1. They’ll get you and your little dog, too
Witches & Witchcraft
They’ll get you and your little dog, too

2. Background Information
Most people lived in small villages & had to fight nature to survive
People held beliefs in spirits populating the world
Both good & bad spirits
Religious conflict spread through Europe
Reformation questioned the Church
Made people feel like they needed additional protection from the Devil & evil

3. Wise men & women
Wise men/women were able to interpret signs & warnings
Offered remedies (potions, chants, spells)
Could be considered ‘good witches’ or ‘bad witches’
Witch hunts were particularly church driven because witches were seen as a threat to church power/authority
Church declared their “magic” the only legitimate form of magic & those who practiced outside of the church did so for the Devil

4. Who were accused witches?
Between
70, ,000 sentenced to death for harmful magic & witchcraft
80% women
Peaked between 1570 – 1680
35,000 killed (29,000 women)
4 out of 5 were in Germany
The accused witches were usually high profile
A lot of midwives  associated with deaths of mothers & children
Rich or poor, popular or unpopular
Single women, 45-60,
Those who were in need of security
Many would confess to avoid death after being tortured

5. Accusations
People were afraid that witches were taking over the land, killing children and livestock
Those who accused witches often claimed they saw the accused associating with the Devil
Accusations would increase if harvests were poor, if weather was harsh, if money or food was scarce, or if the plague hit

6. Why women?
Misogyny
Women were starting to create their own independent identities & that was scary for men & the Church
Malleus Maleficarum Part 1 Question VI
She's a witch!

7. The Malleus Malificarum
The Witches’ Hammer published in 1498
Used as a handbook for successfully identifying & killing witches
Detailed witches appearance, behavior, alleged Satanic rites, and familiars (black cats, etc.)
Divided into 3 parts
1: Why there are witches
2. What witches do & how to stop them
3. Legal proceedings against witches & heretics

8. Punishments Punishments included:
The witches collar (inward spikes against the throat)
Ducking
Pressing
The Strappado (tying hands behind a person’s back, lifting them up by the wrists above a ceiling beam & then dropping them several times until joints are dislocated)
Turcas (designed to rip finger nails out)
Stoning
Red hot pinchers (used to tear off bits of flesh)

9. HAPPY
HALLOWEEN!