 I – History of Witchcraft in Medieval Europe  II – Native American Witchcraft  III – Witches in American History  IV – Witches in Popular Culture

 Emerged as a way to describe misfortunes had by different people.  Mainly part of European culture between the 14 th and 18 th centuries.  These mainly involved people accusing others of being witches: - bad neighbors - enemies - good witches that lost employers’ trust

 Some said witches entered pact with the devil.  Others distinguished between witches and demons.  To some they were the same, though they could only be seen when they wanted to be, most would remain invisible to torment people.

 Started in the 14 th century in Spain  Witches were believed to threaten Christianity  During the span from 14 th to 18 th centuries in Europe and America, an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 people were executed as witches  At times spear-headed by the Catholic Church, led by Saint Charles Borromeo  Decline of witch-hunts in 18 th century – because of fruit?

 Mainly a part of some native american religious beliefs  Many native american groups included having a shaman, witch-doctor, or medicine man  Sometimes known as “healers” who knew medicinal herbs

 In several different tribes, including Navajo, medicine men used trances to help diagnose sick people  They also used crystal rocks, hand shaking and chanting during their trances  Many shamans were used to heal both ailments of the physical realm, and the spiritual and mental realms

 Prominent in the late 17 th century  Mainly occurred in the Northeast, though not isolated there  Springfield and Salem, Massachusetts  Latin American history

 The two most well known cases in American history are the Springfield and Salem trials  Springfield was the first trial in colonial North America  Salem was the largest and most well known  150 people accused of witchcraft were arrested and imprisoned in the Salem area in a span of just over a year  29 convictions

 Of the 29 convictions, over 19 people were hanged and one person was crushed to death while trying to be coerced into confessing to being a witch  Not limited to New England, also colonial cases of witchcraft in Virginia  Though this was the height of witch-hunts in America, a man in Tennessee was put to death for witchcraft as recently as 1833

 Witchcraft has always been a mainstay in American pop culture, especially around Halloween  Recent popularity explosion due to the Harry Potter book and movie series

 The Queen  The Blair Witch  Sorcerer’s Apprentice  Jafar and the Genie

 Gandalf  Merlin  Dumbledore  Sabrina