The Salem Witch Trials - How Did it Lead to a Less Religious Society Research Paper

The Salem Witch Trials - How Did it Lead to a Less Religious Society - Research Paper Example During the year of 1692, the Massachusetts Bay colony was deemed as an isolated but emerging puritan community in the wilderness of North America. The population in the area was significantly scattered. People inhibiting the isolated communities of the Salem village, were efficiently threatened due to the wild animals present there, and also the frequent attacks by the Native Americans. The most essential and interesting scenario of the Salem community was the spiritual beliefs and aspects of the members of the community. The vulnerable nature of the puritans inhibiting in the Salem village was deeply due to their religious beliefs, methods, and practices. The fundamentals of the puritans stressed on the fact that everything was in the hand of the almighty (Wilson, 7). It is god who determines the good fortune and prosperous health of a human being. Salvation was a gift from god. The puritan’s practice of worship included worship services, devotion, prayer, and self examinatio n to achieve the blessings of the almighty. The puritans also effectively believed in the fact that god permitted Satan to cause temptation and torment the ones who deviated from the path of righteousness and acted immorally or those whose faith the almighty wanted to test (Wilson, 7). It was believed that the people who failed to follow the path of righteousness was subjected to misfortune, sickness, and endured with a prominent period of grief. It is also to be notified that the puritans had the belief that a Satan might also enter a person’s life in the form of a witch. This was very much prominent in the era of Salem’s witch trial, which was also a significant cause of the evolution of the American civil society (Wilson, 7-8) The thesis acknowledges the fact, â€Å"Salem Witch Trials was a significant factor of the evolution of American civil society. Separation of Church & State, and a breakdown of the strict puritan codes led to a less religious society, improvi ng the justice system which later allowed for fair trials.† It is essentially problematic to actually ascertain the fact about what had occurred in Salem during the year of 1962, but a majority of historian and scholarly sources suggest that the Salem’s witch trial originated due to a particular incident. A group girls from the Salem village was diagnosed with unpredictable fits, followed by hysterical reactions, laughter and crying which was not intentionally provoked, incoherent babbling, attempts to fly, and also in some cases a hypnotic trance. The thing that preceded these incidents of bizarre fits were presumably a secret enchanting session with a woman named Tituba, a salve of the Indian origin from the Caribbean What preceded these bizarre fits apparently were secret enchanting, during which the woman Tituba, accompanied by several girls from the village practiced folk magic in order to predict the nature and identity of their husband before they are married. Wh en the girls were diagnosed by the local doctor, no effective physical cause was found for such bizarre behavior. Due to the attitude and beliefs of that era, it was concluded as no logical explanation could be concluded, then there has to be a disturbing influence of the Satan. Due to the fact that two of them were from the house of a local minister, reverend Parris, he subsequently called the ministers from

The Role Of The Three Chieftains In The Ballad Of The White Horse Essay

The Role Of The Three Chieftains In The Ballad Of The White Horse - Essay Example Together the three chiefs present the picture of selfless courage and a conviction for a cause. Eldred was a Franklin, not a noble man by birth, but a mighty man, huge and brave; dull of wit but warm-hearted, he hosted anyone who loitered into his ill kept farm. He was fond of ale and good food ; he loved to tend his swine and animals; issues of religion or country did not rouse him so much as did his friendship for Alfred for whom he rallied his forces. He was not enthusiastic about a fight, but he had fought fiercely in battles with Ethelred, the brother of Alfred. Mark was an Italian whose father arrived with Caesar into England by ship; he was a confirmed Catholic and at heart a Roman. He grew pine and orchard and drank wine, the drink of Christian sacraments, and not ale like common farmers. He lived among the ruins of Roman settlements; a strong bronzed man with eyes keen like a bird and he remained unaffected by the bickering and wars of the tribes around him, and for him Rome alone counted and it was for Rome that he was going to strike a blow when Alfred asked him for help. He advised Alfred to conquer London, keep Wiltshire and the white horse Wold while he himself was for fighting to keep his own Pines and vineyard. Colan of caerleon was partly Irish and partly welsh thus in him flowed the instincts of the Christian as well as the intuitions of the Druids. He lived in the valley of the Druids where the Usk flowed murmuring into the ghostly sea. He dreamt and sang about his race by now in ruins. His harp sang brooding songs while his sword swinging in war was a happy one."merry in war and sad while singing. His faith was imbued with Christian ideals but his Celtic past fired his spirits; danger and war drew him and his soul heeded to the CALL OF THE WILD. Thus the motive for fighting for each of the chiefs differed. But they had the united purpose and role of being Friends of Alfred and defenders of the civilization. Their Fight and Death It is these three chieftains whom Alfred approached for providing spears ,bows and swords and men for the war against the Danes. Marcus came with all his slaves in arms ,Colan with strange spears hung with ancient charms ,Eldred brought jars and stores of farm mead and rye on his farm beasts ,with his farm hands.The clan of Colan was Gaelic and wore torn and antique robes blowing wailing pipes ,and belonged to an ancient period of wars and strife. Mark's soldiers were mixed tribes of the west experienced in Arabia and Tyne.(Ballad of White Horse IV) Though each of them was brave ,each chieftain responded differently to the war .The Saxon Eldred kept recalling his Farm and the beans there,Colan's heart was filled with the longing for his lost tribe ,and Marcus smote for the religion he strongly believed in. They had no doubt about the side they had chosen to support. But they were perturbed by the prospects of victory