The Salem witch hunt of 1692 represents one of the grimmest events in early American history. It is the story of innocent people caught in a web of intrigue from which they could not extricate themselves. The author; himself a descendant of one of those executed; argues masterfully that the witch hunt was driven by conspiracies of envious men intent on destroying their enemies. Sanctioned by the old guard of Puritan leaders; these men arrested two hundred people for witchcraft; twenty-eight of whom were executed or died in prison. The convergence of religious; social; political; and economic forces that sparked the accusations and trials are laid out clearly and concisely; exploring the motives and relationships of those who fanned the flames of the witch hunt. Robinson also provides a closer look at the lives of seventy-five of the people accused as witches; analyzing their places in the community and shedding light on why they were targeted.Title of related interest also available from Waveland Press: Edwards (Simonson; ed.); Selected Writings of Jonathan Edwards; Second Edition (ISBN 9781577663317).
#2577330 in Books University of North Texas Press 2008-10-27Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 10.20 x 1.30 x 8.30l; 4.00 #File Name: 1574412515560 pages
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