uritan Life in Salem Village
Why did the Puritan's leave England and venture to a new land?
Life in Puritan New England was harsh and the church had great power and influence. While Puritans left New England in order to practice more freely, they structured a social order around their church, and they were not interested in freedom of all religion.
Explain how the Puritan's felt about freedom of religion.
They believe that by having freedom people would get under Satan's influence.
How important is the church in Puritan society? Explain.
They structured the social order around their church. It was their life, it meant everything for them. They grew up in the religion, and more than a religion it was their culture.
What is excommunication?
To exclude or expelled of the religion by or as if by decree from membership or participation in a group.
Why were church leaders so influential/powerful in Puritan communities?
Church leaders were so powerful in Puritan communities because they were the "only" ones that could communicate with God and in that way they expressed God's ideas and people could follow them and follow the path of god. They also structured their social order around the church.
How does religion today compare to the Puritan's idea of religion?
Today, religion is voluntary but for the puritans it was obligatory. Church members would join together, then the town formed around them and under most circumstances excommunication was the worst thing that could happen to you, meaning that God ignores leaving you to Satan’s influence.
Why was witchcraft often the explanation for illness?
Witchcraft was often an explanation for illness because the doctors of the time could not diagnose of what was happening since they didn't know much about medicine.
What scientific explanation was given by Caporeal as to the cause of the mysterious behavior in Salem?
The scientific explanation that was given by Caporeal as the cause of an illness was caused by Ergot poisoning, a fungus found naturally in rain weather followed by hot periods.
Puritan Children
Describe the life of a Puritan Child.
Children were expected to behave on the same street codes as the adults do chores and works any show of emotion was discourage and any disobedience was severely punished. Boys had a little bit more freedom than but they were expected to fish, hunt work at carpentry and crafts while girls had to stay at home and cook, wash, clean and sue. Children learn how to read but people only owned religious texts and the bible.
Religion and Witchcraft
Describe a Puritan church service.
Colonists who had left England seeking religious tolerance. But the strict Puritan code was far from tolerant. It was against the law not to attend church, where men and women sat on opposite sides through long services. They even control how they dress.
What did the Puritan's believe about God and their church?
They believed God would punish them if they didn't do what they told them and saw God as a punisher and not helper. When a neighbor would suffer misfortune, such as a sick child or a failed crop, Puritans saw it as God’s will and did not help them.
What do you think was the main message the Puritan's tried to convey to its parishioners?
The Puritan church tried to make people be afraid to keep them in line. Their message was that following god was the right thing to do no matter what it took.
Why was everone so fearful? What were they afraid of?
Puritans also believed the Devil was as real as God. Everyone was faced with the struggle between the powers of good and evil, but Satan would select the weakest individuals—women, children, the insane to carry out his work
How did the Puritans feel about individuality?
Puritans felt that people should not show their individuality and everyone had to follow the code of conformity which is why the first people to be accused of being witches were social outcasts.
Economic and Social Divisions
Differentiate between Salem Town and Salem Village.
Residents of Salem Village were mostly poor farmers who made their living cultivating crops in the rocky terrain. Salem Town, on the other hand, was a prosperous port town at the center of trade with London.
Explain the reason for the friction between Salem Town and Salem Village.
Salem village wanted independence because the people of Salem town kept them in control and determined the prices of the crops. But for the Salem Town people it wasn’t a good because they depended on their crops.
What role did the new minister, Reverend Parris, play in the Salem witch trials?
Parris was a stern Puritan who denounced the worldly ways and economic prosperity of Salem Town as the influence of the Devil. His rhetoric further separated the two factions within Salem Village.
Joseph McCarthy
Who was Joseph McCarthy?
He was a young senator that made a very public and serious accusation and was that more than 200 people had infiltrated the United States government. It was proven that the accusations were untrue so the senate censored him.
What feelings of the American psyche or events of the time allowed for McCarthyism to become such a prominent movement in the 1950s?
America was overwhelmed with concerns about the threat of communism growing in Eastern Europe and China.
What effect did McCarthyism have on artists and entertainers?
Many of them were accused of being communist sympathizers and were unable to continue working. Some had their passports taken away and others even were taken to prison because they refused to say names of other communists. With a simple trial their careers went down the gutter.
