Witchcraft Hysteria By Laurie Winn Carlson - 1307 Words

As Peter S Beagle says, â€Å"You ever want to see real witchcraft, you watch people protecting their comfort, their beliefs.† This quote is saying if you want to truly understand someone, learn about what they believe in. It all began in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The accusations toward people who were thought to be witches was on the rise. These would not be the kind of witches a person would think about in today s world, but women and men who were put on trial for witchcraft hysteria, which in turn caused mass hysteria. Based on the excerpts from Carol Karlsen and Laurie Winn Carlson, there are two main theories about the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria. One theory about the â€Å"witches† was crafted and explained by Carol Karlsen. She believed†¦show more content†¦Following this, in January 1692, nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams began having fits. The fits included violent contortions and uncontrollable outbursts of screami ng. After a local doctor by the name of William Griggs diagnosed the girls with bewitchment, other girls in the area began to exhibit similar symptoms. After Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams both had symptoms of being witches, it spread like wildfire in the community, followed by many others having similar symptoms. As stated by AE networks, a historical archive website, â€Å"As hysteria spread through the community and beyond into the rest of Massachusetts, a number of others were accused, including Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse–both regarded as upstanding members of church and community–and the four-year-old daughter of Sarah Good.† After a while the trials became very overwhelming and concerning to others in the community. The historical events of Salem are documented, however historians have yet to come to consensus on the true cause of the hysteria. Many textbooks and articles detail the Salem Witchcraft trials of 1692, as well as the many theories. A highly respected theory centers around the idea that the witchcraft was basically people just having hallucinations. As Laurie Carlson states in her argument, â€Å"Between 1689 and 1700 the citizens complained of symptoms that included fits, spectral visions, mental ‘distraction’, ‘pinchingShow MoreRelatedSymptoms And Symptoms Of A Fever Of Salem, By Laurie Winn Carlson966 Words   |  4 Pagesexperiencing these symptoms due to bewitchment, but there may be other explanations. For instance, Laurie Winn Carlson wrote a book, A fever in Salem, and argued that the girls may be haven suffering from Encephalitis Lethargica. This is an inflammation of the brain spread by insects and birds. The symptoms of this illness include behavior changes, tremors, neck rigidity and abnormal eye movements. Carlson goes on to say that a doctor had been called in to see the girls and was unable to find a physicalRead MoreSalem Witch Trials: Socioeconomics, Religion, and Fear2828 Words   |  12 Pagesone of these people who used fabricated and doctored evidence to frighten Americans about a false communist invasion after World War II. Parris and McCarthy share many similarities in their exploitation of fear and their ability to create a mass hysteria over untrue events. Introduction Salem, Massachusetts was a town plagued with both socioeconomic and religious problems in 1692. The town, founded in 1626, was strictly Puritan. Unlike other religions of the time period, such as Catholicism