Violet Maw

History 1700-058
Henri Miller
ePortfolio Reflection
May 5, 2015

Reflection
As part of my General Education at SLCC, I took History 1700. This class is a history
course regarding early American History. The period of time that I learned about was from right
before Columbus through WWII. In this class, I learned a lot. There was a lot of information to
learn, and at sometimes, it seemed a little overwhelming. But, I now have a better understanding
of our Nations beginnings, and our effect on the world. I also find myself wanting to teach
others about the same. I feel that everyone should know about things such as The Louisiana
Purchase, that Lincoln owned slaves, and that Hitler was not the only person committing heinous
acts leading up to WWII.
As part of this class, we had to write two papers. One had to be a Primary Source Paper,
and the second had to be a Secondary Source Paper. For my Primary Source Paper, I chose to
write about the Salem Witch Trials. I was able to find some letters written during that time. These
letters were written by citizens to the Judges who were responsible for the trials. My thesis for
this paper was that Puritans, who were themselves fighting for religious freedom, persecuted
others for their religious beliefs, and were not actually free, because they were slaves to fear of
things that were different. I have attached this document for your review.

Violet Maw
History 1700-058
Henri Miller
Primary Source Paper
February 25, 2015

Freedom and Fear

Is a man truly free, if he is living in fear? In mankinds search for freedom in the
Americas in the 17th century, the fear of something different than what he believed to be truth, or
knew as normal, contradicted the very idealism set forth in his fight for freedom. Because in this
very fear, he is bound, and therefore kept from truly being or feeling free. As newly settled
immigrants in the town of Salem and surrounding areas, found the freedom to express their own
personal beliefs, they condemned others with the same fear that had been bestowed upon them
over their own different set of beliefs. They too gave into this fear of the unknown, and
unknowingly gave up the very freedom they had fought so hard to achieve. They were fearful of
those different than themselves, especially those whom were thought to be witches.
Though Constantinople had long ago tried to merge ancient pagan beliefs with newer
Christian beliefs, some Christians still viewed these practices as evil, and completely unchristian.
Anything having to do with magic, wizardry or witchcraft, were all condemned within their
inspired written word of their God, The Bible. Not only were these types of acts condemned

within the Bible, but anyone performing these types of acts were thought to be controlled by
Gods adversary, Satan. There was no middle ground, only views in black and white.
Though the thoughts and actions of human beings had evolved and grown exponentially
up until this point in history, their thoughts and actions were very much still based on
superstitious and closed-minded thinking. Thoughts that if someone had been wronged, or if
someone was ill, both mentally or physically, or if there were continued bad weather patterns
ruining crops, that this must be the work of the Devil, and Witchery was to blame for these
wrongs in the city of Salem. The citizens were so entrenched in these beliefs, and because the
government and religion were extremely intertwined at this time, those accused of committing
such acts were actually prosecuted in a court of law before a jury trial for being a Witch. These
trials are known as the Salem Witch Trials.
Archived letters written during this grievous time in history, help us to understand the
religious convictions and mindset of those alive during this time period, but they also emphasize
the stronghold that fear had upon them as well. For instance, in a letter that can be found on the
website www.salem.lib.virginia.edu, written to John Richards IV, on May 31, 1692, the author of
this letter tells Richards,
I cannot for once forbear minding of the famous accidents at Mohra in Swedeland,
where a fast was kept among the people of God because of stupendous witchcraft, much
like ours, making havoc of the kingdom, was immediately followed with a remarkable
smile of God upon the endeavors of the judges to discover and extirpate the authors of
that execrable witchcraft.

Fear of not fasting to receive Gods favor is pertinent to God having a favorable blessing upon
them in this treacherous time. The author goes on to say, When you are satisfied or have good,
plain, legal evidence that the demons which molest our poor neighbors do indeed represent such
and such people Again, this statement is showing us that fear even controlled what was
thought to be good, plain legal evidence to convict someone of witchcraft.
As the snowball effect of the thoughts of the Puritans grew, so did their search for
further evidence of those practicing witchcraft. One could say, they became paranoid of what the
Devil was capable of. In the letter written to John Richards IV, the authors paranoia is evident is
his words, If therefore you can find that when the witches do anything easy, that is not needful
(and it is needful that I put in that clause not needful because it is possible that a prestigious
demon may imitate what we do, though we are none of his) This author believed that even a
higher ranking demon could begin to imitate average everyday acts.
The puritans truly believed that the slaying of these witches was what God wanted
them to do. In a letter written to John Cotton, August 5, 1692, we can see just how deep these
thoughts were. Our good God is working of miracles. Five witches were lately executed,
impudently demanding of God a miraculous vindication of their innocency. In this same letter
to John Cotton, you can again see the paranoia of these people had begun to even make them
believe that just because they were struggling with something contrary to biblical teaching, that
they themselves just might be a witch. The following is an example, Since those, there have
come in other confessors; yea, they come in daily. Fear has them second guessing their actions,
and assuming their ungodly thoughts and actions are because they too are a witch.

As more and more begin to question themselves and others, they begin to find faith in the
judges, because of course they believe that God is working through these judges. In a letter
written to John Foster, August 17, 1692, the author of this letter indicates the trust held in those
overseeing the trials. The author writes, When so much use is made of those things, I believe
the use for which the great God intends them is made. And accordingly you see that the
excellent judges have had such and encouraging presence of God with them. The judges of the
trial become the last true ones to trust. This author goes on to say, It is our singular happiness
that we are blessed with judges who are aware of this danger. Their fear has left them with few
to trust.
The trials ended with many being found innocent, but those that were found guilty, were
found guilty of witchcraft and put to death. Though these trials helped to calm the hysteria, the
shadow that hovered these times was still evident 6 years later. In a letter written from Rev. John
Higginson to his son Nathanial Higginson, August 31, 1698, we can see the lingering effect of
the trials in 1692. Rev. John Higginson tells his son, Here in Salem, June 10, 1692, about 40
persons that were afflicted with horrible torments by Evil Spirits, and the afflicted have accused
60 or 70 as witches for that they have Spectral appearances of them, tho the Persons absent when
they are tormented. Fear had a lasting effect.
In conclusion, one can easily see that these early American settlers were not truly free.
They were slaves to their own fears. Fears of things unknown, or different from what they
thought to be truth. This fear led to paranoia and hysteria, resulting in loss of freedom not only
for their minds and bodies, but for those who were different. Freedom was a newly precious

commodity for the puritans, but they quickly surrendered that newly found freedom to the mask
of righteousness that was covering fear.