The Crucible Unit Plan

Causes for the Outbreak of Witchcraft Hysteria in Salem

1.  Strong belief that Satan is acting in the world.

·         "The invisible world": disease, natural catastophes, and bad fortune attributed to work of the devil

2.  A belief that Satan recruits witches and wizards to work for him.

·         Prior witchcraft cases in New England (and Europe before)

3.  A belief that a person afflicted by witchcraft exhibits certain symptoms.

·         Cotton Mather's Memorable Providences

·         Most symptoms can be feigned

4.  A time of troubles, making it seem likely that Satan was active.

·         Smallpox

·         Congregational strife in Salem Village

·         Frontier wars with Indians

5.  Stimulation of imaginations by Tituba.

6.   Convulsive ergotism, a disease caused by eating infecting rye that can produce hallucinations, causing strange behavior?  (Interesting theory, but unlikely)

7.  Teenage boredom.

·         No television, no CDs, and lots of Bible reading

·         Strict and humorless Parris household

8.  Magistrates and judges receptive to accusations of witchcraft.

·         A way to shift blame for their own wartime failures

·         Admission of spectral evidence

9.  Confessing "witches" adding credibility to earlier charges.

10.  Old feuds (disputes within congregation, property disputes) between the accusers and the accused spurring charges of witchcraft.

 

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