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Difference between revisions of "Witch-hunt"
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Witch-hunts began to occur in North America while Hopkins was hunting witches in England. In 1645, forty-six years before the notorious [[Salem Witch Trials]], Springfield, Massachusetts experienced America's first accusations of witchcraft when husband and wife Hugh and Mary Parsons accused each other of [[witchcraft]]. In America's first witch trial, Hugh was found innocent, while Mary was acquitted of witchcraft but she was still sentenced to be hanged as punishment for the death of her child. She died in prison. About eighty people throughout England's Massachusetts Bay Colony were accused of practicing witchcraft; thirteen women and two men were executed in a witch-hunt that occurred throughout New England and lasted from 1645 to 1663. | Witch-hunts began to occur in North America while Hopkins was hunting witches in England. In 1645, forty-six years before the notorious [[Salem Witch Trials]], Springfield, Massachusetts experienced America's first accusations of witchcraft when husband and wife Hugh and Mary Parsons accused each other of [[witchcraft]]. In America's first witch trial, Hugh was found innocent, while Mary was acquitted of witchcraft but she was still sentenced to be hanged as punishment for the death of her child. She died in prison. About eighty people throughout England's Massachusetts Bay Colony were accused of practicing witchcraft; thirteen women and two men were executed in a witch-hunt that occurred throughout New England and lasted from 1645 to 1663. | ||
The 1647 book, ''[[The Discoverie of Witchcraft]]'', soon became an influential legal text. The book was used in the American colonies as early as May 1647, when Margaret Jones was executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts, the first of 17 people executed for witchcraft in the Colonies from 1647 to 1663. | The 1647 book, ''The Discovery of Witches'' (not to be confused with the earlier tome, ''[[The Discoverie of Witchcraft]]''), soon became an influential legal text. The book was used in the American colonies as early as May 1647, when Margaret Jones was executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts, the first of 17 people executed for witchcraft in the Colonies from 1647 to 1663. | ||
[[Category:Witchcraft]] | [[Category:Witchcraft]] | ||
[[Category:Christianity]] | [[Category:Christianity]] | ||