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Salem witch trials |
Also found in: Legal, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.03 sec. |
Salem witch trials(May–October 1692) American colonial persecutions for witchcraft. In the town of Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, several young girls, stimulated by supernatural tales told by a West Indian slave, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused three women of witchcraft. Under pressure, the accused women named others in false confessions. Encouraged by the clergy, a special civil court was convened with three judges, including Samuel Sewall, to conduct the trials. They resulted in the conviction and hanging of 19 “witches” and the imprisonment of nearly 150 others. As public zeal abated, the trials were stopped and then condemned. The colonial legislature later annulled the convictions. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Volpe had a different opinion: ``I call it a Salem witch hunt. The new Salem witch hunt has just been completed, but this time Salem doesn't refer to the town in Massachusetts, but rather one brand of the current source of all evil, cigarettes. Wild rumors of satanic rituals, animal sacrifices and international child pornography rings being run out of the tiny preschool became conventional wisdom as a sensationalism-driven media enthusiastically elaborated on what later turned out to be every false detail, wiping up emotions that ultimately evolved into Southern California's very own version of the Salem witch hunt. |
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