Witches and Witchcraft
There are many different characteristics one could have that would make one be accused of being a witch. Some tell-tale signs that a person was a witch was if the person was reclusive, talked to themselves, or showed some form of crazy behavior. They also may not go to the "right church" or just not go to church at all. Some people were accused of being cannibuls or of helping someone that had previously been accused of being a witch. They usually said that the person who accused them of being a witch was lying, that they were in a fight with the accuser's family, or that they speak French. However, the sign that would almost definitely show that one was a witch was if they had a cat, which were thought to have a lot to do with the devil. Witches were identified by many things, some as simple as a witches' mark, which could have been a mole or a birthmark, and some as extreme as the ability to swim. If they decided to try a person of being a witch by swimming, they would tie their hands and feet and throw them into the water. If the accused sank, then they were thought to be innocent. If they floated, however, they concluded that the person was guilty and therefore a witch. Another way they tested the innocence of the accused is by "pricking" them. This is when they pricked them with a sharp object to find the spot where the devil marked them. If they were assumed to be guilty, then there were a few ways that they could be punished. One of the most common ways that they would punish a witch, was to hang them. Another very common way was to be burned at the stake. This is when they bound the accused to a large stake that was surrounded by burning wood. One final way that they could punish the accused victim was by putting them on a pulley, which would eventually rip your arms out of their sockets. People in New England in the late 1600s thought that witches were evil beings. They were thought to be linked to the devil, which instantly deemed them as bad people. They believed that the witches should be punished, as the devil was thought of as the Dominion. They were controlled by the Dominion, and wanted to be freed of him.
By: Allie
By: Allie