The Massachusetts Bay and Virginia Colonies in Witchcraft Accusations and Trials Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Underwood, A. (2019).Fairmont Folio: Journal of History, 19, 1-13. Web.

The article by Amanda Underwood published in Fairmont Folio: Journal of History centers around the history of witchcraft in American colonies. The author notes that the conversation surrounding the tragic persecution of thousands of men and women accused of connections to Satan seems to be fixated entirely on Salem (Underwood, 2019). The very words “witchcraft” and “Salem” have become synonymous, which creates the wrong impression that the trials happened only in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Thus, the purpose of the article was to examine the historical origins of witch trials on the American land, particularly focusing on the first and last documented cases, all of which happened in the Virginia Colony. The main idea Underwood (2019) tried to convey was that witch trials beyond the Massachusetts Bay area, particularly in the Virginia Colony, did not imply mass hysteria, mania, and hundreds of executions.

While some people were certainly accused, almost none were hanged or stoned. The main reason for that was that the Virginia Colony was a rural area, which meant that hearings occurred on the county level. As for the tragedies in Salem, the trials were held on the town level, which meant fewer respectable gentlemen and more clergy on the jury. Underwood (2019) supports her claims by logical reasoning and a combination of primary sources and scholarly research. The main sources used include the book The devil in Virginia in the seventeenth century by R.B. Davis as well as the article Witchcraft in the American colonies, 1647-62 by F.C. Drake. The author concludes that the trials in the Virginia Colony were distinct from other regions in terms of accusations and persecution (Underwood, 2019). The courts in Virginia were determined to keep the people calm and safe.

The facts presented in the article are mostly accurate. The only mistake found was the author mentioning that hundreds of accused witches were burned. The historical truth of the matter is that the majority of women and men were hanged. Schiff (2016) claims that “the American South reinforced the burning-at-the-stake fiction in the 19th century” (para. 2). There seem to be no methodology issues since Underwood (2019) uses credible sources, including a wide range of books and peer-reviewed articles, to support her claims. The author delves deep into the history of witchcraft accusations going as far as the 15th century. In addition, she provides examples by analyzing specific cases of witchcraft accusations in the Virginia Colony, including Joan Wright, Katherine Grady, Grace Sherwood, and others (Underwood, 2019). Due to such extensive research and the usage of many sources, the author’s argument and conclusion are convincing.

The article is rather influential in its successful attempt to shift the focus of the conversation about witchcraft to regions other than Salem and the Massachusetts Bay area. It provides new insights in regards to the absence of mass hysteria in the Virginia Colony. The author manages to refute highly-publicized myths about the witchcraft accusations. Moreover, in comparison to a number of scholarly works focusing entirely on Salem, the article features a fresh and historically accurate perspective on the notions of witchcraft on the American land as a whole. The fact that none of those accused faced execution in the Virginia Colony is a truly surprising fact. The reasons for such differences between Salem and other regions are startling as well.

References

Schiff, S. (2016). The Washington Post. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2022, June 25). The Massachusetts Bay and Virginia Colonies in Witchcraft Accusations and Trials. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-massachusetts-bay-and-virginia-colonies-in-witchcraft-accusations-and-trials/

Work Cited

"The Massachusetts Bay and Virginia Colonies in Witchcraft Accusations and Trials." IvyPanda, 25 June 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/the-massachusetts-bay-and-virginia-colonies-in-witchcraft-accusations-and-trials/.

References

IvyPanda. (2022) 'The Massachusetts Bay and Virginia Colonies in Witchcraft Accusations and Trials'. 25 June.

References

IvyPanda. 2022. "The Massachusetts Bay and Virginia Colonies in Witchcraft Accusations and Trials." June 25, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-massachusetts-bay-and-virginia-colonies-in-witchcraft-accusations-and-trials/.

1. IvyPanda. "The Massachusetts Bay and Virginia Colonies in Witchcraft Accusations and Trials." June 25, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-massachusetts-bay-and-virginia-colonies-in-witchcraft-accusations-and-trials/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "The Massachusetts Bay and Virginia Colonies in Witchcraft Accusations and Trials." June 25, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-massachusetts-bay-and-virginia-colonies-in-witchcraft-accusations-and-trials/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1