Why do some of the people of Salem confess to being witches when they are not?

Answer 1

they stack blocks of wood on u and continue to add more until u confess.

That only occurred in a single case: Giles Corey's. The reason some people confessed was the mercy showed to confessors. Ie, they were granted forgiveness and imprisoned for however long instead of excuted. Those who did not confess felt it better to die for telling the truth than live because they lied.

Answer 2

Traditionally it was done in a number of ways. One of the most time consuming and apparently ineffective was pressing. The suspected witch was placed under a board or assemblage of boards and rocks were placed on top of the board. The suspected witch was interrogated, and when the questions were not answered or were answered unsatisfactorily more weight was added. Eventually the weight became so great, the suspected witch was no longer able to inhale and suffocated

Still other suspected witches were dipped. Dipping involved a davit system by which the suspected witch was dangled from a seat or bosun's chair. Again questions were asked and if unanswered or not satisfacorily answered the suspected witch was dipped or dunked in a body of water, typically a small lake or pond. Sometimes no questions were asked, as dipping in itself was the test. It was commonly believed that witches floated on water like wood (or in the case of Monty Python movies small rocks or ducks).

Still other suspected witches have been pilloried, burned, scalded, drawn, quartered, gibbeted, dragged, flayed, stretched or racked, suspended by their thumbs either over their heads or trussed behind their backs, thumb screwed, booted, Iron Maidened, had their hands or feet filleted (deboned), or were just burned alive--at the stake or otherwise. Generally, no confession is necessary from a witch, either the historical type or the modern and metaphorical type, as the accusation is plainly enough proof for justic to be carried out.

And, when society cannot find a convenient witch, society will make one.

Answer 3

For the same reason many people confess to crimes they did not commit while under certain intense interrogation methods that police officers sometimes use on suspects. Largely they just want the interrogation to end and often giving a false confession is felt to be the easiest way to end it.

This kind of interrogation is why the Supreme Court requires that if a person is arrested they must be told their "Miranda rights" and be allowed to consult a lawyer before and during interrogations. However police often get around this by not arresting a suspect and interrogating them without a lawyer. The resulting (sometimes false) confession that may result is used to arrest the suspect.