1. Why did the Puritan's leave England and venture to a new land?
Life in Puritan New England was harsh and the church wielded great power and influence. Puritans left England in order to practice more freely
2. Explain how the Puritan's felt about freedom of religion.
While Puritan's had left England in order to practice more freely they were not interested in freedom of all religion. Indeed, they structured the social order around their church.
3. How important is the church in Puritan society? Explain.
They structured the social order around their church.
4. What is excommunication?
To deprive of the right of church membership by ecclesiastical authority.
5. Why were church leaders so influential/powerful in Puritan communities?
Clergy members, naturally, enjoyed a great influence in the community and many clergy in New England were telling their congregations that the devil was among them in the form of witches.
6. How does religion today compare to the Puritan's idea of religion?
Today they are not devoted to religion as people once were
7. Why was witchcraft often the explanation for illness?
Serious illness in the 17th century often meant certain death. Medical practices were primitive worldwide but even more backward here than in Europe. Infant mortality rates were? Little of known about a number of physical illnesses and even less about mental illness. When faced with an illness they couldn't diagnose, doctors at the time usually proclaimed that the illness was due to the only other "known" at that time--witchcraft
8. What scientific explanation was given by Caporal as to the cause of the mysterious behavior in Salem?
In her paper in Science Magazine, Linda Caporal suggests a very real physical illness brought on by ergot poisoning. Ergot is a fungus found naturally in rye in years when weather has been especially wet followed by a very hot period. In the 17th century most people ate rye bread as wheat was far too expensive for all but the wealthiest families. The ergot fungus would be ground into the rye at milling time and eaten by many a villager. Those of small stature, women and children are more susceptible to ergot poisoning.
Puritan Children
1. Describe the life of a Puritan Child.
The life was boring because of all the rules they had to follow. They were told to behave like an adult go to the church and they could not exercise their imagination
Religion and Witchcraft
2. 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
3. What did the Puritan's believe about God and their church?
They also believed God would punish sinful behavior. 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.
4. What do you think was the main message the Puritan's tried to convey to its parishioners?
That following god is the right thing to do no matter what it took.
5. Why was everyone 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
6. How did the Puritans feel about individuality?
Individual differences were frowned upon.
Economic and Social Divisions
7. 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.
8. Explain the reason for the friction between Salem Town and Salem Village.
For many years, Salem Village tried to gain independence from Salem Town. The town, which depended on the farmers for food, determined crop prices and collected taxes from the village.
9. 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.
1. Who was Joseph McCarthy?
A young Senator that made a public accusation that more than two hundred “card-carrying” communists had infiltrated the United States government
2. 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
3. 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 where take to prison because they refused to say names of other communist. With a simple trial they could had destroy their careers
Life in Puritan New England was harsh and the church wielded great power and influence. Puritans left England in order to practice more freely
2. Explain how the Puritan's felt about freedom of religion.
While Puritan's had left England in order to practice more freely they were not interested in freedom of all religion. Indeed, they structured the social order around their church.
3. How important is the church in Puritan society? Explain.
They structured the social order around their church.
4. What is excommunication?
To deprive of the right of church membership by ecclesiastical authority.
5. Why were church leaders so influential/powerful in Puritan communities?
Clergy members, naturally, enjoyed a great influence in the community and many clergy in New England were telling their congregations that the devil was among them in the form of witches.
6. How does religion today compare to the Puritan's idea of religion?
Today they are not devoted to religion as people once were
7. Why was witchcraft often the explanation for illness?
Serious illness in the 17th century often meant certain death. Medical practices were primitive worldwide but even more backward here than in Europe. Infant mortality rates were? Little of known about a number of physical illnesses and even less about mental illness. When faced with an illness they couldn't diagnose, doctors at the time usually proclaimed that the illness was due to the only other "known" at that time--witchcraft
8. What scientific explanation was given by Caporal as to the cause of the mysterious behavior in Salem?
In her paper in Science Magazine, Linda Caporal suggests a very real physical illness brought on by ergot poisoning. Ergot is a fungus found naturally in rye in years when weather has been especially wet followed by a very hot period. In the 17th century most people ate rye bread as wheat was far too expensive for all but the wealthiest families. The ergot fungus would be ground into the rye at milling time and eaten by many a villager. Those of small stature, women and children are more susceptible to ergot poisoning.
Puritan Children
1. Describe the life of a Puritan Child.
The life was boring because of all the rules they had to follow. They were told to behave like an adult go to the church and they could not exercise their imagination
Religion and Witchcraft
2. 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
3. What did the Puritan's believe about God and their church?
They also believed God would punish sinful behavior. 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.
4. What do you think was the main message the Puritan's tried to convey to its parishioners?
That following god is the right thing to do no matter what it took.
5. Why was everyone 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
6. How did the Puritans feel about individuality?
Individual differences were frowned upon.
Economic and Social Divisions
7. 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.
8. Explain the reason for the friction between Salem Town and Salem Village.
For many years, Salem Village tried to gain independence from Salem Town. The town, which depended on the farmers for food, determined crop prices and collected taxes from the village.
9. 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.
1. Who was Joseph McCarthy?
A young Senator that made a public accusation that more than two hundred “card-carrying” communists had infiltrated the United States government
2. 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
3. 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 where take to prison because they refused to say names of other communist. With a simple trial they could had destroy their careers