Fear of Change: The Salem Witch-Hunt of 1692

Fear of Change: The Salem Witch-Hunt of 1692

This paper examines the fears that sparked the witchcraft accusations in late- seventeenth century Salem, Massachusetts. Historians writing about the witch-hunt in colonial New England have suggested these “witches” challenged social traditions and orthodox ways of thinking.

Eighty percent of accused “witches” were women, which suggest that gender played an important role in allegations of witchcraft. A close look at historical records shows that the behavior displayed by Bridget Bishop, Sarah Good, and Anne Hutchinson convinced New Englanders that these women were a threat to society. The problem was not just a new way of thinking but rather the way this new wave of information was presented. Colonial New Englanders, therefore, is analyzing the behavior of outspoken women who encouraged a new way of thinking as dangerous. Why did early American society fear these social changes?

The witch hunt did not stop there; there is a modern “witch-hunt” where people are executed or exiled because of an enlightened way of thinking that challenges orthodox beliefs. These “deviants” are feared, put on trial, and tortured, both internally and externally, because they threaten traditional way of life.