Introduction

Thesis: Salem witch trials arose in 1692 in the United States in an attempt to interpret and define the causes of the Salem events during the period. Salem witch trials focused on determining; the witchcraft events in the village of Salem; study the psychological disorders in the afflicted girls and interpret the Salem witchcraft trials.

The paper focuses on revealing the causes of Salem witchcraft. I will try to determine the causes using scholar theories to help understand the prevalence of Salem witchcraft.

BODY

Argument 1: Events in Salem

A group of girls in the village of Salem started having hysterical reactions, attempts to fly, unprovoked crying and laughter and incoherent babbling. The behaviours were associated with Satan interference (Roach). Other witnesses testified of seeing accused persons conducting acts of witchcraft (Goss). Series of interrogation revealed that clinical hysteria, feuding families, ergot poisoning and hypocalcaemia among the causes of the behaviours.

Argument 2: Psychological conditions

Psychological disorder refers to a behavioural pattern that provokes impairment and significant distress in an individual functioning. According to Dr Robert Bartholomew, a medical sociologist, Salem witch trials were a case of conversion disorders which manifested as pains and aches in the girls and did not have a physical origin. Professor Emerson Baker described the condition as a result of elevated awareness of the victims surrounding. The afflicted girls suffered from mass hysteria.

Argument 3: Salem witch trials

Series of interrogations was done, and 19 of Salem inhabitants were convicted and executed of witchcraft. High-status women stood accused. Reverend Paris was also charged with purging evil in the town. The trials however distinguished Parris as the man of God and most of the women were found guilty.

Conclusion

There is no clarification of the exact cause of Salem witch trials, but convincing and logic theories arose; ergot poisoning, feuding families, and clinical hysteria. Salem witch trials cause remains a mystery. Figuring out why it happened is much tricky than making sense of what happened. The thing that arises is the cause of the symptoms in the afflicted girls and what escalated the witch trials.

 
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