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BEWITCHED: Unraveling the Salem Witch Trials
Episode 109th October 2023 • The Remedial Scholar • Levi Harrison
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This week on The Remedial Scholar we are discussing the chaotic and tumultuous trials of Salem Village in 1692. Join us as we uncover the contextual basis for what occurred in the early colonial settlement of Massachusetts as neighbor accused neighbor and children broke into fits at the sight of the so-called witches. We explore the religious fervor, social dynamics, and economic factors that set the stage for one of the darkest chapters in American history. Discover the courtroom drama, as the accused faced a justice system driven by hysteria rather than evidence. We'll also explore the aftermath, questioning how a community so rooted in faith could succumb to such madness.

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Transcripts

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You tax me for a wizard,

you may as well tax me for a buzzard.

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I have done no harm.

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These words were spoken by George Jacobs

Junior during the witch trials

00;00;07;14 - 00;00;10;17

in Salem, Massachusetts, in the late

17th century.

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An epidemic

seemed to cross through the small

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Puritan region and was evil in nature area

in which they took place.

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Seems like a picturesque,

quaint colonial colony,

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which has had a shadowy stranglehold

on the people of the Salem area,

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making them break out in fits seizures

haunting their dreams.

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Or did they? The tale of the witches,

the Devil?

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Or was it all mass hallucinations?

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All that and more on another episode

of The Remedial Scholar.

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That's ancient history.

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I feel I was tonight

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for the critical

need to know in information

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belongs to CRM pharmacy

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staff.

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Step in your remedial class.

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Welcome,

everyone, to the remedial scholar.

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I am Levi.

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Thank you for joining us.

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If you're new, thanks for coming.

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We're happy to have you.

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It's officially spooky season

and what that I felt

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it would be fun to have an episode

on something that aligns with the season.

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Halloween is fast approaching

and the tales of monsters,

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ghouls and witches fill the airwaves

and we are no different followers, really.

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But before we immerse ourselves

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in the bewitching world of the Salem Witch

trials, I have a few reminders.

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Once again, thank you for your unwavering

support of the reviews

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ratings on Apple Podcasts,

Spotify, Pod Chaser.

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Keep those go and we appreciate

those shares with your friends.

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You know, that's that's the easiest way

to support us, Sharon, with everybody who,

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you know, doesn't already listen.

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And then the merch we got,

we got merch going on.

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It's in the description

or on the link tree under.

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It's just a bar called Merch.

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So we're going to add

a couple of new designs.

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I tweaked one,

I tweaked the off with our head one

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and put it on some shirts

and I even ordered a couple of myself.

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So that then

there's also I ordered some stickers.

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If you're interested in stickers,

you're going to have to email me

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because I don't have a way

to sell those on a website yet,

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but so email me

at remedial Scholar at gmail.com.

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And if you want to submit an idea for

an episode, do that through there as well.

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So all that, all that and the tip button

obviously is the best way to support us.

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So you know, enough of the formality,

self-promotion.

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It's time to transport ourselves to a time

when accusations

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of witchcraft casts a long shadow

over a quiet New England village.

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So without further ado, Salem witch.

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Two people were killed in the name of God.

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Hundreds were arrested and 19 were hanged.

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Picture the quiet colonial village

gripped by a inexplicable madness

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as ordinary men and women

ensnared in a web of paranoia,

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accusations of flying, lives

shattered and a community torn apart.

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But before we get into that,

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I want to give a lay out of

how the episode is going to shake down

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as we move through this

riveting historical narrative,

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we'll unravel the myths and mystery

surrounding this dark period.

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But, you know,

it is a tale of paranoia, superstition.

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We got to give a little context.

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So intro before moving into the background

of the region and the people within it

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and then moving into the accusations,

the trials throughout that

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and then the resolution that followed.

Sound good?

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All right.

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Let's get into the depths

of American history.

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Few chapters are as an enigmatic

and chilling as the Salem Witch trials

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of the late 17th century,

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nestled on the Massachusetts

Bay Colony, the village of Salem with its

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cute little timber framed houses

and a populist that was predominantly

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Puritan, seemed like an unlikely place

for one of the most infamous episodes

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of Mass Hysteria in the New World.

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Or does it?

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The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded

by Governor John Winthrop and Deputy

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Governor Thomas Dudley,

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leading a group of a thousand period

and refugees from England.

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Over the next decade,

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the Great Migration witnessed

a substantial influx of approximately

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20,000 Puritans migrating to Massachusetts

and neighboring colonies.

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Of course, we know the Puritans fled

religious persecution in England

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as they sought to reform

the Anglican Church of England,

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which they felt was too closely

associated with Catholicism.

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And they faced opposition

from King Charles because of it.

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In America,

they aimed to create a society governed

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social, free, structured

and spiritually guided by their

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if the word Puritan, even being one of

mockery from their English homes, which,

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you know, describe

Christians who were seeking

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to purify the Church of England,

they felt the Catholic opposition had far

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too much decadence and extravagant wealth,

which can't say I really disagree.

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Felt the best way for worship was

a simple was simplistic

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in nature

with societal social structure to match.

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They also believed in an

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individual spiritual connection with God

as opposed to the Anglican or Cath

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Catholic method, which involved

so many steps between one person and God

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with the priests and the nuns

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and the bishop in the McDonald's

ice cream machine repairman.

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Too many steps to obtain salvation.

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If it was a direct line, you know, person

to God through praise and worship.

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This transferred

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to the churches themselves as well,

where you had local churches being the end

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all, be all no pope instructing the rules

or organizing them to make more sense.

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Because of this.

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There's some heavy puritanical laws in

this place are in place

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in this young community

implemented in:

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body of laws and Section 94 titled

Capital Laws, Witchcraft comes in second.

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Number one, worshiping any other god

but the one true God

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after those blasphemy, murder, murder

with passion

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at a tent poisoning,

bestiality, homosexuality, adultery

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and kidnaping to round out the top two,

all those involved being put to death.

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Notice of the top three worst things

you could do in these communities were to

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worship a different God,

be a witch or blaspheme murdering.

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Still not great,

but not as bad as those things.

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Little shocked and impressed that

homosexual homosexuality was listed below.

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Bisciotti

But you know, they both end in death.

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So yeah, not great.

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These laws, they intended to govern over

their lovely new home

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to ensure the community be the closest

to God that they could possibly be.

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They found themselves at odds

with not just the indigenous tribes

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around, but even other Europeans

that attempt to settle near them.

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So in the hinge with their beliefs

that they even had odds against Quakers,

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which is wild to me,

almost two sides of the same coin.

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And they had, you know,

imprisoned, mutilated.

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Did all sorts of weird stuff.

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Two Quaker missionaries

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even put a couple to death until King

Charles, the second decreed that

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corporal punishment not be used on Quakers

in the early 17th century.

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One such place, Salem Village,

an outpost of the Massachusetts

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Bay Colony, was founded.

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It stood in stark

contrast to the bustling Salem town

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just a few miles away, which was,

you know, a thriving commercial center.

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Salem Village, by contrast, was quiet,

you know, as agrarian

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and pretty much a tale of two Salem

going up.

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Salem Village is where the action happens

today, for the most part.

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So there was a curious Salem town

and modern day Salem.

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Wow. Salem Village is modern day

hell on earth.

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Turns out

the religious zealots were correct.

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Obviously, I am joking.

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Salem Village is where Danvers,

Massachusetts, is located today.

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Its inhabitants,

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the Puritans, you know, fervently

held to their strict religious beliefs.

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The colony's leaders saw themselves

as the chosen people, establishing

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a theocratic society

in which religious dogma was the law.

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This fervent religiosity

set the stage for the Salem Witch trials.

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The period of strict interpretation

of Christianity permeated

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every aspect of their lives and deviation

from the norm was met with suspicion.

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Fear of the devil was ever present in

any unusual

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occurrence was often

attributed to his sinister influence.

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Salem

was founded in:

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like I mentioned, larger

and more prosperous Salem Town.

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Settlement began

in this agrarian community,

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as mentioned, commune

populated by the Puritan settlers

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seeking freedom and establish a city

upon a hill as their vision appeared to

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and strictly adhered to their

interpretation of Christianity and views,

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and viewed Salem Village

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as the place where they could

practice their faith without persecute.

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And over time, Salem Village developed

its distinct identity, separate from Salem

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Town,

contributing to the simmering tension

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that would later explode during the witch

trials,

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the villagers had their church,

led by Reverend Samuel Parris, eventually

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whose arrival in:

marked a significant turning point.

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As mentioned, in the 17th century,

Massachusetts was Puritan stronghold

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governed by strict religious principles.

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The Puritans believed in predestination,

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which asserted that God had already chosen

who would be saved and be damned.

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This doctrine created anxiety and fear

among the villagers as they constantly

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saw signs of God's favor

or disfavor in their daily lives.

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A little paranoia, of course.

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The villagers of Salem Village

were deeply religious,

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and their lives

were centered around the church.

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The Puritan Church was the heart

of the community, and religious leaders

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held significant, significant influence.

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Any perceived threats

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to the religious purity of the village

was taken very seriously.

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Socially, Salem Village was a hierarchal

society with a distinct class structure.

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The elite families like the Putnam's

and the Porters held

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significant power and land,

while others struggled to make ends meet.

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Economic disparities and land disputes

added to the existing tensions

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and disputes varied from things

like rights to graves, property markings,

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those kinds of things.

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These villagers were paranoid

not only with the devil's work,

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but also

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affairs of the people of the Salem Town,

as well as inside their own village

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in the lead up to the witch

trials, Salem Village

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faced a series of challenges

that set the stage for ensuing hysteria.

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Prior to the trials,

the community was already grappling

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with tension stemming from conflicts over

land ownership, economic disparity,

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property disputes.

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As I mentioned, these internal divisions

were compounded by external hardships,

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such as crop failures,

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Native American attacks, political turmoil

and harsh winters.

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Fostering an atmosphere of unease

and fear.

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Seeds of paranoia took root amidst

this backdrop of uncertainty

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and religious fervor,

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laying the groundwork for tragic events

that would unfold during the witch trials,

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the church factions came no surprise,

as they had plenty of turmoil

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regarding finding a quality minister

who would fit their criteria.

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Of course, Salem Village

just a mountain of drama.

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Their ministerial saga is like a soap

opera.

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It's just all over the place, you know.

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In:

decided they wanted their own village,

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their own minister, separate from Salem

Town, no strings attached to them,

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but they couldn't pay a reasonable salary

for the first two ministers.

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One will come up later.

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Then another one finally got pulled in.

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They agreed on a salary,

but they wouldn't have them ordained.

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So I don't know what the deal was

with them.

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They finally agree on Samuel Parris,

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the first ordained minister of Salem

Village.

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Kind of.

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It was a battle of opinions over this guy.

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th,:

and the villagers finally agree

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to hire Paris for £66

a year with one third in cash

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and the rest in provisions,

plus keys to the parsonage.

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Reverend Samuel Parris,

the controversial village minister known

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for his strict preaching and also

the salary disputes that put him there.

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Following that,

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he had created factions within the church,

further polarizing the community.

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Even after sealing the deal,

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a bunch of folks still couldn't

warm up to the guy Drama, drama, drama.

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Although I can't imagine he was actually

that picky about his salary.

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They probably were mad

they had to pay him at all.

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Oh, you need some money to survive.

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hat are you, Catholic anyway?:

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The stage is set for catastrophe.

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Salem Village was a powder keg

ready to explode as tensions and paranoia

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grew in January:

the seeds of the infamous Salem witch

00;11;18;20 - 00;11;22;12

trials were planted when Elizabeth Paris

and Abigail Williams began

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to display bizarre behavior experiencing

violent convulsions and seizures.

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The afflicted girls contorted their bodies

in unnatural positions,

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displaying

evident signs of physical distress.

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During these episodes,

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the girls engaged in unusual speak,

uttering

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strange and unintelligible languages

or gibberish.

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This peculiar speeds became fodder

for interpretations, often linked

00;11;41;03 - 00;11;44;08

to claims of obviously demonic possession

or witchcraft.

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Complaints of physical pain were frequent,

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with the girls alleging pinching,

pricking, stabbing by an unseen forces.

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Such complaints fueled their belief

that which is employed

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invisible means to inflict harm.

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The afflicted girls reported the moment

moments of loss of sensation, describing

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numbness or paralysis

and specific parts of their body

00;12;01;06 - 00;12;03;07

hallucinations were part of the ordeal.

00;12;03;07 - 00;12;06;08

Some accounts suggest

that the girls saw spectral figures

00;12;06;08 - 00;12;08;01

and animals invisible to others.

00;12;08;01 - 00;12;10;20

They'd also eventually be singing

like specters

00;12;10;20 - 00;12;12;13

of specific people in their dreams.

00;12;12;13 - 00;12;14;13

Fits of hysteria were a common occurrence

00;12;14;13 - 00;12;17;29

triggered by perceived threats

or presence of certain individuals.

00;12;18;00 - 00;12;21;12

These fits were characterized

by intense emotional outbursts.

