Background and Introduction to…

The European Witch Craze Charlemagne – at Council of Frankfurt, death to anyone who burns witches (794). -- Approx. 500 years later, Croatia and Switzerland begin unofficial witch hunts. Pope John XXII – auth. Rom. Cath. Inquisition to prosecute witches in 1320; systematically by 1400s.

Malleus Maleficarum (by Heinrich Kramer?) Latin = Hammer of the Witches To convince/discredit skeptics To claim most witches are female Posits that women who don’t cry at trials are automatically witches Death by hanging or burning 37 verified copies in existence in 1487 May not be as influential as thought The European Witch Craze

Total executions in Europe and America: -- 35,000 executions out of 80,000 tried Total executions in Britain and N. America: -- 1,500 – 2,000 out of 5,000 tried  1682 – last person put to death in Europe  1692 – last person put to death in America -- Salem Witch Trials (The Crucible) Witch Executions up to 1692

Common Punishments:

Salem Witch Trials of are imprisoned in N.E., mainly in Mass., and mainly because Boston’s Puritan Rev. Cotton Mather has published pamphlets des. Witchcraft Salem – 14 women, 5 men are hanged (one by crushing), 5 die in prison.

The End of The Craze? Act of 1735 – (Eng.) – people will be prosecuted fraud instead of witchcraft. Up to 1940 – used for prosecuting Gypsies and spiritualists – the Act is finally wiped off the books.

Arthur Miller 1915 – 2005 “Death of a Salesman” -- Pulitzer Prize some believe him to be the greatest American playwright. pub. “The Crucible” in 1953

Un-American Activities Committee – est. in anti-Communist. McCarthy – Sen. States, More than 200 “card-carrying” Communists in America. McCarthyism – the paranoid hunt for people who might be “reds” or symp. themselves. They then could not find work, and were put in jail if refused to name others. Those who were questioned include Charlie Chaplin, Lena Horne, Arthur Miller, Leonard Bernstein. McCarthyism

Facts of “The Crucible” Puritan Salem – est. 40 years before. People live lives of hard work, isolation, prayer. -- the woods are dark, dangerous, myst. -- “autocracy by consent” (Miller 6). - united in religion that is basis for all that happens to them. Puritan Paradox – theocracy, or comb. of church and state to keep unity repression, esp. with any signs of increased individuality. (Hypocrisy)

Rev. Parris – 40s in 1692; bad with kids; paranoid; has 3 children and a slave, Tituba. - daughter Betty was in reality 9 at time of trials. Eventually apologizes for his role in 16-mth. trials. Facts of “The Crucible”

Abigail Williams -- in reality, 11. She and Ann Putnum Jr., and Elizabeth Hubbard first accuse Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, Tituba. -- ties in to Putnam v. Porter feud (all of Salem involv.) Facts of “The Crucible”

John and Elizabeth Proctor – in reality, he’s 60s and they have 3 children. Facts of “The Crucible”

Things to watch for: