Unlike most European witch hunts, the Salem panic did not convict the stereotypical witch evey time. In Europe, witch hunts began when someone died unexpectedaly or something close to that happened and a person who fit the traditional view of a witch was blamed and executed. In Salem, the girls called out on people that cannot all be connected by one trait.
Old Salem, Massachussetts.
Suspected Communists
The Salem witch hunts happened in the English colony of Massachusetts, in what is now the USA.
Witch hunts refer to the broader societal phenomenon of seeking out and persecuting individuals suspected of witchcraft, often fueled by fear, superstition, and social tensions. In contrast, witch trials are formal judicial proceedings where accused witches are tried in court, often involving testimonies, evidence, and legal processes. While witch hunts can lead to widespread panic and accusations without formal legal structures, witch trials represent a more organized attempt to adjudicate these accusations, albeit often with biased and unjust outcomes. Both are interconnected but differ in their scope and methods of persecution.
There are witch hunts in part of Sub-Saharan Africa. India is another place that still practices witch hunts. In 2010, India had an 150 and 200 women killed during witch hunts.
Innocent people are accused
There are actual witch hunts going on today in some parts of the world, though the people of the rest of the world know better than to hunt for actual witches. There are things metaphorically called witch hunts going on today in parts of the world where people know better than to hunt for actual witches. Sometimes the things metaphorically called witch hunts are worse. There is a link to an article on witch hunts below.
The psychological reasons for witch-hunts include social anxiety and fear of the unknown, as well as the desire for power and control. Belief in witchcraft provided an explanation for unexplainable events, leading to scapegoating and the targeting of marginalized individuals. Additionally, group dynamics and conformity played a role in fueling the hysteria around witch hunts.
touch me
Year 2009: Still in some parts of the world, [for an example in India and Pakistan], there are Witch Hunts reported.
In Plilibelpia!
a person employed to carry out witch-hunts and identify witches.
Witch hunt actually originates from with hunts in past centuries. From 1480 to 1750 is considered the classical period of witch hunts. The last executions happened in the 18th century.
Do you mean 1692?
You own a very valuable piece of land on the seashore. It has been in your family for many years and you do not wish to sell that land. A rich neighbor wants that land and the only way to get it is if you are not there anymore. He tells the local authorities he suspects you are a witch. He gets some of his friends to tell others that you are a witch. During a witch hunt, anyone and everyone are targets for many reasons.
Unlike most European witch hunts, the Salem panic did not convict the stereotypical witch evey time. In Europe, witch hunts began when someone died unexpectedaly or something close to that happened and a person who fit the traditional view of a witch was blamed and executed. In Salem, the girls called out on people that cannot all be connected by one trait.