00;12;21;12 - 00;12;24;18

In some instances,

observers noted that the girls imitated

00;12;24;21 - 00;12;28;24

animal behavior, crawling on the floor,

barking, making animal like sounds.

00;12;28;24 - 00;12;32;07

Doctor spoke that they could not identify

what the aliens were but believed

00;12;32;11 - 00;12;36;16

to be supernatural, which of course,

and also kind of make sense for the time

00;12;36;19 - 00;12;40;09

if I didn't have any,

you know, basic medical knowledge,

00;12;40;09 - 00;12;46;00

like if I didn't know the things I know

now and I was just thrown in 17th century

00;12;46;00 - 00;12;49;00

and this little kid started doing

all this, I'd be like,

00;12;49;00 - 00;12;51;17

That kid has got some issues,

to say the least.

00;12;51;17 - 00;12;55;15

The peculiar episode quickly escalated

as other girls in the community, including

00;12;55;15 - 00;12;59;18

and put them Junior Mercy Lewis,

Marcy Wolcott and Elizabeth Hubbard,

00;12;59;19 - 00;13;01;24

also exhibited similar symptoms

00;13;01;24 - 00;13;04;22

as February rolled in,

the local physician, William Griggs made

00;13;04;22 - 00;13;08;02

a shocking diagnosis, attributing

the girl's symptoms to witchcraft.

00;13;08;03 - 00;13;11;09

This pronouncement set the stage

for a series of dramatic events.

00;13;11;10 - 00;13;14;14

Even worse,

it was a leap year February 29th.

00;13;14;14 - 00;13;16;00

The Magistrate, John Hart.

00;13;16;00 - 00;13;16;16

I don't think that

00;13;16;16 - 00;13;20;10

has anything to do with it, but I mean,

they are super superstitious, right?

00;13;20;11 - 00;13;21;25

Extra seditious, if you will.

00;13;21;25 - 00;13;25;06

And I can't imagine

that didn't play into it anyway.

00;13;25;08 - 00;13;29;15

On February 29th, Magistrates

John Hawthorne and Jonathan Corwin

00;13;29;15 - 00;13;32;15

interrogated

Sarah Good, Sarah Osborn and Tituba,

00;13;32;21 - 00;13;35;23

who would become the first individuals

accused of witchcraft.

00;13;35;24 - 00;13;38;15

Who are these women?

Easy targets, in my opinion.

00;13;38;15 - 00;13;40;19

Tituba was the slave of the Paris family.

00;13;40;19 - 00;13;42;13

Sarah Osborn, mother of Ozzie.

00;13;42;13 - 00;13;43;25

That makes more sense now.

00;13;43;25 - 00;13;46;25

Sarah Osborn was a poor, elderly woman.

00;13;46;27 - 00;13;48;29

As she's old enough, it could be as well.

00;13;48;29 - 00;13;51;22

Sarah Osborn was a poor,

elderly woman who was considered

00;13;51;22 - 00;13;53;01

an outsider to the village.

00;13;53;01 - 00;13;55;24

Sarah Goode,

also an outsider as well as homeless.

00;13;55;24 - 00;13;59;03

So you have a slave, an old lady

and a homeless lady.

00;13;59;05 - 00;14;00;23

Of course they're witches. Can't you tell?

00;14;00;23 - 00;14;04;03

They've made deals with the devil

by how high and society they live.

00;14;04;04 - 00;14;07;11

Following day, March 1st, these

three women are arrested, brought to jail.

00;14;07;11 - 00;14;10;21

And they were subject to interrogations

as soon and soon enough.

00;14;10;24 - 00;14;11;07

The first?

00;14;11;07 - 00;14;12;13

The confession was obtained

00;14;12;13 - 00;14;15;04

while Sarah Goode and Sarah Osborn

stuck to their innocence.

00;14;15;04 - 00;14;19;08

Tituba confessed the implication of God

and Osborn both remembering that Tituba

00;14;19;08 - 00;14;24;25

was a slave and slave to the minister

of town or of Salem Village.

00;14;24;28 - 00;14;28;23

I'm guessing self-preservation and

coercion was a cause for the confession.

00;14;28;28 - 00;14;32;25

Side note Tituba was a slave of the West

Indies, quote unquote Indian

00;14;32;28 - 00;14;34;00

listed in the description.

00;14;34;00 - 00;14;37;03

But you know,

she's indigenous to South America,

00;14;37;05 - 00;14;38;17

which is not really important.

00;14;38;17 - 00;14;41;17

But I felt like it,

you know, just one of that.

00;14;41;21 - 00;14;44;13

I think luckily for her,

the confession made her avoid

00;14;44;13 - 00;14;46;10

the craziness that would manifest later.

00;14;46;10 - 00;14;50;11

The actual record is available

and I have summarized it to be.

00;14;50;14 - 00;14;53;20

Hutchinson questions Tituba

about her involvement with evil spirits.

00;14;53;20 - 00;14;57;22

Tituba denies hurting the children,

but admits serving the devil.

00;14;57;25 - 00;14;58;11

Gasp.

00;14;58;11 - 00;15;01;07

She names four women, including Sarah

Goode and Sarah Osborn,

00;15;01;07 - 00;15;03;05

who allegedly told her to harm

the children.

00;15;03;05 - 00;15;06;13

Tituba describes encounters

with the tall man in a Boston

00;15;06;16 - 00;15;09;10

hog like a dog, like appearance,

00;15;09;10 - 00;15;12;12

and two rats that instructed her

to serve them by hurting children.

00;15;12;19 - 00;15;16;06

She mentions being threatened and coerced

even when asked about Sarah Goode

00;15;16;06 - 00;15;17;12

and Sarah Osborn.

00;15;17;12 - 00;15;20;22

Tituba describes

their supposed familiars a yellow bird

00;15;20;22 - 00;15;24;04

and a creature with a head

like a woman, two legs and wing.

00;15;24;05 - 00;15;27;28

Tituba also claims to have seen a cat

with Sarah Goode and describes

00;15;27;28 - 00;15;31;10

the appearance of a tall man

in black clothes and a woman in white

00;15;31;10 - 00;15;32;03

and black hood.

00;15;32;03 - 00;15;35;08

Despite being asked

who is currently tormenting the children,

00;15;35;11 - 00;15;37;15

Tituba pretty much goes.

I don't know. I can't.

00;15;37;15 - 00;15;38;12

I can't tell you that.

00;15;38;12 - 00;15;42;00

Like I'm blind to that information

is what she said specifically.

00;15;42;03 - 00;15;45;24

The hysteria intensified through March

and April:

00;15;45;24 - 00;15;47;27

Accusations and arrest continue to spread.

00;15;47;27 - 00;15;51;03

Prominent figures like Martha Corey,

Rebecca nurse found themselves

00;15;51;03 - 00;15;52;05

accused and imprisoned.

00;15;52;05 - 00;15;55;27

Bridget Bishop was brought in

on the 19th end of April

00;15;55;27 - 00;15;58;18

and when she entered, all the inflicted

girls, you know,

00;15;58;18 - 00;16;00;13

started to cry and convulse.

00;16;00;13 - 00;16;04;18

This is also not her first time with the,

you know, being suspected of witchery.

00;16;04;18 - 00;16;06;01

When her second husband. Yes.

00;16;06;01 - 00;16;07;26

Second of three.

00;16;07;26 - 00;16;09;28

Gosh. Seems like a witch already. No.

00;16;09;28 - 00;16;14;09

But when her second husband died, she was

suspected of killing him by Bewitched.

00;16;14;15 - 00;16;15;10

Isn't that fun?

00;16;15;10 - 00;16;18;10

Now, she was in the sights

of all the weirdos all over again.

00;16;18;10 - 00;16;20;04

I bet she regretted not moving after that.

00;16;20;04 - 00;16;23;28

Bridget Bishop faced accusations in court

with the afflicted, claiming

00;16;23;28 - 00;16;25;09

she had bewitched them.

00;16;25;09 - 00;16;29;24

Asked about the allegations,

he, Raheem Ali, denied knowing that his

00;16;29;26 - 00;16;33;07

accusers or being put in that place

before the afflicted

00;16;33;07 - 00;16;35;17

describe injuries inflicted by her.

00;16;35;17 - 00;16;38;10

A turncoat was presented

as evidence of accusations

00;16;38;10 - 00;16;41;20

of causing her first husband's

death were also raised, which, you know,

00;16;41;22 - 00;16;44;29

she pleaded ignorance despite her

protests of innocence and claims

00;16;44;29 - 00;16;49;24

not understanding the accusations, Core

noted her seemingly bewitching actions.

00;16;49;26 - 00;16;52;03

When confronted with other statements,

she insisted

00;16;52;03 - 00;16;55;02

she knew nothing of consent, confessions

or being a witch.

00;16;55;02 - 00;16;59;08

Court press pressed her on her involvement

with familiar spirits,

00;16;59;14 - 00;17;03;03

but she maintained her innocence, stating

that she did not know what a witch was.

00;17;03;03 - 00;17;05;19

As questioning continue

contradiction has emerged,

00;17;05;19 - 00;17;08;06

leading to the suspicion

about her truthfulness.

00;17;08;06 - 00;17;11;06

Throughout the proceedings,

Bridget Bishop adamantly declared her

00;17;11;06 - 00;17;14;06

innocence, even in the face

of mounting evidence and testimony.

00;17;14;14 - 00;17;17;07

So basically what we have now

is they're throwing

00;17;17;07 - 00;17;20;11

so many questions at her

that she's starting to get confused,

00;17;20;17 - 00;17;24;06

and then they're like,

huh, really interesting.

00;17;24;08 - 00;17;25;05

So yeah.

00;17;25;05 - 00;17;28;08

In response to escalating accusations

of witchcraft, the growing need

00;17;28;08 - 00;17;31;08

for legal intervention,

Governor Governor William Phipps

00;17;31;15 - 00;17;34;28

,:

00;17;34;29 - 00;17;39;22

He formally establishes the court of OYER

and Terminer, a legal body specifically

00;17;39;22 - 00;17;43;14

tasked with hearing and decisions

deciding cases related to witchcraft.

00;17;43;19 - 00;17;45;23

Court marks a significant turning point.

00;17;45;23 - 00;17;49;25

As you know,

this is when it starts to be real official

00;17;49;27 - 00;17;50;15

and it is an

00;17;50;15 - 00;17;53;18

official response with,

you know, to the mounting hysteria,

00;17;53;19 - 00;17;56;22

its creation sets the stage for a series

of trials and legal proceedings

00;17;56;22 - 00;18;00;26

that will shape the fate of many accused

individuals in the months to come.

00;18;00;28 - 00;18;02;14

The court appointed William Sartin,

00;18;02;14 - 00;18;06;15

who was at the ripe young age of 59 to 61,

depending on the sources.

00;18;06;20 - 00;18;10;19

May 29 saw the first death of an accused

wished, albeit one that made sense.

00;18;10;20 - 00;18;12;22

Sarah Osborne died in prison because,

00;18;12;22 - 00;18;16;26

you know, the conditions are terrible

and weirdly enough, everybody lists her

00;18;16;26 - 00;18;21;08

as being like super elderly,

like I'm picturing this ancient lady.

00;18;21;09 - 00;18;24;21

But then all of them also say

she was like around 49,

00;18;24;23 - 00;18;26;25

which I guess 49 in

those times was different.

00;18;26;25 - 00;18;30;08

But like, you know, she she's probably

malnourished in the prison and,

00;18;30;08 - 00;18;33;13

you know, because she was poor

as well as just being in prison.

00;18;33;14 - 00;18;35;20

But, you know, she's elderly.

Then what does that make?

00;18;35;20 - 00;18;36;18

You know, judge done

00;18;36;18 - 00;18;40;22

ancient like the court of OYER

and Terminer was off and cooking.

00;18;40;22 - 00;18;44;10

But Nathaniel Saltonstall, a respected

judge over the OYER interminable

00;18;44;17 - 00;18;47;13

panel, expressed his displeasure

with the trial's direction,

00;18;47;13 - 00;18;50;05

ultimately walking away from the process.

00;18;50;05 - 00;18;52;16

Despite his disapproval,

the trial continued,

00;18;52;16 - 00;18;55;04

leading to Bridget Bishop's execution

on June 10th.

00;18;55;04 - 00;18;59;13

Absence of key judges,

including Hawthorne, Corwin and Gidney,

00;18;59;13 - 00;19;03;18

raising raised criticism for their failure

to witness the consequence

00;19;03;21 - 00;19;04;15

of their actions.

00;19;04;15 - 00;19;07;15

Minister John Hale was present

for Bridget's final moments,

00;19;07;18 - 00;19;09;07

offering prayer and benediction.

00;19;09;07 - 00;19;11;10

George Corwin led Bridget to the

00;19;11;10 - 00;19;15;02

execution platform where he tied her hands

and secured the noose.

00;19;15;02 - 00;19;17;20

Crowd of onlookers

had very mixed reactions,

00;19;17;20 - 00;19;20;27

some shocked, others

disgusted by the accusations themselves.

00;19;21;04 - 00;19;21;11

Think.

00;19;21;11 - 00;19;24;11

One positive note

is that suppose a victim were present

00;19;24;11 - 00;19;27;23

and you know, the ultimate response

to their accusations came as Bridget

00;19;27;23 - 00;19;31;04

was hanged

and left to be displayed for days After.

00;19;31;04 - 00;19;33;00

Six days later, another death occurred.

00;19;33;00 - 00;19;36;00

Although this one, another prison death,

Roger to the Ger

00;19;36;02 - 00;19;39;25

farmer Dowling healer died in prison

while awaiting trial.

00;19;39;26 - 00;19;41;10

I can see why he was there.

00;19;41;10 - 00;19;46;05

Irony was not lost on old Robert

because he was allegedly a person

00;19;46;05 - 00;19;49;02

who could find witches beforehand,

like before the trials started.

00;19;49;02 - 00;19;53;01

He, you know, who better to find a witch

than a witch themselves, right?

00;19;53;02 - 00;19;56;07

He also told people that his daughter

was taught by him and she Hunter

00;19;56;08 - 00;19;57;18

didn't even kill the witch.

00;19;57;18 - 00;19;59;12

And the end of the month

brought the biggest sweeping

00;19;59;12 - 00;20;01;00

new allegations with indictments

00;20;01;00 - 00;20;05;10

against Sarah Goode, who had been accused

but not tried yet.

00;20;05;11 - 00;20;07;21

And Rebecca Nurse Elizabeth Howe,

00;20;07;21 - 00;20;11;12

Susanna martin,

John and Elizabeth Proctor, Dorcas Hore.

00;20;11;14 - 00;20;12;18

Dorcas Hore.

00;20;12;18 - 00;20;13;07

I don't know.

00;20;13;07 - 00;20;14;26

I don't h.O.H.

00;20;14;26 - 00;20;17;26

Are Sarah Wilds,

Martha Carrier and Rebecca nurse have been

00;20;17;26 - 00;20;20;26

in jail already,

you know, for being accused earlier on

00;20;21;02 - 00;20;24;11

but were brought with new accusations

when Mercy Lewis identified them

00;20;24;11 - 00;20;27;21

as being the source of new ailments

stricken on the put them children.

00;20;27;21 - 00;20;28;20

Adding to the confusion

00;20;28;20 - 00;20;31;20

or adding confusion to this

was the fact that Judge Scott and believe

00;20;31;26 - 00;20;35;21

believe that any person that the children

described as being actors in their peril,

00;20;35;29 - 00;20;39;16

other magistrates were concerned

with the fact that the devil had power

00;20;39;16 - 00;20;42;24

to betray others and thus innocent people

could be convicted.

00;20;42;24 - 00;20;43;07

As that is

00;20;43;07 - 00;20;47;02

layer confusion and stress to honor

a confusing and stressful moment in time.

00;20;47;02 - 00;20;50;27

Rebecca Nurse, a revered member

of the Salem Village Church,

00;20;50;29 - 00;20;53;19

faced a dark fate

as her life became entangled in the web

00;20;53;19 - 00;20;56;14

of the invisible evidence

during the Salem Witch trials.

00;20;56;14 - 00;21;00;06

Despite her respected status,

the ominous cloud of accusations

00;21;00;06 - 00;21;04;13

cast a shadow, plunging her into the realm

of uncertainty and darkness.

00;21;04;13 - 00;21;07;20

The trial started as witch

fanfare can also be seen as property

00;21;07;20 - 00;21;10;20

disputes,

which had roots and deeper conflicts,

00;21;10;24 - 00;21;14;16

including longstanding feuds

between the porters and the Putnam's

00;21;14;17 - 00;21;17;19

Rebecca nurse,

who had married into Salem Town family,

00;21;17;25 - 00;21;21;06

found herself in the crossfire due

to her association with the wealthier.

00;21;21;06 - 00;21;25;06

Porter's dispute over property lines

exacerbated tensions and a decades

00;21;25;06 - 00;21;28;06

long conflicts between those families

reached a boiling point

00;21;28;08 - 00;21;30;03

as accusations of witchcraft spread.

00;21;30;03 - 00;21;33;15

Rebecca Nurse, an elderly woman

in her seventies, found herself accused

00;21;33;21 - 00;21;37;24

despite her upstanding reputation

and contributions to the local church.

00;21;38;00 - 00;21;42;07

Two additional factors contributed

to the accusations against Rebecca Nurse.

00;21;42;07 - 00;21;45;15

Firstly, she was a member of the Salem

Town Church, not subjected

00;21;45;15 - 00;21;49;01

to the strict requirements of the Salem

Village Church, causing resentment.

00;21;49;07 - 00;21;52;18

Secondly, her compassionate

act of taking in an orphaned Quaker child

00;21;52;18 - 00;21;55;19

stirred suspicion

among those who viewed any deviation

00;21;55;19 - 00;21;58;24

from peers in Christianity

as a manifestation of evil.

00;21;58;24 - 00;22;02;05

How dare you rescue this infant

00;22;02;07 - 00;22;05;14

or not an

infant, a child, but still orphaned child?

00;22;05;16 - 00;22;07;14

Anyway, they just wanted a Quaker Batman.

00;22;07;14 - 00;22;10;26

I think Rebecca's husband, Francis,

added another layer to the conflict

00;22;10;26 - 00;22;12;12

by being part of the committee attempting

00;22;12;12 - 00;22;15;18

to remove Reverend Parris

from his role as village minister.

00;22;15;18 - 00;22;17;07

The complexity of her situation

00;22;17;07 - 00;22;20;08

showcased the deep seated division

within the community.

00;22;20;08 - 00;22;23;29

However, Rebecca nurses families

seasoned in dealing with adversity

00;22;24;01 - 00;22;25;29

possess connections and resilience.

00;22;25;29 - 00;22;29;26

Yet as the witch trials unfolded,

even their experience would be tested.

00;22;29;28 - 00;22;33;09

Rebecca would need every ounce of support

to navigate the challenging weeks

00;22;33;09 - 00;22;33;29

that lay ahead.

00;22;33;29 - 00;22;36;19

Many people had gone

on the offensive of Rebecca.

00;22;36;19 - 00;22;37;03

Thanks.

00;22;37;03 - 00;22;41;09

Thanks to a lot of the disagreements

between her and the others in Salem and,

00;22;41;10 - 00;22;42;22

you know, the Puritans in general.

00;22;42;22 - 00;22;46;17

Reverend Parris had not been sneaky

in his condemnation of actions

00;22;46;17 - 00;22;49;02

similar

to those of Rebecca in his sermons,

00;22;49;02 - 00;22;51;17

because as this is going

on, this isn't the only thing.

00;22;51;17 - 00;22;53;04

There's still church going on.

00;22;53;04 - 00;22;54;21

People are still doing normal stuff.

00;22;54;21 - 00;22;58;09

So in the months leading up to her trial,

he had portrayed the workings of evil

00;22;58;09 - 00;23;02;12

in their town and embellishment

on the facts of and in an effort

00;23;02;12 - 00;23;06;03

to point to the evil in their extreme,

you know, in their midst.

00;23;06;04 - 00;23;08;20

The judges anticipated

Rebecca nurse's compliance

00;23;08;20 - 00;23;11;02

in the lawyer and terminal trial,

but it backfired.

00;23;11;02 - 00;23;14;08

Rebecca's family mounted a robust defense,

presenting character

00;23;14;08 - 00;23;18;02

witnesses with stories that cast doubt

on the afflicted girl's testimony.

00;23;18;02 - 00;23;21;17

Elizabeth Hubbard, a key accuser,

faced challenges to her credibility

00;23;21;17 - 00;23;24;27

with instances

suggesting deception and exaggeration.

00;23;24;27 - 00;23;26;12

Rebecca's daughter, Sarah Nurse,

00;23;26;12 - 00;23;30;07

testified against an accuser

exposing what she deemed a source.

00;23;30;07 - 00;23;33;14

Even surprising, Allies

John and Rebecca Putnam stood up for

00;23;33;14 - 00;23;36;16

Rebecca nurse challenging accusations

related to their daughter's death.

00;23;36;16 - 00;23;37;23

Despite their efforts,

00;23;37;23 - 00;23;41;07

despite these efforts, the jury

initially declared Rebecca not guilty,

00;23;41;15 - 00;23;46;00

causing the courthouse, you know, causing

chaos in the courthouse, however.

00;23;46;01 - 00;23;49;15

Well, Judge Staton intervened,

pointing out testimony, contradictions,

00;23;49;15 - 00;23;50;10

and the jury sought

00;23;50;10 - 00;23;54;11

clarification for Rebecca, who being deaf

couldn't respond effectively.

00;23;54;11 - 00;24;00;04

So the jurors reversed their decision

finding Rebecca nurse guilty, marking

00;24;00;07 - 00;24;03;01

the end of her pretty much following

Rebecca's trial, the court

00;24;03;01 - 00;24;06;27

proceeded with other cases in Sarah,

including Sarah Goode and Susanna Martens.

00;24;06;27 - 00;24;11;29

Sara Good's trial lacked the support of

fervor and witnesses in Rebecca's defense.

00;24;11;29 - 00;24;16;01

Tygerberg, The Perry's household

slave from earlier testified against Sara

00;24;16;01 - 00;24;19;03

Goode, providing a narrative consistent

with her earlier statements.

00;24;19;03 - 00;24;22;24

Sara Goode was found guilty

on all three counts of witchcraft.

00;24;22;24 - 00;24;25;24

Cynthia Martin,

an elderly widow from Amesbury.

00;24;25;27 - 00;24;27;08

Are you sensing a pattern yet?

00;24;27;08 - 00;24;29;03

Face a grim reception in the courtroom?

00;24;29;03 - 00;24;29;23

Flicker Girls

00;24;29;23 - 00;24;33;24

reacted strongly to her presence

with some even supposedly vomiting blood.

00;24;33;26 - 00;24;35;29

This is a theme

that we're going to get into where,

00;24;35;29 - 00;24;39;15

you know, the afflicted would react

in wild manners when the accused

00;24;39;15 - 00;24;42;21

were brought in the courtroom,

although they knew they were coming in.

00;24;42;21 - 00;24;45;04

So it's not like, oh, man, I'm surprised.

00;24;45;04 - 00;24;46;24

Like they knew they were breaking in.

00;24;46;24 - 00;24;48;19

So and oh, and they're like, okay.

00;24;48;19 - 00;24;52;07

And then as soon as they came

in, there are some interesting overlapping

00;24;52;07 - 00;24;56;00

going on, in my opinion,

from the Experience Experiments episode.

00;24;56;01 - 00;24;56;15

You know,

00;24;56;15 - 00;24;59;21

tell me that some of these people weren't

being influenced by authority figures

00;24;59;21 - 00;25;00;16

in these moments.

00;25;00;16 - 00;25;04;14

Even if anyone had bewitched anyone else,

they were conflicting stories

00;25;04;14 - 00;25;07;29

and evidence to the contrary,

and it was just blatantly ignored.

00;25;07;29 - 00;25;12;24

th,:

for Sarah Goode, Rebecca Nurse

00;25;12;24 - 00;25;17;04

Susanna martin, Elizabeth Howe

and Sarah Wildes face their final moments.

00;25;17;04 - 00;25;18;14

Atmosphere was charged

00;25;18;14 - 00;25;22;16

with tension and fear as these individuals

were led to the gallows for execution

00;25;22;16 - 00;25;27;08

by hanging their confessions, all applied

under duress and convicted and convicted.

00;25;27;14 - 00;25;28;17

After these, you know,

00;25;28;17 - 00;25;32;08

dubious trials, things got more heated

following those executions.

00;25;32;11 - 00;25;36;21

Enter and Foster and Foster,

a frail willed widow in her seventies,

00;25;36;24 - 00;25;40;01

found herself entangled

in the web of accusations as well.

00;25;40;03 - 00;25;43;04

The troubles for the foster family began

with a horrifying murder.

00;25;43;04 - 00;25;46;27

Four years prior, Anne's daughter,

Hannah, pregnant with her eighth child,

00;25;46;27 - 00;25;50;19

was brutally murdered by her husband,

Hugh Stone, in the middle of town,

00;25;50;22 - 00;25;52;06

Stone executed for the crime.

00;25;52;06 - 00;25;53;26

Blame the foster family,

00;25;53;26 - 00;25;57;17

saying that Hannah's contentious nature

led him to commit the heinous act.

00;25;57;17 - 00;26;01;24

And Foster's world continued

as her teenage granddaughter, Marci Lacey

00;26;02;01 - 00;26;05;22

or Mary Lacey,

ran away from ran away from home,

00;26;05;23 - 00;26;08;27

further fueling the perception

that the family was wild and unruly.

00;26;08;27 - 00;26;09;27

When Timothy Swan,

00;26;09;27 - 00;26;13;24

an outsider tainted with tainted past

accuse and foster witchcraft,

00;26;14;00 - 00;26;17;16

the rumors gained enough traction

land her before the magistrates in Salem.

00;26;17;21 - 00;26;21;27

Physically frail and unable to walk

and was carted to town for examination.

