Salem Witch Trials Research Paper

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Pages: 2

I think it is understandable why Hawthorne would change his name because his ancestor was involved in the Salem witch trials. Hawthorne was able to set himself apart from his family members and create a new name for himself, even though it was a minor change to his name.

After examining the pages that discuss the Salem Witch Trials, the information fits into the more contemporary ideas of the Cult of Domesticity because it shows that a woman can be more than a housekeeper and caregiver. Not all women have a doll-like appearance and elegant qualities. The first three people accused were women who did not behave like everyone else. In the “Overview of the Salem Witch Trials” it is stated that, “Each of these women was a kind of outcast and exhibited many of the character traits typical of the “usual suspects” for witchcraft accusations” (“Overview of the Salem Witch Trials” 212). These women were accused just because they were different.
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One of the big factors that I think caused the Salem Witch Trials was that the Puritans believed in the supernatural. In the “Overview of the Salem Witch Trials” it is stated that, “Events such as the sickness or death of children, the loss of cattle, and other catastrophes were often blamed on the work of witches” (“Overview of the Salem Witch Trials” 211). It was natural for Puritans to believe that people were witches if they acted even the slightest bit unnormal. Each of the first three people accused were women and considered outcasts in Salem society. I think there also could have maybe been some underlying trauma that the doctors were unable to detect during that