Spectral evidence was testimony in which witnesses claimed that the accused appeared to them and did them harm in a dream or a vision . ... The court could then use the witness’s testimony of these events to support a conviction for witchcraft (Craker, p. 332).
How did the use of spectral evidence shape the witchcraft trials?
One of the reasons that the witch trials stand out in the history of early American law is that the court admitted spectral evidence to the proceedings. Spectral evidence was testimony in which witnesses claimed that the accused appeared to them and did them harm in a dream or a vision .
How valid was spectral evidence in the Salem witch trials?
It was accepted in the courts during the Salem Witch Trials. The evidence was accepted on the basis that the devil and his minions were powerful enough to send their spirits, or specters, to pure, religious people in order to lead them astray .
When was spectral evidence allowed in the Salem witch trials?
Yet, in 1662 , Sir Matthew Hale solidified the legal credibility of spectral evidence in witchcraft cases by allowing it in the Bury St. Edmund case in England, thus setting a precedent to be used at Salem in 1692.
What evidence was used to convict the accused in the Salem witch trials?
Courts relied on three kinds of evidence: 1) confession, 2) testimony of two eyewitnesses to acts of witchcraft, or 3) spectral evidence (when the afflicted girls were having their fits, they would interact with an unseen assailant – the apparition of the witch tormenting them).
What brought the Salem witch trials to an end?
As 1692 passed into 1693, the hysteria began to lose steam. The governor of the colony , upon hearing that his own wife was accused of witchcraft ordered an end to the trials.
How old was the youngest person accused of witchcraft in Salem?
This sent panic throughout the Village of Salem and led to accusations of more than 200 local citizens over the next several months, including Dorothy “Dorcas” Good who was by far the youngest accused at age 4 (she spent eight months in the prison’s dungeon before being released) along with her mother, Sarah Good (who ...
What unusual evidence was allowed in the Salem witch trials?
It was virtually impossible to disprove charges of witchcraft in Salem, and defendants were convicted with no evidence other than personal accusations, the presence of a “devil’s mark” on their bodies, or because they failed one of the so-called “witch tests.” The courts accepted spectral evidence, that is, evidence ...
Why were the Salem witch trials unfair?
The Salem Witch Trials a way to suppress people from exposing the truth behind the Government. The Trials were unfair, the Government and the townspeople were corrupt, and they had stress from outer threats surrounding the village.
Could the Salem witch trials happen today?
No, they could not occur today–at least not in the United States. The tragedy in Salem happened because Massachusetts was a theocracy. ... The tragedy of the witch trials was possible in Salem because the church was also the government.
Who was the youngest person killed in the Salem witch trials?
| Dorothy/Dorcas Good | Died Unknown | Other names Dorcas Good | Known for Youngest accused of witchcraft in the Salem witch trials | Parent(s) William Good (father) Sarah Good (mother) |
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What Pastor lost his life in the Salem witch trials?
| The Reverend Samuel Parris | Born 1653 London, England | Died February 27, 1720 (aged 66–67) Sudbury, Massachusetts, U.S. | Alma mater Harvard College | Known for Father and uncle of Salem witch trials accusers; accuser along with his daughter and niece |
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Who stopped the Salem witch trials?
Today is October 12, 2017, and on this date, 325 years back, in 1692, Governor Sir William Phips issued a declaration effectively ending the Salem Witch Trials.
How many died in the Salem witch trials?
How many people were killed during the Salem witch trials? By the end of the Salem witch trials, 19 people had been hanged and 5 others had died in custody . Additionally, a man was pressed beneath heavy stones until he died.
What started the Salem witch trials?
The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts , claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft.
Who are some famous witches?
- Maleficent.
- Circe.
- Hecate.
- Morgan le Fay.
- Nimue.
- Elphaba.
- Glinda.
- Blair.