00;26;21;29 - 00;26;26;16

The line between examination and trial

blurred as in the minds of the community,

00;26;26;18 - 00;26;30;20

a ray of hope emerged in the arrival

of John Higgins Higginson Junior,

00;26;30;22 - 00;26;35;08

a newcomer to the magistrates teams known

for his logical and cautious approach.

00;26;35;08 - 00;26;38;21

However, they and Foster took

an unexpected turn by confessing

00;26;38;21 - 00;26;39;25

to be a witch Right away.

00;26;39;25 - 00;26;43;15

She described encounters

with the devil in the form of a colorful

00;26;43;15 - 00;26;46;27

bird, echoing imagery used by Tituba,

the pair of slave.

00;26;46;27 - 00;26;49;19

In her confession,

Foster implicated Martha Carriere,

00;26;49;19 - 00;26;52;19

claiming that she had been trained

by Carriere for six years,

00;26;52;25 - 00;26;54;13

over three days of examinations.

00;26;54;13 - 00;26;58;15

And Foster confessed to attending

witch meetings and flying on wooden sticks

00;26;58;15 - 00;27;02;05

with other witches, including Martha

Carriere and the minister George Burrows.

00;27;02;05 - 00;27;05;04

The accusations led to vivid descriptions

and nicknames

00;27;05;04 - 00;27;08;11

such as King and Queen of Hell

for Carriere and Burrows.

00;27;08;14 - 00;27;12;13

Situation become more complex as Foster

portrayed herself in the stereotypical

00;27;12;13 - 00;27;16;24

image of a witch old woman riding through

the night sky on a wooden broomstick.

00;27;16;26 - 00;27;21;20

Meanwhile, Mercy Lewis and Elizabeth

Hubbard concluded their own witch

00;27;21;20 - 00;27;24;20

finding investigation in and over

Joseph Ballard

00;27;24;20 - 00;27;27;09

seeking a cure for his wife's illness,

traveled to Salem

00;27;27;09 - 00;27;30;09

to file a complaint against and Foster

and her daughter,

00;27;30;12 - 00;27;34;16

Marci Lacey, Senior,

and her granddaughter, Marci Lacey, Jr.

00;27;34;21 - 00;27;35;08

That's right.

00;27;35;08 - 00;27;39;06

Lady Senior and Junior said, I didn't know

that was a thing, but it makes sense,

00;27;39;06 - 00;27;39;21

I suppose.

00;27;39;21 - 00;27;42;18

There's also this other big introduction

of confessions.

00;27;42;18 - 00;27;46;06

Yes, there were a few confessions

like the one made by Tituba,

00;27;46;08 - 00;27;48;25

but these were like

detailed, full of creativity.

00;27;48;25 - 00;27;51;18

This also coincides with the fact

that when you confessed,

00;27;51;18 - 00;27;54;19

it seemed that you live

you know, Tituba testified against

00;27;54;19 - 00;27;57;25

Sarah Good at the beginning of the trial

before anything even happened.

00;27;57;28 - 00;28;02;05

And Bridget Bishop, on the other hand,

screamed her innocence until she,

00;28;02;06 - 00;28;03;15

you know, her throat was snap.

00;28;03;15 - 00;28;06;06

So you know, there was something to it

in their in their heads.

00;28;06;06 - 00;28;11;02

They also started to confess to like

about people who had already been hanged,

00;28;11;05 - 00;28;14;16

which points towards the benevolent

act of the accusation like, yes,

00;28;14;16 - 00;28;16;21

I'm a witch

and you know who else was a witch?

00;28;16;21 - 00;28;18;22

Sarah Goode. Like,

she definitely was a witch.

00;28;18;22 - 00;28;22;13

And she's already dead right now

and specifically was accusing people

00;28;22;13 - 00;28;24;27

that she trusted her

children and grandchildren,

00;28;24;27 - 00;28;28;03

which could be seen as a way to line

stories up and maintain their lives.

00;28;28;08 - 00;28;30;18

Their stories were lining up

when they interviewed

00;28;30;18 - 00;28;32;07

when they were interviewed separately,

00;28;32;07 - 00;28;34;04

which made the authorities

believe they spoke the truth.

00;28;34;04 - 00;28;37;16

But in reality,

they were being held in the same question

00;28;37;17 - 00;28;39;15

or in the same prisons

00;28;39;15 - 00;28;42;13

and then led to the answers

of the questions

00;28;42;13 - 00;28;45;25

by the authorities, like they were leading

the witnesses, essentially.

00;28;45;25 - 00;28;46;14

So at night

00;28;46;14 - 00;28;49;26

they could call, you know, corroborate

everything, make it easier on themselves.

00;28;49;26 - 00;28;53;06

Now, Burrows, that she mentioned, he's

fascinating on his own right.

00;28;53;08 - 00;28;54;17

The so-called king of hell.

00;28;54;17 - 00;28;57;22

He was one of a few failed ministers

in Salem Village

00;28;57;22 - 00;29;00;27

that I mentioned earlier,

only 12 years prior to the trials.

00;29;00;27 - 00;29;05;07

He was a he was the the village minister

for a couple of years.

00;29;05;07 - 00;29;07;21

However, his peculiarities set him apart.

00;29;07;21 - 00;29;12;26

He lacked formal ordination and he had a

Harvard education, big, fancy man.

00;29;12;28 - 00;29;15;15

But he's also surrounded

by a bunch of different rumors.

00;29;15;15 - 00;29;19;23

You know, his relationships, particularly

with his wives, are shrouded in mystery.

00;29;19;23 - 00;29;22;23

But there's hints of brutality

and controlling behavior.

00;29;22;29 - 00;29;26;10

Accusations suggest that

he either beat him or, you know, was just

00;29;26;10 - 00;29;30;13

super controlling his insistence on them,

keeping his secrets raised, questions

00;29;30;13 - 00;29;33;26

about the nature of these hidden truths

as Burrow's face of trial.

00;29;33;26 - 00;29;37;22

In August 5th, the courtroom abuzz with

anticipation, drawing a sizable crowd.

00;29;37;22 - 00;29;39;19

Today, ministers from all along

00;29;39;19 - 00;29;42;19

the coast gathered to witness

a fellow minister burgh stand trial.

00;29;42;19 - 00;29;44;03

Their motives were uncertain.

00;29;44;03 - 00;29;47;03

Silence supporters sense of vulnerability

for their own safety.

00;29;47;10 - 00;29;47;26

Who knows?

00;29;47;26 - 00;29;51;17

Considering the Massachusetts authorities

reduce protection for communities

00;29;51;19 - 00;29;53;06

burrows supernatural strength

00;29;53;06 - 00;29;57;02

and cunning were debated,

you know, derived from exaggerated tales

00;29;57;02 - 00;30;01;11

of the Native American insult in Maine,

which he was part of the defense.

00;30;01;11 - 00;30;03;20

Despite his courtroom strategy,

the trial's chaos

00;30;03;20 - 00;30;07;19

painted him as a trickster,

reinforcing his king of Hell reputation.

00;30;07;19 - 00;30;10;05

Witnesses

accused him of tormenting leading witch,

00;30;10;05 - 00;30;13;05

which covens and plotting against appeared

as an experiment.

00;30;13;05 - 00;30;15;23

Some even witness specters

flying about the courtroom.

00;30;15;23 - 00;30;19;18

While more fits emanated from victims,

one girl supposedly saw

00;30;19;18 - 00;30;22;26

the bloody faces of George's wives,

whom it was supposed

00;30;22;26 - 00;30;26;11

that he beat was now essentially

being accused of killing them.

00;30;26;11 - 00;30;27;00

Burrows fought

00;30;27;00 - 00;30;30;20

fiercely, though, using his impressive

intellect and Harvard education.

00;30;30;20 - 00;30;34;01

He even quoted a man who wrote

about the dispelling of witches.

00;30;34;01 - 00;30;38;14

That is an excuse for shoddy physicians,

but like others, succumbed

00;30;38;14 - 00;30;39;22

to the convictions.

00;30;39;22 - 00;30;42;10

Even the gathered ministers left

believing in his guilt.

00;30;42;10 - 00;30;46;10

Burrows and others, including Elizabeth

Proctor, were sentenced to hang by death

00;30;46;10 - 00;30;50;04

as execution date neared

and earthquake of Jamaica was reported.

00;30;50;04 - 00;30;53;18

And, you know,

kind of the news circulated back to Salem

00;30;53;18 - 00;30;57;18

and they were like, Oh, man,

can you believe that earth shaking?

00;30;57;20 - 00;30;58;11

And this is,

00;30;58;11 - 00;31;01;29

you know, perceived as retaliation

for attacking the king and queen of hell.

00;31;02;01 - 00;31;05;22

Burrows recited the Lord's Prayer,

which created a moment of doubt.

00;31;05;22 - 00;31;09;07

But it you know, while he was being Hank,

like as they were tying

00;31;09;07 - 00;31;13;04

the noose around his neck,

he was saying reciting the Lord's Prayer,

00;31;13;04 - 00;31;15;01

but it couldn't alter,

you know, his inevitable,

00;31;15;01 - 00;31;16;26

say, the way to to him and the others.

00;31;16;26 - 00;31;20;02

Execution signaled the indiscriminate fury

of the witchcraft

00;31;20;02 - 00;31;24;01

trials fueled by fear, panic

and religious conviction, leaving state,

00;31;24;04 - 00;31;28;05

leaving Salem with a stark realization

anyone could be the next target.

00;31;28;05 - 00;31;31;08

On the 19th of August,

another swath of accusers

00;31;31;08 - 00;31;33;24

led to the gallows

George Burroughs, Martha Carrier, George

00;31;33;24 - 00;31;36;25

Jacobs, John Proctor,

John Willard all marched to swing.

00;31;36;25 - 00;31;40;17

You may notice the lack of one name

that I had mentioned Elizabeth Proctor.

00;31;40;17 - 00;31;44;10

Actually, she pleaded her belly, similar

to what Mary Reed and Anne Bonny did

00;31;44;10 - 00;31;45;19

in the second Pirates episode.

00;31;45;19 - 00;31;46;22

I did have so three,

00;31;46;22 - 00;31;48;26

if you curious, Elizabeth

escaped the gallows,

00;31;48;26 - 00;31;53;05

but the same could not be said about her

husband, despite the numerous attempts

00;31;53;05 - 00;31;56;07

at petitioning,

even amassing 51 total signatures

00;31;56;07 - 00;31;59;06

from two different petitions

from many well-to-do people.

00;31;59;13 - 00;32;02;15

I should mention,

if you haven't was in the episode,

00;32;02;18 - 00;32;04;16

Pleading

your belly just means you're pregnant

00;32;04;16 - 00;32;07;05

so they wouldn't kill you

because they'd killed the baby. Right?

00;32;07;05 - 00;32;08;14

So that's that's what that meant.

00;32;08;14 - 00;32;11;14

Anyway, George Burroughs,

like I said, wants a rope, was pressed,

00;32;11;19 - 00;32;14;07

placed around his neck, began

to recite the Lord's Prayer.

00;32;14;07 - 00;32;17;27

The crowd was confused, you know,

commotion stirred before the gallows,

00;32;18;00 - 00;32;19;19

before the group were all hanged.

00;32;19;19 - 00;32;22;22

Cotton Mather, one of the leads

in the cause to save the village

00;32;22;22 - 00;32;26;07

from the witches, stated

This was just a trick of the devil.

00;32;26;09 - 00;32;28;06

Only the devil could allow

one of his servants

00;32;28;06 - 00;32;30;24

to break the rule that these freaks

decided was a thing.

00;32;30;24 - 00;32;34;09

Witches and people of the devil's nature

were thought to not be able to recite

00;32;34;09 - 00;32;38;09

the Lord's Prayer until now, I guess

all five executed

00;32;38;11 - 00;32;42;11

to add to the growing number 11 people

having met their end in the kangaroo,

00;32;42;12 - 00;32;46;06

which trial the next day, 20th,

the next day of the 20th of August,

00;32;46;06 - 00;32;50;03

Margaret Jacobs recanted her testimony,

which, you know, led to the death of her

00;32;50;03 - 00;32;53;03

grandfather,

George Jacobs and John Burrows

00;32;53;09 - 00;32;56;06

and Burrows as well, guessing the guilt

of seeing the swinging bodies

00;32;56;06 - 00;32;57;08

had something to do with it.

00;32;57;08 - 00;33;00;16

The most gruesome and memorable

part of the story comes next.

00;33;00;16 - 00;33;02;09

At least most memorable for me.

00;33;02;09 - 00;33;06;20

Things have been quiet for a mid-August

into September, but the ninth month

00;33;06;20 - 00;33;10;14

brought more insanity on September 9th

because only cool things

00;33;10;14 - 00;33;11;14

happened on the eighth.

00;33;11;14 - 00;33;13;18

Six more people are entered

into the trials.

00;33;13;18 - 00;33;17;25

Martha Corey, Barry, Eesti,

Alice Parker and Ampitheater, Dorcas

00;33;17;25 - 00;33;22;19

Haw and, uh, and Mary Bradbury

are all sentenced to hang for.

00;33;22;19 - 00;33;25;18

This group was set to hang something.

Some things happened.

