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Arrival of Samuel Parris
Samuel Parris arrived to Salem, Massachusetts planning to be a newly acquired minister in which he had no experience in. He arrived with his family, which included his wife, three children, two slaves, and his niece. "Signs" of witchcraft such as fortune telling and the telling of old tales started to emerge and it was sparked by the daughters of Parris and one of his slaves known as Tibuta. -
Witches are amongst the village
Betty and Abigail blamed the slave Tibuta for their weird behaviors because of Parris’ struggle to find the meaning behind the odd conduct. “On March 1, two magistrates went to the village of Salem to conduct a public inquiry”. Tibuta later told them what they wanted to hear due to her slave status and stated that she had made a deal with the devil and how she is now his assistant. This resulted in the idea of other witches lurking around the village. -
Executions 1692-1693
Innocent people accused of witchery were hanged, and more deaths/ executions started to occur. Nurses, popular folk, and ministers were convicted and hanged for their “unordinary behaviors”. -
Thomas Brattle argued differently
He stated, “It is true, I know no reason why these afflicted may not be consulted as well as any other, but it is not on this notion that these afflicted children are sought onto; but as they have a supernatural knowledge; a knowledge which they obtain by their holding correspondence with specters and evil spirits, as they themselves grant. This consulting of these afflicted children, as above said, seems to me to be a very grosse evil and an abomination" -
"Bewitched" Daughters
The family of Samuel Parris, such as Abigail and Betty’s behavior started to become odd. Weird behaviors such as the making of “odd sounds, screams, the throwing of objects, contortion of bodies, and the complaints of biting and scratching” started to occur. Due to these conducts, many believed that they were “bewitched” because of a report in Boston of 1688 that closely resembled the case in Salem. -
Punishments
The governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, William Phips, ordered terminers to decide who is guilty. The accused and the “victims attended this gathering and the accused that insisted on their innocence were marked with greater punishment. -
Unlawful Trials
The General Court admitted to these trials being represented as unlawful. Many apologies from the “victims” were being shared and judges such as Samuel Sewall were faced with guilt.