Why did the Puritan's leave England and venture to a new land?
Life in Puritan New England was harsh and the church had great power and influence. While Puritans left New England in order to practice more freely, they structured a social order around their church, and they were not interested in freedom of all religion.
Explain how the Puritan's felt about freedom of religion.
They believe that by having freedom people would get under Satan's influence.
How important is the church in Puritan society? Explain.
They structured the social order around their church. It was their life, it meant everything for them. They grew up in the religion, and more than a religion it was their culture.
What is excommunication?
To exclude or expelled of the religion by or as if by decree from membership or participation in a group.
Why were church leaders so influential/powerful in Puritan communities?
Church leaders were so powerful in Puritan communities because they were the "only" ones that could communicate with God and in that way they expressed God's ideas and people could follow them and follow the path of god. They also structured their social order around the church.
How does religion today compare to the Puritan's idea of religion?
Today, religion is voluntary but for the puritans it was obligatory. Church members would join together, then the town formed around them and under most circumstances excommunication was the worst thing that could happen to you, meaning that God ignores leaving you to Satan’s influence.
Why was witchcraft often the explanation for illness?
Witchcraft was often an explanation for illness because the doctors of the time could not diagnose of what was happening since they didn't know much about medicine.
What scientific explanation was given by Caporeal as to the cause of the mysterious behavior in Salem?
The scientific explanation that was given by Caporeal as the cause of an illness was caused by Ergot poisoning, a fungus found naturally in rain weather followed by hot periods.
Puritan Children
Describe the life of a Puritan Child.
Children were expected to behave on the same street codes as the adults do chores and works any show of emotion was discourage and any disobedience was severely punished. Boys had a little bit more freedom than but they were expected to fish, hunt work at carpentry and crafts while girls had to stay at home and cook, wash, clean and sue. Children learn how to read but people only owned religious texts and the bible.
Religion and Witchcraft
Describe a Puritan church service.
Colonists who had left England seeking religious tolerance. But the strict Puritan code was far from tolerant. It was against the law not to attend church, where men and women sat on opposite sides through long services. They even control how they dress.
What did the Puritan's believe about God and their church?
They believed God would punish them if they didn't do what they told them and saw God as a punisher and not helper. When a neighbor would suffer misfortune, such as a sick child or a failed crop, Puritans saw it as God’s will and did not help them.
What do you think was the main message the Puritan's tried to convey to its parishioners?
The Puritan church tried to make people be afraid to keep them in line. Their message was that following god was the right thing to do no matter what it took.
Why was everone so fearful? What were they afraid of?
Puritans also believed the Devil was as real as God. Everyone was faced with the struggle between the powers of good and evil, but Satan would select the weakest individuals—women, children, the insane to carry out his work
How did the Puritans feel about individuality?
Puritans felt that people should not show their individuality and everyone had to follow the code of conformity which is why the first people to be accused of being witches were social outcasts.
Economic and Social Divisions
Differentiate between Salem Town and Salem Village.
Residents of Salem Village were mostly poor farmers who made their living cultivating crops in the rocky terrain. Salem Town, on the other hand, was a prosperous port town at the center of trade with London.
Explain the reason for the friction between Salem Town and Salem Village.
Salem village wanted independence because the people of Salem town kept them in control and determined the prices of the crops. But for the Salem Town people it wasn’t a good because they depended on their crops.
What role did the new minister, Reverend Parris, play in the Salem witch trials?
Parris was a stern Puritan who denounced the worldly ways and economic prosperity of Salem Town as the influence of the Devil. His rhetoric further separated the two factions within Salem Village.
Joseph McCarthy
Who was Joseph McCarthy?
He was a young senator that made a very public and serious accusation and was that more than 200 people had infiltrated the United States government. It was proven that the accusations were untrue so the senate censored him.
What feelings of the American psyche or events of the time allowed for McCarthyism to become such a prominent movement in the 1950s?
America was overwhelmed with concerns about the threat of communism growing in Eastern Europe and China.
What effect did McCarthyism have on artists and entertainers?
Many of them were accused of being communist sympathizers and were unable to continue working. Some had their passports taken away and others even were taken to prison because they refused to say names of other communists. With a simple trial their careers went down the gutter.