00;33;25;18 - 00;33;29;21

Martha Corey was targeted for a multiple

few multiple reasons, namely

00;33;29;22 - 00;33;33;23

multiple husbands and a child

out of wedlock who was also of mixed race.

00;33;33;23 - 00;33;38;00

And also when Giles, her husband,

accidentally revealed the details

00;33;38;00 - 00;33;42;03

of how she read strange books

she could read Burn the Witch.

00;33;42;03 - 00;33;46;26

Another piece was that Giles attempted to

attend an earlier examination of witches.

00;33;47;04 - 00;33;50;12

She had removed his saddle from the horses

so he couldn't leave.

00;33;50;12 - 00;33;53;03

This act was seen as her attempting

to hide the truth.

00;33;53;03 - 00;33;57;08

Another bit was that when a few locals

in early March were trying to suss out

00;33;57;08 - 00;34;02;29

some suspects and put them, told them

that Martha was one of the was the one.

00;34;02;29 - 00;34;05;12

So they asked her what she wore.

00;34;05;12 - 00;34;09;06

Like they asked and what Martha

was wearing when she tormented her.

00;34;09;06 - 00;34;10;10

So they visited her

00;34;10;10 - 00;34;14;10

only to be greeted by Martha stating,

I know where you're coming for.

00;34;14;12 - 00;34;16;15

You're coming to talk with me

about being a witch.

00;34;16;15 - 00;34;19;27

And and when told that

and Putnam told the two men,

00;34;19;27 - 00;34;23;03

she said,

Does she tell you what clothes I have on?

00;34;23;05 - 00;34;25;04

Which probably blew their minds, right.

00;34;25;04 - 00;34;27;10

With how dumb everybody in

this story seems to be.

00;34;27;10 - 00;34;31;07

Definitely no possibility of anyone

finding anything out elsewhere,

00;34;31;09 - 00;34;34;15

like despite being a witch.

00;34;34;17 - 00;34;36;12

Novalee Nobody, like, just rumor

00;34;36;12 - 00;34;39;15

milling, like, Hey, I think they're going

to come down to the courthouse.

00;34;39;16 - 00;34;41;22

Keep in mind, she's 72 at this point.

00;34;41;22 - 00;34;44;27

Around about 72,

she has little time for games of children.

00;34;44;27 - 00;34;49;13

You know, she might as well be an ancient

and:

00;34;49;16 - 00;34;53;14

So she was arrested on March 19th,

finally being tried on September 9th.

00;34;53;18 - 00;34;56;08

Giles had given testimony

that went against his wife.

00;34;56;08 - 00;34;59;09

But, you know, looking at some of it,

it kind of seems like they were going

00;34;59;09 - 00;35;03;26

to take his word against her regardless of

if he supported her or not.

00;35;03;26 - 00;35;07;00

So when he had a realization

of what his words had done,

00;35;07;00 - 00;35;09;12

Giles attempted

to recant the so-called confession.

00;35;09;12 - 00;35;12;01

This only brought further suspicion

upon him.

00;35;12;01 - 00;35;16;27

82 year old farmer with a checkered past

is well, see, Giles was a farmer's farmer.

00;35;17;00 - 00;35;22;05

Rough, rough, spoke from the gut, did

not take to this Puritan style very well.

00;35;22;06 - 00;35;25;11

He swore he was aggressive

and he was even convicted

00;35;25;11 - 00;35;28;17

of murdering a man whom he beat to death

and was only given a fine.

00;35;28;17 - 00;35;32;07

The pay man was one of his farmhands

who said was even was,

00;35;32;12 - 00;35;33;26

you know, on the dimwitted side.

00;35;33;26 - 00;35;35;23

So not a good look for Giles Wright.

00;35;35;23 - 00;35;39;17

Soon after accusations began to be pushed

towards him, Giles was arrested

00;35;39;19 - 00;35;41;17

after almost a month after his wife.

00;35;41;17 - 00;35;44;27

So he sat in prison day

in, day out until September as well.

00;35;44;27 - 00;35;48;14

And the only solace he probably had

was that he was in prison with his wife.

00;35;48;14 - 00;35;50;09

When his turn to be put on trial arrived,

00;35;50;09 - 00;35;52;15

he was brought in

and asked to enter a plea.

00;35;52;15 - 00;35;53;21

He said not guilty.

00;35;53;21 - 00;35;54;00

And then

00;35;54;00 - 00;35;58;01

he also refused to be put to the court,

which is essentially taking the stand.

00;35;58;02 - 00;36;03;05

Giles had not made it to 82 in the 17th

century by being an idiot or an observant.

00;36;03;05 - 00;36;06;09

He saw what was going down

and on the court of September 9th

00;36;06;09 - 00;36;09;22

and realized that all these people

who accuse him were all

00;36;09;25 - 00;36;12;23

involved in that trial

and he had no way of getting out.

00;36;12;23 - 00;36;14;27

He couldn't petition

like the burrows or the proctors.

00;36;14;27 - 00;36;18;29

He didn't have the connections

like some of the others who, uh, to escape

00;36;18;29 - 00;36;20;01

and live a fruitful life.

00;36;20;01 - 00;36;23;05

He had one decision and that was to go out

on his own terms and not there.

00;36;23;09 - 00;36;26;22

So when he was charged with the standing

mute, an order was given.

00;36;26;22 - 00;36;30;19

Giles was to be pressed until he spoke

or parish, whichever occurred sooner.

00;36;30;19 - 00;36;31;26

Something interesting to note.

00;36;31;26 - 00;36;35;03

But pressing was illegal in Massachusetts

at the time by a government order.

00;36;35;03 - 00;36;37;24

But that didn't stop the circus

from doing it anyway.

00;36;37;24 - 00;36;41;05

In a dramatic turn of events

the day preceding Giles, Corey,

00;36;41;05 - 00;36;44;16

scheduled punishment brought about

significant and somber development.

00;36;44;16 - 00;36;48;19

The Salem Town Church, in response to

Corey's steadfast refusal to stand trial

00;36;48;25 - 00;36;52;17

and made the grave decision

to excommunicated the ecclesiastical act,

00;36;52;17 - 00;36;56;26

severed him from religious community,

intensifying the isolation he experienced

00;36;56;26 - 00;37;00;11

as a result of his principled stand

against the proceeding.

00;37;00;11 - 00;37;03;23

So basically, you're not going to have

an editor in his eyes, right?

00;37;03;23 - 00;37;05;29

Like because that's what they felt it was.

00;37;05;29 - 00;37;08;18

You know, you are excommunicated,

you're done.

00;37;08;18 - 00;37;10;06

Despite the weighty consequences

00;37;10;06 - 00;37;13;22

of excommunication, Corey

remained unyielding in his resolve.

00;37;13;22 - 00;37;17;27

Efforts to persuade him to reconsider

his stance proved futile, underscored

00;37;17;27 - 00;37;21;18

the depth of his, you know, commitment

and defiance in the face of the witchcraft

00;37;21;18 - 00;37;25;10

trials on September 17th or 18th,

one of the two,

00;37;25;12 - 00;37;29;10

Corey was led to an open pasture

with a chilling practice of Penny Forte.

00;37;29;11 - 00;37;30;22

Adore awaited him.

00;37;30;22 - 00;37;32;10

This barbaric form of torture involved

00;37;32;10 - 00;37;36;02

placing a person on the ground

covering their body with slap boards,

00;37;36;04 - 00;37;39;22

which would form a makeshift

platform across their body.

00;37;39;22 - 00;37;42;10

And then heavy stones

were systematically added,

00;37;42;10 - 00;37;45;19

imposing excruciating pressure

on the individual's chest in court.

00;37;45;19 - 00;37;46;02

His case.

00;37;46;02 - 00;37;46;20

This ordeal

00;37;46;20 - 00;37;49;20

unfolded, like I said, in an open field,

accentuating

00;37;49;20 - 00;37;51;02

the brutality of the punishment.

00;37;51;02 - 00;37;53;05

Physical toll of the stones

pressing down on his chest

00;37;53;05 - 00;37;56;14

was immense, yet

remarkably, Corey remained resolute.

00;37;56;15 - 00;37;59;18

His refusal to confess,

despite the excruciating pain,

00;37;59;18 - 00;38;02;14

spoke volumes

about his unwavering determination

00;38;02;14 - 00;38;05;11

and commitment to his principles,

even in the face of one of the most

00;38;05;11 - 00;38;06;16

brutal forms of torture.

00;38;06;16 - 00;38;10;10

Corman maintained his innocence

in a poignant and a powerful moment

00;38;10;10 - 00;38;13;11

as a strength waned and his life

hung in the balance, Corey

00;38;13;11 - 00;38;16;14

managed to muster the energy

for final act of defiance.

00;38;16;14 - 00;38;17;03

When Sheriff

00;38;17;03 - 00;38;21;02

Corwin repeatedly asked confession, Giles

remained silent over two days.

00;38;21;02 - 00;38;23;15

This happened

slowly adding more weight to the platform.

00;38;23;15 - 00;38;25;23

Giles refusing to confess.

00;38;25;23 - 00;38;28;27

His face was bloodshot, his tongue

practically forced from his body.

00;38;28;27 - 00;38;31;06

And this was the most metal moment

in history.

00;38;31;06 - 00;38;33;26

The smug sheriff kneeling

beside the tortured 82 year

00;38;33;26 - 00;38;37;06

old farmer offering freedom

and a reprieve from all the pressure.

00;38;37;09 - 00;38;40;22

If all he did was confess, Giles

struggled to form the words,

00;38;40;22 - 00;38;44;10

but when he did,

all he said was more weight.

00;38;44;13 - 00;38;45;24

That me Goosebumps.

00;38;45;24 - 00;38;47;20

That's so hardcore like this.

00;38;47;20 - 00;38;50;20

Sheriff probably did not expect him

to live as long as he did.

00;38;50;25 - 00;38;54;07

But the hardened 17th century farmer,

you know, just kept living

00;38;54;07 - 00;38;58;08

just a stout do with the most,

you know, old man strength imaginable.

00;38;58;10 - 00;39;02;11

So he just keeps living, keeps being

alive, and then insults the whole process.

00;39;02;11 - 00;39;04;18

What he said he wants more weight

instead of freedom.

00;39;04;18 - 00;39;08;09

Respect to Giles, to the execution

of Giles Clare by pressing marks

00;39;08;09 - 00;39;11;22

a grim milestone in the history

of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

00;39;11;22 - 00;39;15;15

It served as the first and last instance

of such brutal form

00;39;15;15 - 00;39;19;05

of punishment slash

execution in the region.

00;39;19;07 - 00;39;23;29

It is technically listed as an execution,

but it was not supposed to be at first

00;39;23;29 - 00;39;27;05

like they literally

just wanted him to talk cause resilience

00;39;27;05 - 00;39;29;09

and unwavering commitment

to his principles,

00;39;29;09 - 00;39;32;05

even in the face of torture

and death, left a lasting impression

00;39;32;05 - 00;39;35;27

on the collective memory of the witch

trials, symbolizing the courage of those

00;39;35;27 - 00;39;39;09

who refused to yield

to the unfounded accusations at the time.

00;39;39;11 - 00;39;43;03

I also think it sparked a moment of, Hey,

what the heck is going on here

00;39;43;03 - 00;39;45;24

from not only villagers,

but outsiders as well.

00;39;45;24 - 00;39;49;10

You have people like Increased Mather,

who I always thought had an intimidating

00;39;49;10 - 00;39;52;21

name, publishing his stance

on spectral evidence, things

00;39;52;21 - 00;39;56;21

that his own son had been so passionate

about using during the trial increase.

00;39;56;21 - 00;39;58;08

As a quote that goes, We're better

00;39;58;08 - 00;40;02;02

that ten suspected witches should escape

than one innocent person be condemned.

00;40;02;03 - 00;40;04;08

And it's too bad

he wasn't running the show.

00;40;04;08 - 00;40;06;29

Within the next week,

Giles, his wife Martha, along with seven

00;40;06;29 - 00;40;11;14

others Mary Echols, Parker,

Samuel and Mary Parker

00;40;11;17 - 00;40;15;27

and Puritan William

Reed and Margaret Scott all hanged.

00;40;15;29 - 00;40;21;13

So now we have 19 that been hanged, plus

Giles being pressed to death, 20 plus one.

00;40;21;13 - 00;40;23;24

The ones that died in prison. Prison?

What a mess.

00;40;23;24 - 00;40;24;29

And this isn't even the end.

00;40;24;29 - 00;40;25;22

Very easy.

00;40;25;22 - 00;40;29;06

Before her death, obviously had written

a letter to Sir William Phipps.

00;40;29;06 - 00;40;31;18

You know, the governor Governor

I mentioned earlier,

00;40;31;18 - 00;40;34;26

who is the royal governor since they are

still under British control.

00;40;34;28 - 00;40;38;13

She had petitioned him

not only to say not to save her life, but,

00;40;38;20 - 00;40;40;20

you know, prevent this from going further.

00;40;40;20 - 00;40;43;17

Basically, her letter stated,

I am now condemned to die.

