The age of enlightenment took place in Europe between 1600-1700s, sparked by a number of philosophers including; John Loker, Isaac Newton, and Pierre Bayle. Majorly, this was the age of historical cultural and intellectual progress aimed at transforming the state of society in terms of knowledge. Also, it focused upon deductive and logic reasoning and rationality in the government system. The leaders responsible for academic movement regarded themselves as elite, and their role was to see the world towards progress. At this period, the world was still in the dark ages full of irrationality, superstitions, witch hunts and traditions. Therefore, it was the responsibility of enlightenment to rescue the European society, and set it on the path to modernization, ensured through cultural development, adequate education and advancements technology. Enlightenment occurred in stages that led to the emergency of disciplined organizations governed by knowledge, empiricism, rational thought and ethical systems.
Enlightenment took place in different European countries, including France, where it was associated with anti-government and antichurch activism, while in Germany, it was driven almost entirely by the middle classes and equally expressed a spiritualistic and nationalistic tone with no threat on the government and already established churches. During the dark era supernatural was an ordinary life, there was a widespread of diabolical witchcraft, peasants used witchcraft to invoke charms for both farming and agriculture. In Salem, everybody attributed all misfortunes to the devil work example, increase of infant death, drought or any calamity they believed supernatural was responsible.
In February 1692 to May 1693, the Salem Witches Trials were mounted, and came to be regarded as the continent’s historical turning point. In these trials, those accused of witchcraft were put to trial during the colonial Massachusetts and various punishments being applied at different times. The preliminary hearings were conducted in different towns across Salem. Most preliminary hearings were conducted in 1692 by the Court of Over and Terminer, at this trial nineteen people were hanged to death , and an 80-year-old man was stoned to death. This instilled fear among those unfamiliar persons that were practicing witchcraft; as a result witchcraft drastically reduced in Salem and therefore facilitated transformation from the traditions.
Salem Village was against God, celebrations of Christian holidays was positively forbidden, the music allowed was only glorified the power of human nature. These abominable practices were against the introduction of Christianity and with the existence of Salem trials campaign against witchcraft, it led to revocation of laws and development of sacred places that brought an end to pagan witch beliefs. The conception of God was changed, and people to believe God as the creator of the universe.
In addition, the witches with highly advanced midwifery skills were similarly punished in Salem trials. The witch hunts practiced criminalization of birth control that led to unexpected population explosion. Therefore, with the spread of Salem trials it was easy to control birth and provide essential knowledge among the residents. There was also the introduction of laws that were applied in the Salem courts; the governments applied the same laws enhancing rationality in the leadership. This paved way for advancement era, where the European community was enlightened about the laws.
Also during the dark ages, internal wars were common between neighboring villages, these included church privileges, grazing boundaries and land boundaries that were uncontrolled in absence of law. With the introduction of the Salem governing laws and courts, there was maximum order that contributed to governance stability.
Coventry, W. (2003). Demonic Possession on Trial: Cases Studies from Modern England and Colonial America, 1593-1692. New York: McGraw Hill.
Henry Matteson. (2001). Examination of a witch. United State: Oxford.
Linder, D. O. (2009, 9 13). Famous American Trials: Salem Witchcraft Trials 1692. Retrieved 7 11, 2012, from www.umkc.edu: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SALEM.HTM
