Mass Hysteria on Salem Witch Trial
What is mass hysteria? Mass hysteria is when most everybody develops a common fear that often spirals into a panic. The tragic story of the Salem Witch Trial contains mass hysteria back in 1692. In my two articles “Salem Witch Craft Trial” and “Mass Hysteria in Upstate New York” have similar problems. In both articles I will be explaining how mass hysteria played a key role in both of these issues. In the article “Salem Witch Craft Trial” it tells the history of the mass hysteria behind the whole Salem witch craft trials.
The mass hysteria occurred from 1692-1693 and lead to many people dying. There were one hundred and forty arrests, nineteen hangings, one rock crushing and several people dying in jail while awaiting their trial. Everything that Salem had was to get rid of their witches in the city. In January 1962 two girls named Elizabeth and Abigail had fell out in church and start writhing on the floor. The doctor was convinced that it was witchcraft.
The pastor was asked “Who did this” and the two daughters said “Tituba the slave, Sarah Good a homeless woman and Sarah Osborn. ” Tituba confess that she was a witch and was order to hurt girls. Tituba also told that were more witches in the town of Salem. The two girls start pointing people that could be witches who would spend months chained in jail. Over a hundred of Salem’s prominent people would be incarcerated and suppose witches would visit the girls and torture them.
Overall, nineteen people were hanged, one pressed to death and four others died in prison awaiting trial. What I learn from the articles that the people was scared of witchcraft. After daughters were hurt, they start to kill people that were supposed to be a witch. Over hundred people were being killed during this time because of witchcraft. The mass hysteria in this article was the fear of having witches in Salem. With that being the mass hysteria a lot of people died.