00;40;43;17 - 00;40;44;27

The Lord knows my innocence.

00;40;44;27 - 00;40;48;20

I petition Your Honor's

not for my own life, for I know I must die

00;40;48;23 - 00;40;50;08

and my appointed time is set.

00;40;50;08 - 00;40;54;01

But that no more innocent blood be shed,

which undoubtedly cannot be avoided

00;40;54;01 - 00;40;55;26

in the way of the course you go.

00;40;55;26 - 00;40;58;05

So Willie

Phipps was aware of what was happening.

00;40;58;05 - 00;41;01;14

Obviously,

he instituted the O'Rear and Terminer,

00;41;01;14 - 00;41;04;04

but he didn't really know

that it was going to go off the rails.

00;41;04;04 - 00;41;06;03

At this point. He wasn't super concerned.

00;41;06;03 - 00;41;09;25

He was aware of the trials as they began,

but honestly, he was kind of into it.

00;41;09;25 - 00;41;10;15

Facts.

00;41;10;15 - 00;41;13;29

You know, Phipps did actively engage in

what was happening, seeing,

00;41;14;02 - 00;41;16;25

you know, word

spread about the things happened in Salem.

00;41;16;25 - 00;41;19;11

Phipps acted by stating

that public writings

00;41;19;11 - 00;41;21;04

should not discuss the ongoing trial.

00;41;21;04 - 00;41;22;21

So that's not great.

00;41;22;21 - 00;41;25;02

I mean, it didn't work,

but that's not a great idea

00;41;25;02 - 00;41;28;01

and also not an idea that his own buddies

listened to.

00;41;28;01 - 00;41;30;24

Cotton Mather, who we've met a little bit

so far,

00;41;30;24 - 00;41;34;05

was writing his own tales of events

going on, and that was okay

00;41;34;05 - 00;41;37;28

because Cotton was really just all over

the place in regards to the trials.

00;41;38;00 - 00;41;40;21

Over the course of the trials,

he simultaneously concurred

00;41;40;21 - 00;41;44;13

that they should not be, you know,

hurl random accusations with anybody,

00;41;44;13 - 00;41;47;22

but also deemed them to be, you know,

the most important things going on.

00;41;47;24 - 00;41;49;23

This was also a man who was heavily

00;41;49;23 - 00;41;52;12

respected by everyone

in the Puritan community.

00;41;52;12 - 00;41;53;11

So those kinds

00;41;53;11 - 00;41;57;00

of things would really get people,

you know, wily and worked up, basically

00;41;57;04 - 00;41;58;29

working in direct contradiction

to the things

00;41;58;29 - 00;42;01;02

his own father

Increase was saying at the time.

00;42;01;02 - 00;42;02;04

Increase wasn't alone.

00;42;02;04 - 00;42;03;28

And even as the as directed

00;42;03;28 - 00;42;05;25

that the trials

should not be publicly discussed,

00;42;05;25 - 00;42;07;27

more people

expressed dissatisfaction with it,

00;42;07;27 - 00;42;10;26

even though they consider the battle

with evil forces to be an important one.

00;42;10;26 - 00;42;12;22

They weren't ready to sacrifice liberties

00;42;12;22 - 00;42;15;03

that they believed

their fellow settlers were owed.

00;42;15;03 - 00;42;16;15

Another person who wasn't pumped about

00;42;16;15 - 00;42;18;27

the whole ordeal was Mary Phipps,

the governor's wife.

00;42;18;27 - 00;42;22;19

She had then been accused herself

following reveal, and now the governor

00;42;22;19 - 00;42;24;14

was essentially forced to make a decision

00;42;24;14 - 00;42;26;10

He had already been contemplating

stepping in,

00;42;26;10 - 00;42;28;06

feeling

that there could be cause for action,

00;42;28;06 - 00;42;31;14

thinking that the danger of a court

who could accuse anyone at any time

00;42;31;17 - 00;42;32;16

and with the method

00;42;32;16 - 00;42;36;02

of allowing spectra of evidence

wholeheartedly without any caution,

00;42;36;07 - 00;42;37;07

could be too much.

00;42;37;07 - 00;42;41;00

He also consider what the thinking

could be with his wife now accused.

00;42;41;01 - 00;42;43;18

Should he act, what

people would feel about him stepping in.

00;42;43;18 - 00;42;46;20

Despite this, on October 29th,

Governor Phipps dissolved

00;42;46;20 - 00;42;49;03

the controversial Court

of order interpreter

00;42;49;03 - 00;42;53;16

amid mounting doubts about its fairness

In late October, Phipps established the

00;42;53;16 - 00;42;58;15

the Superior Court of Judicature to handle

the remaining cases more judiciously.

00;42;58;21 - 00;43;01;22

I guess it didn't quite end things,

but it did.

00;43;01;22 - 00;43;04;12

Mark Dropping

Point In November on the 25th,

00;43;04;12 - 00;43;05;12

the new court was in state

00;43;05;12 - 00;43;06;06

and they began to look

00;43;06;06 - 00;43;09;12

at some of the cases of the accused

that had been left in jail for months,

00;43;09;12 - 00;43;12;21

starting to reexamine the cases

and essentially take taking out the ones

00;43;12;21 - 00;43;15;26

where spectral evidence was

and all be all of their condemnation.

00;43;15;26 - 00;43;17;03

Abigail Faulkner was one

00;43;17;03 - 00;43;19;29

who was waiting for the birth of her child

to be hanged and petitioned

00;43;19;29 - 00;43;21;17

governor to expedite the review.

00;43;21;17 - 00;43;23;26

And then she was let free

John Proctor's son.

00;43;23;26 - 00;43;26;12

Benjamin also left prison soon enough.

00;43;26;12 - 00;43;30;20

Many more from the different areas

were soon beginning to be as well.

00;43;30;23 - 00;43;33;15

Prisoners from Andover,

the neighboring town and Boston,

00;43;33;15 - 00;43;37;01

as well as Salem, were all being given

their freedoms if they could afford it.

00;43;37;01 - 00;43;41;28

One man who escaped early on

returned to Boston feeling free to do so

00;43;42;01 - 00;43;43;04

and paid a fine.

00;43;43;04 - 00;43;44;29

And he was pretty much just, okay, cool.

00;43;44;29 - 00;43;47;14

Like I said, they were all paying fines

and bail prices.

00;43;47;14 - 00;43;50;22

Not that the courts were overturning

convictions yet and foster

00;43;50;22 - 00;43;53;16

the woman who had thrown her own

family under the bus,

00;43;53;16 - 00;43;56;16

so to speak, died in prison

in December of:

00;43;56;18 - 00;43;58;11

Conditions

were really just awful in general.

00;43;58;11 - 00;44;00;09

Now you have winter on top of it.

00;44;00;09 - 00;44;03;26

Her family

trying to reclaim her body to bury,

00;44;03;28 - 00;44;07;13

was told to pay massive amounts of money

that she was accrued during her

00;44;07;13 - 00;44;09;01

stay in prison,

which is kind of messed up.

00;44;09;01 - 00;44;11;19

You can see the writing on the wall.

00;44;11;19 - 00;44;15;15

You can see that the circus is ending,

but get a squeeze any bit you can

00;44;15;15 - 00;44;16;07

out of the people.

00;44;16;07 - 00;44;18;02

Now, the despicable thing

that was going on

00;44;18;02 - 00;44;20;02

was the children that were left in prison.

00;44;20;02 - 00;44;23;10

Sarah Goode, who was killed by Sarah

Goode, who was executed

00;44;23;10 - 00;44;26;28

pretty early on back in July, well,

she was in prison

00;44;27;03 - 00;44;29;29

in March, and her daughter,

Dorothy, was jailed with her.

00;44;29;29 - 00;44;32;25

So she's you know,

she's just been in prison the whole time.

00;44;32;25 - 00;44;37;27

December also saw her freedom when a good

Samaritan literally his name was Sam.

00;44;37;29 - 00;44;38;10

It's good.

00;44;38;10 - 00;44;41;13

Sam paid her bond of £50,

which is, you know,

00;44;41;14 - 00;44;44;14

about $11,000 in America today.

00;44;44;15 - 00;44;47;18

The actual new trial

would begin in January:

00;44;47;18 - 00;44;50;16

and they were still people in prison

who could not afford the bail.

00;44;50;16 - 00;44;53;10

So they continue to wait in the harsh

weather, winter weather.

00;44;53;10 - 00;44;56;13

By early:

00;44;56;13 - 00;44;58;07

Individuals were from jail,

00;44;58;07 - 00;45;02;05

signaling the end of the dark chapter

and the cold confines of Salem Town.

00;45;02;13 - 00;45;03;23

Salem town meeting house.

00;45;03;23 - 00;45;08;06

The superior court convened

marking a stark shift from the previous

00;45;08;06 - 00;45;09;18

sweltering summer trials.

00;45;09;18 - 00;45;13;12

The jurors including and then the jurors,

including the intriguing choices

00;45;13;12 - 00;45;14;28

like Jacob Town or Richard Reed,

00;45;14;28 - 00;45;19;11

gathered for trial focused on evidence

rather than spectral accusation.

00;45;19;12 - 00;45;22;11

The first case was presented

on January 4th,

00;45;22;16 - 00;45;26;24

introducing new legal landscape

that excluded the spectral evidence.

00;45;26;24 - 00;45;29;25

Strict rule detailed the specific crimes

subject

00;45;29;25 - 00;45;33;08

to punishment, distancing the court

from earlier superstitions.

00;45;33;08 - 00;45;36;28

On this transformed stage,

the cases unfold the differently

00;45;37;00 - 00;45;40;13

ignoramus mark many indictments

as unworthy of trial,

00;45;40;15 - 00;45;44;04

notably Margaret Jacobs,

the granddaughter of George Jacobs senior

00;45;44;06 - 00;45;48;16

who recanted her confession,

signaling the shift in proceedings.

00;45;48;18 - 00;45;52;05

The atmosphere changed from fear

to celebration as acquittals were handed

00;45;52;05 - 00;45;55;20

out, symbolizing the triumph of cold

logic over superstition.

00;45;55;22 - 00;45;59;05

However, shock awaited on January nine,

when Sarah Hooper

00;45;59;05 - 00;46;03;00

Wardwell was declared guilty,

challenging the new new found confidence.

00;46;03;01 - 00;46;06;21

This conviction sent a powerful message

that hope was not guaranteed.

00;46;06;21 - 00;46;11;27

Meanwhile, a group of minors, including

Martha Carey, her son, miners and children

00;46;12;00 - 00;46;16;06

not like miners, faced indictments,

Adding to the community's unease.

00;46;16;06 - 00;46;19;17

As trials progressed, over

50 cases were presented, but only a few

00;46;19;17 - 00;46;23;10

went on trial, with the three

resulting in guilty verdicts.

00;46;23;16 - 00;46;28;15

The once feared justice of the once

feared Justice Stanton's influence waned

00;46;28;18 - 00;46;30;00

and his rush to execute prisoners

00;46;30;00 - 00;46;33;01

caught the attention

of the Attorney General, Anthony Checkley.

00;46;33;02 - 00;46;33;21

Governor Phipps

00;46;33;21 - 00;46;37;00

confronted Stanton's overreach

and had a decision to make on January.

00;46;37;00 - 00;46;37;28

So did Stanton's

00;46;37;28 - 00;46;42;20

defense of a messenger sent by the Crown

led to a falling out with Phipps.

00;46;42;22 - 00;46;47;00

Since that marked a turning point,

the governor leaned towards restraint,

00;46;47;00 - 00;46;50;28

but questioned Stanton's actions

as snow covered Salem on February one,

00;46;50;28 - 00;46;55;13

Stanton entered the meetinghouse intended

on conclude the trials triumphantly.

00;46;55;16 - 00;46;58;27

However, a messenger from Phipps

delivered a startling announcement.

00;46;58;28 - 00;47;01;19

All eight

convicted witches had been reprieved.

00;47;01;19 - 00;47;05;00

Stanton could sue by raids

to abandon the court, leaving his

00;47;05;02 - 00;47;06;24

the leaving a sobering reality.

00;47;06;24 - 00;47;09;09

Justice had been obstructed,

in his opinion,

00;47;09;09 - 00;47;12;08

and the King kingdom of Satan

had not retreated.

00;47;12;08 - 00;47;15;07

The community, haunted by the tragedy,

grappled with the aftermath,

00;47;15;07 - 00;47;18;15

knowing that no reprieve

could resurrect the innocent lives lost.

00;47;18;16 - 00;47;21;09

Samuel Parrish

tried to begin to reconcile his flock,

00;47;21;09 - 00;47;24;21

but many were scorned by,

you know, his his part in it.

00;47;24;22 - 00;47;27;17

It felt,

justifiably so, that he spearheaded the

00;47;27;17 - 00;47;31;10

early investigations of these moments

and led to the deaths of their loved ones.

00;47;31;12 - 00;47;34;11

Tried to get the nurse family that of,

you know, Rebecca nurse

00;47;34;13 - 00;47;35;26

to return to the church.

00;47;35;26 - 00;47;38;07

And they weren't so stoked about that.

Weird.

