The%20Salem%20Witch%20Trials%20of%201692%20and%20the%20Crucible - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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The%20Salem%20Witch%20Trials%20of%201692%20and%20the%20Crucible

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The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the Crucible I am wronged. It is a shameful thing that you should mind these folks that are out of their wits. – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: The%20Salem%20Witch%20Trials%20of%201692%20and%20the%20Crucible


1
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the Crucible
  • I am wronged. It is a shameful thing that you
    should mind these folks that are out of their
    wits.
  • --Martha Carrier
  • Hanged August 19, 1692

2
Arthur Miller (1915 - 2005)
  • Lived in New York City at time of death
  • Greatest works include The Crucible and Death of
    a Salesman
  • Miller focuses on the tragedy of the common man
  • Writings reflect on injustice (Miller was
    involved in social causes)

3
Arthur Miller (1915 - 2005)
  • Miller dropped out of high school but later went
    to University of Michigan
  • Miller was brought to court and questioned about
    his involvement in Communism. He was thought to
    be a communist and, like many, was caught up in
    the Senator Joseph McCarthys Red Scare
  • Miller was married to Marilyn Monroe (movie star)

4
Facts about the Salem Witch Trials
  • Over 150 tried for witchcraft
  • 20 people killed (19 hanged, 1 pressed to death)
  • Many more confessed
  • Many more were jailed

5
Facts about the Salem Witch Trials
  • Later the government gave money to heirs and
    published statements saying not true
  • Judge Samuel Sewall, a judge at the witchcraft
    trials, later said he was wrong for participating
  • Cotton Mather, Puritan preacher, did much to
    arouse the people against witches

6
Facts about The Crucible
  • Written in 1953
  • Set in the Puritan village of Salem,
    Massachusetts
  • Occurs in spring, 1692
  • A crucible means
  • Vessel made of ceramic materials used for melting
    materials at high temperatures, or a a severe
    test or trial

7
Information regarding the Puritans concept of
the devil and witchcraft
  • God
  • Is all powerful
  • Punishes the wicked and unjust

8
Information regarding the Puritans concept of
the devil and witchcraft
  • The Devil
  • Is real
  • Called Satan, Prince of Darkness, Lucifer
  • Exists and works in the world
  • Can take various forms (person, animal, etc.)
  • Exists to separate people from God and overthrow
    good
  • Lives in the woods
  • Provides temptations
  • Causes people to be full of fear

9
Information regarding the Puritans concept of
the devil and witchcraft
  • Witches
  • Are real
  • Are helpers of the Devil and do the Devils work
  • Are not just female can be male or animal

10
Information regarding the Puritans concept of
the devil and witchcraft
  • Bible quote Thou shall not suffer a witch to
    live
  • Exodus 2218
  • In other words, the Puritans felt it was their
    religious duty to kill a witch so that he or she
    would not have to suffer being a witch)

11
Information regarding the Puritans concept of
the devil and witchcraft
  • If you are accused of being a witch and confess,
    you are pardoned
  • If you are accused of being a witch and do not
    confess, you must be burned or hanged

12
Information regarding the Puritans concept of
the devil and witchcraft
  • A witch can be tried by the water test
  • Tied up and tossed in a pond
  • If witch sinks, is innocent
  • If witch gets back to shore, is guilty

13
Information regarding the Puritans concept of
the devil and witchcraft
  • Puritans had a Theocracy, which is a government
    that
  • God is recognized as Supreme ruler
  • Religious authorities act as Gods
    representatives and control both church and state
  • Government could punish for church offenses,
    like
  • Not attending church
  • Not knowing commandments
  • Not knowing the Lords prayer

14
Information regarding the Puritans concept of
the devil and witchcraft
  • Puritan society demanded conformity
  • Early in the colony conformity was necessary for
    survival
  • Violators were not tolerated
  • Roger Williams suggested paying Indians for their
    land
  • Was run out of Salem
  • Left and founded Rhode Island
  • Turned each other in for violations against
    Puritan society
  • Questions of authority (ministers and judges) vs.
    individual rights (Rebecca Nurse and John
    Proctor)

15
Information regarding the Puritans concept of
the devil and witchcraft
  • All this leads to fear therefore mass hysteria
  • The nature of the crime of witchcraft causes
    everyone to believe the victims (the accusers)
  • No witch will identify herself/ himself
  • Witchcraft is an invisible crime where the victim
    is believed

16
The Crucibles connection to McCarthyism and the
Red Scare
  • After Korean Conflict U.S. in struggle with the
    USSR during the 1950s
  • Joseph McCarthy, a congressman, made a career by
    looking for communists in the government and in
    American life
  • McCarthy was head of the House UnAmerican
    Actitivies Committee (HUAC)
  • Miller was called into hearing because of his
    background
  • He had worked in the labor movement as a young
    man
  • He had attended some writing workshops that were
    allegedly funded by the Communist party

17
The Crucibles connection to McCarthyism and the
Red Scare
  • McCarthys accusations were similar to a witch
    hunt because anyone who criticized or talked out
    against the hearings were accused of being a
    Communist
  • People were afraid of McCarthys power and were
    afraid to speak out against him
  • His accusations included a variety of groups and
    people, including the President of the United
    States

18
The Crucibles connection to McCarthyism and the
Red Scare
  • Miller was accused, but refused to admit that he
    was a Communist and refused to name others as
    Communists
  • The connection to The Crucible is this innocent
    people were falsely accused of evil it was easy
    to get rid of your enemy just accuse him of
    being a witch or communist
  • The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism and
    the Red Scare

19
The End
  • Witchcraft was hung, in History,But History and
    IFind all the Witchcraft that we needAround us,
    every Day
  • Emily Dickinson, 1583
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