The Salem Witch Trials were a strange and defining time in American history, as well as religious history. Formal education as we see it today was scarce. The primary means of education was given through bible school, church, and bible scripture itself. Therefore, anything seen as devil worship, or anything seen as impure was deemed as in league with the devil. That person was automatically considered a candidate for hell, by circumstance. As individuals were accused of being witches, paranoia spread and the villagers began to fear that witchcraft was real, but also that they would be accused and hanged if they did not participate in the witch-hunt. The paranoia and hysteria was a result of the lack of knowledge and formal education for its time.
If the citizens had been educated, they’d have seen there was no reason for the hysteria at all. A group of young girls were the first to make the accusations. Historical texts make the girls sound bored, and troubled. It is possible they were simply looking for something to do to entertain themselves. Because television and the internet were not invented, it is not impossible that accusing others of witchcraft was not on the list of entertaining things to do. Other motives also arose when it was revealed one of the women accused was the wife of a man who was having relations with one of the young girls. The girls not only could have been bored, but they could have also been vindictive and conniving.
The paranoia that followed the accusations could have signaled already existing tensions between villagers. They turned on one another so quickly, it was as if they were waiting for the opportunity. Also, religious teaching for the time were very strict. It made citizens paranoid about devil worship and Satanism, i.e. witchcraft. If an individual were not “pure” enough, hence “Puritan” they were excommunicated from the church. The Salem Witch Trials showed the church was willing to kill rather than excommunicate those who went against the church’s rules.
In conclusion, the Salem Witch Trials were a complete overreaction. Paranoia and hysteria overtook the village of Salem for no reason. The overbearing presence of biblical influence did not allow villagers to think entirely for themselves. Formal education and logical reasoning would have allowed individuals to act differently. They would have reasoned that teenage girls were not a reliable source, the seizures were not real, and that witches most obviously do not exist.
Informative Speech
- My topic is the Salem Witch Trials
- General Purpose: the general purpose of the informative speech is to show how fear mongering and willful ignorance can affect an entire community. It is also to show how devastating hysteria can be on a society, especially when it stems from a lack of scientific knowledge.
- Specific purpose: At the end of my speech, my audience will be able to define why the residents of Salem fell into hysterics so quickly, rather than turning to reason when accusations of witches were mentioned.
- Central Idea/Thesis Statement: The paranoia and hysteria was a result of the lack of knowledge and formal education for its time.
- Method of Organization: Outline
- Preparation outline of informative speech
Introduction
The Salem Witch Trials were a strange and defining time in American history, as well as religious history. Formal education as we see it today was scarce. The primary means of education was given through bible school, church, and bible scripture itself. Therefore, anything seen as devil worship, or anything seen as impure was deemed as in league with the devil. That person was automatically considered a candidate for hell, by circumstance. As individuals were accused of being witches, paranoia spread and the villagers began to fear that witchcraft was real, but also that they would be accused and hanged if they did not participate in the witch-hunt. The paranoia and hysteria was a result of the lack of knowledge and formal education for its time.
Body
- First point: there was no reason for the hysteria
- A group of young girls made the first accusations.
- Historically, the girls sound as if they were bored and looking for something to entertain themselves.
- Traditionally, individuals found strange things to entertain themselves. Accusing others of witchcraft is not out of the realm of possibility.
- When it was later revealed that one of the women accused of being a witch was the wife of a man having relations with one of the teen girls, it gave further evidence that there was no need for the hysteria.
- The teen girls were clearly bored, but also being vindictive and conniving.
- Second point: The paranoia felt by villagers happened so quickly, it could have signaled already existing tensions
- Villagers turned on one another so quickly; it is possible that they already had reason to suspect one another of wrongdoing.
- Religious teachings for the time were very strict.
- If an individual were not “pure” enough, hence “Puritan,” they would be excommunicated from the church.
- The Salem Witch Trials were an extreme form of this. Rather than excommunication, individuals were burned at that stake, hung, or in one instance, crushed by boulders.
- It appeared the villagers were accusing those who they had never liked, though this is all historical speculation.
- Third Point: Formal education would have helped the situation greatly.
- For example, some of the alleged “seizures” the young girls had when under the influence of witchcraft were faked.
- If there had been formal education around, or a test that could be run to understand if the girls had indeed suffered a seizure, it would have been easier to see they were lying.
- Another example is accidental Ergot poisoning.
- Villagers would ingest Ergot, which was in bread and other yeast and grain products at the time.
- In large amounts, it would make individuals hallucinate or even die. These experiences were often cited because of witchcraft. Formal education would have easily shown it was a result of Ergot poisoning, however.
- The theory is not proven, but the evidence strongly suggests Ergot poisoning was the reason for many of the actions in the village at this time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Salem Witch Trials were a complete overreaction. Paranoia and hysteria overtook the village of Salem for no reason. The overbearing presence of biblical influence did not allow villagers to think entirely for themselves. Formal education and logical reasoning would have allowed individuals to act differently. They would have reasoned that teenage girls were not a reliable source, the seizures were not real, and that witches most obviously do not exist.
