History and Definition of Witchcraft:Background 1690's

History and Definition of Witchcraft:Background 1690's

What Methods Were Used to Determine If Someone Was A Witch?

• Say the Lord’s Prayer: Those who were able to say a prayer were supposed to be innocent unless a minister could convince the crowd that the Devil had made him say the prayer to seem more innocent as it was for George Burroughs case.

• Deafness: If the person is accused and doesn’t respond (even if they are old and can barely hear) than she is guilty.

• Float: The person in question was bound hands and feet with rocks, if they floated they were witches and if they drowned, oh well.

• Animals: A woman who seemed to attract animals because they entered her cell during trial or she talked to her cat or had many pets must have summoned the animals with her powers.

• Dreams: if the woman was accused of being in her victims dreams then she was a witch.

• Married multiple times: If the woman had more than one husband it could only be explained by spells she cast that caused their death or because she seduced them with her charms.

Conradt, Stacy. "The Quick 10: 10 Ways to Identify a Witch." Mental Floss. N.p., 1 Mar. 2010. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.

Thomas, Ryan. "10 Tests For Guilt at the Salem Witch Trials - Listverse." Listverse. N.p., 27 July 2012. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

Witchcraft In Europe (16 and 17th Centuries)

• Witch Cake: They would take the urine of the “victims” mix it with rye meal and pat it together. This cake is then fed to a dog who eats particles of the witch that are in the cake and like a voodoo doll the witch shrikes out in pain giving herself away.

• Bible weighing: The “witch” was weighed against a stack of bibles and convicted if the scale did not balance out.

• Marks of the Devil: The witches were checked for moles, birthmarks, scars of extra nipples. Just to make sure, they would puncture these marks if they did not bleed then for sure this was a witch who was so cold and unfeeling that she didn’t even bleed.

• Testimonials: if anyone accused a woman of practicing black magic they were done for.

• Artifacts: a woman that had in her possession objects such as puppets, caldrons, and books on horoscopes then for sure she had to be a witch.

• Torture: Those accused were tortured by dunking the person repeatedly in water, pressing rocks on their body etc to force then to admit their guilt or let them die.

• Talk to themselves: if they were seen muttering to themselves especially after leaving someone’s house they were suspected of casting spells.

*Viewed as obsolete religion

*Harsh punishment due to pact with the Devil

*King James I thought the witches were out to kill him

*Laws allowed witches to be legally persecuted

*Eventually became a joking matter midway through James I reign

*Considered to be a much less developed society

*Catholics, Protestants, and Puritans each agreed and disagreed on the treatment of witches

*Catholics still perform exorcisms for demons

*Puritans continued the belief longer

*Angelicans tended to crowd around to watch the possessed

*Church of England did not believe in witches

-Hostile to exorcism

*A few protestants were skeptical

*A few Catholics were skeptical

*Skepticism spread in the 17th century

*Those accused of witchcraft were often viewed as evil entities, often attacked or accused by people deformities or behavior

"James I and Witchcraft." James I and Witchcraft. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

Sommerville, J.P. "Witchcraft" Witchcraft. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.

"STEVEN HAYES ON AFRICAN WITCHCRAFT." DISCUSSION ON WITCHCRAFT. WICCA NEO-PAGANISM AND AFRICAN TRADITIONS. N.p.,n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.

What is Witchcraft?

What Can You Find Out About Modern Witchcraft or Wicca?

History of Witchcraft

*Belief system that dates back to Paleolithic times

*Earth based religion

*Use of nature and its energy in order to resolve a problem

*Originated in human civilization due to a fear of the unknown

*Affirms existence of supernatural power magic both male and female deities

*emphasizes spiritual observance of seasonal life cycles

*Neo-pagan religion (recognized by US constitution

*Loves elements of nature ; indivisible part of nature

*worship "mother goddess"

*do what you want as long as it doesn't harm anyone (karma) because then you will be harmed

*wear a pentacle (5 pointed star) to conjure

*worship in covens or solo witch

*rituals linked to seasons/moon phases.

www.witchcraft.com" ww.witchcraft.com. NP., n.d.web.02 Dec. 2014.

What is a Witch?

*Mediator between the humans and supernatural forces

What were the Consequences of being Accused of Witchcraft

*prayed to the higher powers or the spirits for help and guidance in resolving the problem by performing certain rituals

*Usually older women

"Origin of Witchcraft." Origin of Witchcraft. Witchcraft.com.au, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.

-Hanging Salem Witch trials

-Tortured

-Bootikens (boots from ankle-knees, wedges hammered up breaking bones)

Pear (inserted into orifices and expanded)

- Red hot pincers (tear off flesh)

-Pressing (board full of rocks on top)

- Stoning

- Strappado (hung by string and dropped until shoulders dislocated)

Milanese, Jenifer. “Torture and Death for Accused Witches.” PWP – Splash.

Torture Fighting and death, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014