defined witchcraft as “the use of supernatural power, usually but not always for harm”

• Some witches were considered healers

• Using their powers for good

New Englanders definition (cont.)

• They believed some humans were darkly unnatural and possessed supernatural abilities

• Accused witches were said to abuse their powers by wreaking havoc on the community

• The motive for why witchcraft was used was how the term was defined

Puritans definition

• “understood witchcraft as a relationship between a human being and the devil”

• Looked for evidence of this relationship

• By telling Puritans of the pain they felt when warding off Satan’s attempt to lure them they gave useful evidence for their definition

Modern Definition

• historians believe New England witch-craft was a way to express social and cultural anxieties among accusers rather than the harm the accused was accused of

• gender, religion, and psychology lent bias to deciphering the meanings of witchcraft

How did they determine who were witches?

• People saw them performing witchcraft

• They admitted to it

How did they determine who were witches (cont’d)

• “familiars” are given to them by the devil– Small animals that

wreaked havoc on the surrounding population

– Exclusively British

How did they determine who were witches? (cont’d)

• Tying someone up and throwing them into the water– If they sank?

• They weren’t a witch, but they were dead!

– If they floated? (like a cork)• They were a witch!• Most of the time, the accused person would

struggle and flail around in the water so they’d break free and swim to the top of the water anyway

How did they determine who were witches? (cont’d)

• If they had a “witchmark”– Anything like a mole, wart, or

discoloration of the skin

• The “witchmark” was considered to be where the devil touched them – Someone would poke them

with a needle-like object on their “witchmark” and if they felt no pain then they were said to be a witch

• If they bleed then they were innocent

How did they determine who were witches? (cont’d)

• If someone was of a low social status then people sometimes thought that they could be a witch

• Usually, witches were women– Few exceptions

• If someone was a studier of medicine, then people thought that they might be a witch

Video Clip

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g&feature=related

Punishing Witches

• The traditional punishment for convicted witches was being burned at the stake. This started in Europe in the witch era.

• England was known for hanging their witches as well as burning them.

• Though England forbade it, Scotland sanctioned the torturing of witches in order to receive confessions.

Punishing Witches cont.

• Torturing methods included– Forced walking or running– Starvation– Sleep deprivation

• Pressing, the act of putting a board on the body and putting weight on it, was also used.

The First Witch Trial

• Occurred in Chelmsford, Essex England during 1566

• Came about as a result of pressure from the church

• The first trial to be written up in a pamphlet

• Elizabeth Frances used a cat to inflict harm on Agnes Waterhouse and her daughter Joan

• Elizabeth was found guilty and put in jail while Agnes was hung

Salem Witch Trials

• Occurred in Salem, Massachusetts• 1962-1963• 200 were accused of witchcraft and 200 were put in jail• Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osbourne were accused

of witchcraft and thrown in jail due to Tituba’s confession

• Witches went through many things during their lifetime, but there wasn't really any way to prove that you weren't a witch, so people who were suspected to be a witch were usually killed.

• Witchcraft has been argued on for many generations, and still there is no conclusive answer to what it is, the only real question that can be answered is... Do you believe in it?