SIENA HEIGHTS UNIVERSITY

THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS: SOCIOECONOMICS, RELIGION, AND FEAR

A PAPER SUBMITTED TO SISTER JEANNE LEFEBVRE FOR HISTORIOGRAPHY AND METHODOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

BY
NICHOLAS KNEZEVICH

ADRIAN, MICHIGAN
MAY 2006


Abstract
The Salem Witch Trials were caused by socioeconomic problems that were intertwined with the fabric that held early American life together: religion. Puritanism's lack of set doctrine lent itself to the possibility of corrupt leadership. In 1692 this is exactly what happened. Frightened by the possibility of losing his position as preacher to the Salem Village, Samuel Parris exploited the gravest fear that was held by people of that time period: Satan and witches.
The Trials were a mess from the very beginning, with random accusations thrown at people from all over the village. The examiners used the worst type of evidence, spectral, to send innocent people to their deaths only to realize years later the flaws of......

Join Now to view the rest of this term paper!
Members: Login to view this research paper.

Title: Salem Witch Trials: Socioeconomics, Religion, And Fear
Approximate Word Count: 2837
Approximate Pages: 12 (250 words per double-spaced page)

With the Term Papers Lab Membership Pass, you get instant access to every essay on this site, including this essay on Salem Witch Trials: Socioeconomics, Religion, And Fear, for as long as you remain a member.

Other essays sites charge almost $100 for a single term paper. At Term Papers Lab, you can get instant access to over 100,000 research papers for as little as $29.95!