00;47;38;07 - 00;47;42;00

Her husband and sons met

with the pair's family, Parris privately,

00;47;42;00 - 00;47;45;20

and gave him a piece of their mind

on separate occasions, like one after

00;47;45;20 - 00;47;49;14

the other would go in and basically

just scream at him, which makes sense.

00;47;49;15 - 00;47;51;05

Others in the community would do the same.

00;47;51;05 - 00;47;55;00

The last few cases were not thrown out

by the new grand jury, sputtered upon

00;47;55;00 - 00;47;59;03

the lack of spectral evidence,

and the last few were found not guilty.

00;47;59;03 - 00;48;00;24

In May of:

00;48;00;24 - 00;48;04;16

Oddly enough, one of the first accused

had been in jail since the beginning

00;48;04;16 - 00;48;05;19

and was finally spared.

00;48;05;19 - 00;48;07;03

Tituba, the slave of the Paris

00;48;07;03 - 00;48;11;01

family, had been in prison

since March of:

00;48;11;03 - 00;48;13;04

and she had been abandoned

by the parish family.

00;48;13;04 - 00;48;15;25

Being as how she was a slave,

she was left in prison with them,

00;48;15;25 - 00;48;18;03

not willing to pay for the fine

for her release.

00;48;18;03 - 00;48;19;17

She was essentially confiscated

00;48;19;17 - 00;48;23;13

by the state and sold off to recoup

fines of, you know, the imprisonment.

00;48;23;14 - 00;48;28;15

Not sure what the worst part of her story

is, the fact that she was manipulated

00;48;28;15 - 00;48;31;18

and used to kill off so many people

or that they left her

00;48;31;18 - 00;48;34;18

to die in jail or worse

when they were done with her

00;48;34;24 - 00;48;39;16

and a complete one, 80 of Samuel Parris

Samuel saw a judge in the trial,

00;48;39;23 - 00;48;44;00

but not lead judge offer an apology

in his failure to promote justice

00;48;44;02 - 00;48;46;23

and was regretful

that in what had taken place,

00;48;46;23 - 00;48;50;20

he requested full blame while Sarah

while Parris put the blame of God

00;48;50;20 - 00;48;54;02

testing the community with this,

with these challenges at these moments

00;48;54;02 - 00;48;58;11

in:

officially declared the trials unlawful,

00;48;58;11 - 00;49;02;10

and jurors publicly expressed remorse

for their role in the tragic events,

00;49;02;13 - 00;49;05;15

providing a somber reflection

on the devastating consequences

00;49;05;15 - 00;49;07;21

of the Salem Witch trials in:

00;49;07;21 - 00;49;10;04

And Putnam,

who was one of the main accusers.

00;49;10;04 - 00;49;13;23

Like one of the first ones

publicly apologize for handling the trial.

00;49;13;25 - 00;49;17;20

I'm sure everyone was real

sorry for her apologies as has followed.

00;49;17;21 - 00;49;21;08

I desire to be humbled before

God for the sad and humbling providence

00;49;21;08 - 00;49;25;00

that befell my father's family in the year

about 92 that

00;49;25;00 - 00;49;29;11

I than being in my childhood, should,

by such providence of God,

00;49;29;11 - 00;49;34;13

be made an instrument of the accusing

of several persons of a grievous crime

00;49;34;13 - 00;49;38;18

whereby their lives taken away from them,

whom now I have just grounds

00;49;38;18 - 00;49;39;19

and good reason to believe

00;49;39;19 - 00;49;42;24

they were innocent persons,

and that it was a great delusion of Satan

00;49;42;24 - 00;49;47;05

that deceived in me that sad time

whereby just I justly fear.

00;49;47;05 - 00;49;52;03

I have been instrumental with others,

though ignorantly and unwillingly,

00;49;52;05 - 00;49;55;27

to bring up upon myself

and this land the guilt of innocent blood.

00;49;55;28 - 00;49;59;23

Though what was said or done by me

against any person, I can truly

00;49;59;23 - 00;50;03;23

and apparently say before God and man,

I did it not out of anger, malice

00;50;03;23 - 00;50;08;13

or ill will toward to any person, for

I had no such thing against one of them.

00;50;08;13 - 00;50;12;11

What I did was ignorantly

being deluded by Satan, and particularly

00;50;12;17 - 00;50;17;07

I was a chief instrument of accusing

good wife, nurse and her two sisters.

00;50;17;07 - 00;50;21;00

I desire, I desire to lie in the dust

and be humbled for it, in that

00;50;21;00 - 00;50;26;14

I was a cause with of so sad, of so sad

a calamity to them and their families,

00;50;26;15 - 00;50;31;06

which cause I desire to lie in the dust

and earnestly beg for forgiveness from God

00;50;31;08 - 00;50;36;00

and from those unto whom

I have given just cause of sorrow

00;50;36;02 - 00;50;39;12

and offense

whose relations were taken away or accused

00;50;39;15 - 00;50;42;27

that old time language

to suppressed, to read.

00;50;42;29 - 00;50;44;23

In:

00;50;44;23 - 00;50;49;02

Massachusetts restored the names of those

convicted V alleges legislative measure

00;50;49;02 - 00;50;52;29

that also gave £600 of restitution to

those who had been killed to their heirs.

00;50;52;29 - 00;50;56;07

This equates to over 100 over 100 grand

in today's dollars.

00;50;56;07 - 00;51;01;02

And:

Village was renamed Danvers, and in 1957,

00;51;01;02 - 00;51;04;08

the state formally apologized

for the events of:

00;51;04;08 - 00;51;05;24

Couldn't get that out any sooner.

00;51;05;24 - 00;51;09;10

In:

a memorial was dedicated to the event

00;51;09;10 - 00;51;11;22

and the innocent lives

lost was constructed.

00;51;11;22 - 00;51;14;20

Full list of people died

during the trials is as follows.

00;51;14;20 - 00;51;18;04

borne died in prison May ten,:

00;51;18;05 - 00;51;21;05

th,:

00;51;21;05 - 00;51;22;17

Rod Roger to the girl.

00;51;22;17 - 00;51;26;16

th:

00;51;26;17 - 00;51;28;20

Sara Good. Rebecca Nurse.

Elizabeth Howell.

00;51;28;20 - 00;51;31;00

Susanna martin. Sara Wildes All hanged.

00;51;31;00 - 00;51;32;24

,:

00;51;32;24 - 00;51;34;07

Reverend George Burrows.

00;51;34;07 - 00;51;36;03

George Jacob Senior. Martha Carrier.

00;51;36;03 - 00;51;36;28

John Proctor.

00;51;36;28 - 00;51;37;17

John Willard.

00;51;37;17 - 00;51;40;06

,:

00;51;40;06 - 00;51;43;26

,:

00;51;43;26 - 00;51;46;05

Martha Cary, Mary East, Mary Parker.

00;51;46;05 - 00;51;49;10

Alice Parker and Peter

William Wilmot. Read.

00;51;49;13 - 00;51;50;18

Margaret Scott.

00;51;50;18 - 00;51;53;17

Sam Samuel Wardwell Senior.

00;51;53;22 - 00;51;57;13

rd,:

00;51;57;13 - 00;51;59;24

And that really ends

the direct story of the trials themselves.

00;51;59;24 - 00;52;01;23

But there's plenty of discussion.

00;52;01;23 - 00;52;03;12

Possible reasons aftermath.

00;52;03;12 - 00;52;06;14

So let's get into some of those theories

about what caused it.

00;52;06;15 - 00;52;08;26

Of course,

the prevailing theory was at the time,

00;52;08;26 - 00;52;11;23

a legitimate, legitimate devil,

possession of witchcraft.

00;52;11;23 - 00;52;16;04

But there's no real, real way to, you

know, theorize, prove or disprove that.

00;52;16;05 - 00;52;20;05

So some of the leading examples are,

of course, one of the prevailing theory

00;52;20;05 - 00;52;23;13

suggests that religious fervor

played a pivotal role.

00;52;23;15 - 00;52;26;12

SALEM

The Salem Village, was deeply religious.

00;52;26;12 - 00;52;29;01

That Puritanism permeated daily,

daily life.

00;52;29;01 - 00;52;33;05

The fear of the devil was also pervasive,

and any deviation from Puritan orthodoxy

00;52;33;05 - 00;52;35;22

was viewed as a threat.

Some argue that the trials

00;52;35;22 - 00;52;38;09

were a manifestation

of a zealous religious atmosphere.

00;52;38;09 - 00;52;43;08

The socio political factors Salem Village

was plagued by many internal conflicts

00;52;43;08 - 00;52;46;15

with factions

vying for control of local institutions.

00;52;46;16 - 00;52;49;22

The witch trials coincided

with a period of political instability.

00;52;49;23 - 00;52;51;24

The accusations trials provided

00;52;51;24 - 00;52;56;02

a convenient way for certain factions

to discredit their rivals and gain power.

00;52;56;04 - 00;52;58;12

The substantial number of suspects

00;52;58;12 - 00;53;02;07

in the witch trials, witch trials,

cases of New England were women

00;53;02;10 - 00;53;06;06

with usually unusually direct connections

to property ownership.

00;53;06;06 - 00;53;09;05

This was often

attributed to specific circumstances

00;53;09;05 - 00;53;13;07

such as the absence of living husbands,

sons or brothers.

00;53;13;07 - 00;53;17;23

Their relationship to property were

and land were marked by distinct features.

00;53;17;23 - 00;53;20;20

Instances of this phenomenon

were particularly notable

00;53;20;20 - 00;53;24;09

when the husbands themselves faced

conviction, or in cases where a woman

00;53;24;14 - 00;53;28;20

as a widow assumed possession

of her husband's assets posthumously.

00;53;28;24 - 00;53;32;15

These intricate dynamics

surrounding property and legal ownership

00;53;32;15 - 00;53;33;29

were understood by sheriffs.

00;53;33;29 - 00;53;36;26

Corwin demonstrated an acute awareness

of these situations.

00;53;36;26 - 00;53;40;01

Corwin, Following George Jacob's arrest,

visited Jacob's wife

00;53;40;01 - 00;53;41;14

and claimed her wedding ring,

00;53;41;14 - 00;53;45;02

a possession deemed by English law

to belong to George rather than her.

00;53;45;03 - 00;53;47;13

Though laden with legal complexities,

these actions

00;53;47;13 - 00;53;50;06

struck at the very foundations

of colonial society

00;53;50;06 - 00;53;51;28

challenging the established norms.

00;53;51;28 - 00;53;53;07

The significance of this trial,

00;53;53;07 - 00;53;57;23

of this legal maneuvering becomes clear

when considering the historical context.

00;53;57;24 - 00;54;01;04

Individuals affected were often second

or third generation settlers

00;54;01;04 - 00;54;04;04

who say ancestors had brought

valuable assets to the new world,

00;54;04;05 - 00;54;07;04

passing them down to support subsequent

generations.

00;54;07;04 - 00;54;11;12

The colony had initially abandoned

forfeiture laws to protect these legacies.

00;54;11;12 - 00;54;16;02

However, a seismic shift was occurring,

disrupting these established principles.

00;54;16;03 - 00;54;17;08

Ergot poisoning.

00;54;17;08 - 00;54;18;29

A biological theory suggests

00;54;18;29 - 00;54;23;02

that consumption of re-infected

with the fungus, ergot may have caused

00;54;23;05 - 00;54;26;13

hallucinations, convulsions and other

symptoms attributed to witchcraft.

00;54;26;14 - 00;54;30;24

However, this theory remains debated

due to the lack of conclusive evidence.

00;54;30;27 - 00;54;33;21

If you've seen the movie,

which by Robert Eggers,

00;54;33;21 - 00;54;37;13

there's a fantastic few Easter eggs

that point towards this kind of thing.

00;54;37;13 - 00;54;41;06

Witches, a horror film set in:

New England following a Puritan family

00;54;41;06 - 00;54;45;20

that faces supernatural forces after being

banished from their colonial plantation.

00;54;45;21 - 00;54;48;25

The family settles near a dense forest

when the eerie occurrences

00;54;48;26 - 00;54;52;03

begin to unfold as crops fail

and their newborn goes missing,

00;54;52;04 - 00;54;56;02

family becomes more increasingly paranoid,

suspecting each other of witchcraft.

00;54;56;03 - 00;54;58;29

The film delves into themes

of religious extremism,

00;54;58;29 - 00;55;00;22

folklore and supernatural building.

00;55;00;22 - 00;55;04;18

Tension throughout atmospheric

storytelling explores the psychological

00;55;04;18 - 00;55;08;16

unraveling of the family in the face

of unknown and malevolent forces.

00;55;08;21 - 00;55;10;22

There's an excellent shot

of some of the corn

00;55;10;22 - 00;55;12;20

that they're eating in a few scenes

that, you know,

00;55;12;20 - 00;55;15;17

this is supposed to demonstrate

ergot mold on the crop.

00;55;15;17 - 00;55;16;04

And of course,

00;55;16;04 - 00;55;19;28

we know from the Experiments episode

that ergot was used to drive LSD,

00;55;20;00 - 00;55;22;17

the drug that also causes hallucinations

and the like.

00;55;22;17 - 00;55;25;03

There's documented

plight of poor crops known at the time.

00;55;25;03 - 00;55;29;10

The winter before the trials saw

a lot of crops failing and a lot of

00;55;29;10 - 00;55;32;22

and while the religious zealots

of the time saw this

00;55;32;22 - 00;55;36;09

as a sign of Devil's Dominion,

modern interpretation posits that

00;55;36;15 - 00;55;40;06

the fungus could have led to mass

hallucinations that spurred these moments.

00;55;40;06 - 00;55;42;11

Social isolation also contributed.

00;55;42;11 - 00;55;46;04

Salem Village was geographically isolated,

leading to a tight knit community

00;55;46;04 - 00;55;49;09

where, you know, rumors and suspicion

could easily spread.

00;55;49;10 - 00;55;52;11

Isolation may have heightened the paranoia

and fear of

00;55;52;11 - 00;55;55;20

outsiders, making it easier to label

neighbors as witches.

00;55;55;21 - 00;55;59;07

Mass hysteria also contributed

or could be contributed to it.

00;55;59;07 - 00;56;00;23

Fear can be contagious.

00;56;00;23 - 00;56;02;20

Once the initial accusations

00;56;02;20 - 00;56;06;02

surfaced, a climate of fear and suspicion

descended upon the Salem.

00;56;06;04 - 00;56;07;21

People began to see, which is everywhere.

00;56;07;21 - 00;56;10;19

And this is, you know,

a collective hysteria snowballed,

00;56;10;19 - 00;56;13;04

resulting in accusations

all over the place.

00;56;13;04 - 00;56;16;28

The late 17th century was also marked

by economic hardships, crop failures,

00;56;16;28 - 00;56;21;01

as mentioned and political turmoil

exacerbated the community stress.

00;56;21;04 - 00;56;24;18

Some argue argued that these

economic strains may have contributed

00;56;24;18 - 00;56;28;16

to the scapegoating of suspected witches,

as they explain troubles.

00;56;28;17 - 00;56;31;16

Conveniently, of course, it could be

a solid combination of them all.

00;56;31;16 - 00;56;32;09

I know personally,

00;56;32;09 - 00;56;33;14

I believe that the ergot

00;56;33;14 - 00;56;35;06

could have created the supernatural things

00;56;35;06 - 00;56;37;27

that they have been seeing along

with the follower effect

00;56;37;27 - 00;56;40;19

and not wanting to be out on something

that was happening.

00;56;40;19 - 00;56;43;11

Throw that in with the socioeconomic

differences in the continent,

00;56;43;11 - 00;56;45;13

fighting about property lines

and how quickly

00;56;45;13 - 00;56;47;13

the sheriff

was about snatching everything up.

00;56;47;13 - 00;56;49;14

And it all starts

to make a lot of sense to me.

00;56;49;14 - 00;56;51;28

I wonder if it was so obvious

to those at the time.

00;56;51;28 - 00;56;53;28

Hard to say, since most of them

would have been scared to say

00;56;53;28 - 00;56;57;22

anything contradictory to the intense

puritanical laws at the time.

00;56;57;22 - 00;56;59;07

But that's kind of what I was thinking.

00;56;59;07 - 00;57;03;08

Now, some of the other famous witch trials

in history, as we bring the narrative

00;57;03;08 - 00;57;07;02

to a close, it's essential to recognize

that such episodes of witchcraft

00;57;07;02 - 00;57;11;05

accusations were not an isolated incident

like Salem did not happen in a vacuum.

00;57;11;05 - 00;57;13;28

It wasn't just,

Oh my God, this is crazy witches.

00;57;13;28 - 00;57;17;23

No, it was ongoing all across the world.

00;57;17;25 - 00;57;20;11

History is replete with instances

00;57;20;11 - 00;57;23;22

where fear, superstition and prejudice

fuel accusations of witchcraft.

00;57;23;28 - 00;57;27;26

We talked about one a couple of weeks ago

with Joan of Arc, from European witch

00;57;27;26 - 00;57;31;06

hunts to the 16th and 17th centuries

to the Pendle Witch trials

00;57;31;06 - 00;57;34;14

in England and the witch trials

in Lordsburg, Germany.

00;57;34;15 - 00;57;37;24

Countless lives were lost

during due unfounded accusations.

00;57;37;26 - 00;57;39;29

The Salem Witch

trials served as a microcosm

00;57;39;29 - 00;57;43;11

of the broader phenomenon of witch hunts

that spanned the centuries and continents.

00;57;43;11 - 00;57;47;05

These trials serve as a stark reminder

that the destructive potential

00;57;47;05 - 00;57;50;18

of irrationality and tolerance

and unchecked power of the state.

00;57;50;19 - 00;57;54;23

Understanding this dark history is vital

to ensuring that

00;57;54;24 - 00;57;58;17

that such injustices are not repeated

in society progresses

00;57;58;20 - 00;58;01;23

towards more just

and rational, rational future.

00;58;01;23 - 00;58;04;25

Throughout history, the witch trials have

occurred in various parts of the world,

00;58;04;25 - 00;58;08;18

reflecting deep seated fear superstition

around the concept of witchcraft.

00;58;08;19 - 00;58;10;03

These trials were often characterized

00;58;10;03 - 00;58;14;03

by hysteria, persecution, trial

and tragic consequences.

00;58;14;08 - 00;58;14;23

Like I said,

00;58;14;23 - 00;58;18;12

while the Salem trials are the most

well known, there's a whole bunch of them.

00;58;18;15 - 00;58;22;03

The European witch hunts

peaked around 15th

00;58;22;03 - 00;58;26;00

and 18th centuries,

as we learned in the Joan of Arc episode.

00;58;26;01 - 00;58;28;04

It could have been started from there.

00;58;28;04 - 00;58;30;00

The Standard,

one of the history's most extensive,

00;58;30;00 - 00;58;33;11

which draws tens of thousands,

hundreds of thousands of individuals,

00;58;33;11 - 00;58;36;27

mostly women, were accused of practicing

witchcraft and subjects

00;58;36;29 - 00;58;40;29

subjected to brutal trials

leading to widespread executions.

00;58;41;01 - 00;58;44;08

European witch hunts occurred in Germany,

France and Scotland.

00;58;44;09 - 00;58;47;05

The Pendle Witch trial in:

and England.

00;58;47;05 - 00;58;50;26

The Pendle Witch trials in length

in England are famous for brutality.

00;58;50;27 - 00;58;51;28

12 people, including

00;58;51;28 - 00;58;54;28

men and women, were accused of witchcraft

and brought to trial.

00;58;54;28 - 00;58;55;23

Unlike Salem,

00;58;55;23 - 00;58;59;28

where most accused were women, the penal

trial had more balanced gender ratio.

00;59;00;03 - 00;59;04;26

Several individuals were executed, leaving

a dark mark on this English history.

00;59;04;26 - 00;59;07;29

And before the witch trials

in Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony

00;59;07;29 - 00;59;11;07

had a history of witches

witchcraft accusations.

00;59;11;08 - 00;59;15;05

xecution of Margaret Jones in:

marked one of the first witch trials

00;59;15;05 - 00;59;16;14

in the New World.

00;59;16;14 - 00;59;19;18

Those earlier events may have influenced

the trajectory of Salem.

00;59;19;19 - 00;59;22;27

A lot of whisperings and murmurs

of the things happening going on,

00;59;22;27 - 00;59;23;05

you know,

00;59;23;05 - 00;59;27;18

kind of led to it like, okay, hey, you

remember what happened to Margaret Jones?

00;59;27;18 - 00;59;29;23

Like going crazy out there?

00;59;29;23 - 00;59;33;02

So some significant differences

and similarities

00;59;33;02 - 00;59;35;05

between all of these different witch

trials.

00;59;35;05 - 00;59;37;05

Common elements, accusations often

00;59;37;05 - 00;59;41;01

emerged from religious fervor,

superstition, social tensions, obviously

00;59;41;03 - 00;59;44;26

the use of spectral evidence, confessions

obtained under duress was common.

00;59;44;28 - 00;59;46;09

Executions and harsh

00;59;46;09 - 00;59;50;02

punishments were meted out,

leading to the loss of innocent lives.

00;59;50;02 - 00;59;54;21

Innocent lives feared mass hysteria

were central in all of these differences.

00;59;54;21 - 00;59;56;25

Geographical variations,

00;59;56;25 - 00;59;59;28

obviously, in the different regions,

pretty big difference.

00;59;59;28 - 01;00;02;14

The gender balance

one is pretty interesting.

01;00;02;14 - 01;00;03;26

I mean, obviously

01;00;03;26 - 01;00;07;28

there's still like a lot of women

who were killed or a lot of like men

01;00;07;29 - 01;00;10;14

who were killed in Salem,

but it was mostly women. Right.

01;00;10;14 - 01;00;11;25

So going back to the

01;00;11;25 - 01;00;12;26

was it the penal trials

01;00;12;26 - 01;00;15;15

that had a pretty more balanced one,

that's kind of interesting.

01;00;15;15 - 01;00;19;17

And then the legal procedures,

the legal systems and trials procedures

01;00;19;20 - 01;00;23;01

were different in the different areas,

mainly because of the different eras,

01;00;23;01 - 01;00;27;03

but also just because of where they were

and then the duration.

01;00;27;11 - 01;00;30;22

Obviously, the European witch hunts

spanned centuries,

01;00;30;24 - 01;00;34;09

saying which trial was one year,

which I guess is good.

01;00;34;12 - 01;00;37;02

You wouldn't want that kind of thing

going on for too long, I suppose.

01;00;37;02 - 01;00;38;05

But there we have it.

01;00;38;05 - 01;00;41;24

You know, the intriguing and haunting

tale of Salem witch trials or roller

01;00;41;25 - 01;00;43;27

coaster of emotions.

01;00;43;27 - 01;00;47;00

That is a chapter of history

that's just as baffling as it is.

01;00;47;00 - 01;00;47;29

Chilling, I suppose.

01;00;47;29 - 01;00;50;23

As we close this episode,

I can't help but reflect on the lessons

01;00;50;23 - 01;00;53;19

we can draw from this dark period

in colonial America.

01;00;53;19 - 01;00;57;00

Salem Witch trials are a stark

reminder of the power and fear

01;00;57;06 - 01;00;58;17

and the fragility of justice.

01;00;58;17 - 01;01;00;15

When fear takes

the reins, it's a testament

01;01;00;15 - 01;01;04;00

to the danger of scapegoating, tragic

consequences of unchecked paranoia.

01;01;04;01 - 01;01;06;18

But it's also a story of resilience and

01;01;06;20 - 01;01;07;08

redemption.

01;01;07;08 - 01;01;09;23

Over time, some accused were exonerated

and the,

01;01;09;23 - 01;01;13;09

you know, the scarred but not broken

community sought to heal its wounds.

01;01;13;09 - 01;01;16;13

The Salem witch trials, as harrowing

as they were, offer us a glimpse

01;01;16;13 - 01;01;19;18

into the human capacity for cruelty

and also compassion.

01;01;19;22 - 01;01;23;15

They offer several enduring lessons

for society, the protection of civil

01;01;23;15 - 01;01;23;29

liberties.

01;01;23;29 - 01;01;27;23

The trials underscored the importance

of protecting civil liberties

01;01;27;23 - 01;01;31;11

and ensuring a fair

and impartial legal system,

01;01;31;13 - 01;01;35;07

but most importantly,

you know, making sure that your judges

01;01;35;07 - 01;01;38;15

and bloodthirsty safeguards

against unreliable evidence,

01;01;38;17 - 01;01;41;29

spectral evidence

and presumption of innocence innocent

01;01;41;29 - 01;01;45;08

they'll proven guilty, are crucial

to prevent miscarriages of justice.

01;01;45;08 - 01;01;49;21

Trials demonstrate the need for critical

thinking and tolerance in times of crisis.

01;01;49;22 - 01;01;52;28

You know, the danger of demonizing,

scapegoating, marginalized groups

01;01;53;00 - 01;01;57;16

where tragically evident in Salem society,

must also remain vigilant

01;01;57;16 - 01;02;00;18

against fear mongering and manipulation

by those in power.

01;02;00;20 - 01;02;05;04

Salem Witch trials show how easy fear

can be exploited for personal gain.

01;02;05;05 - 01;02;06;29

Other things I want to reflect upon or,

01;02;06;29 - 01;02;11;00

you know, both Giles, Corey and George

Burrows defined you both took, you know,

01;02;11;07 - 01;02;14;29

different approaches for their actions

against the machine that swallowed them.

01;02;15;00 - 01;02;18;09

Giles Taking a stoic approach

while Burrows, defiant and logical,

01;02;18;09 - 01;02;19;08

both failed in the end.

01;02;19;08 - 01;02;20;03

But I think it's,

01;02;20;03 - 01;02;23;04

you know, true bravery to do either

in the face of what was happening,

01;02;23;04 - 01;02;26;25

especially at the point

where they saw people hang already.

01;02;26;25 - 01;02;30;06

They knew leg is like,

okay, is this is this fruitful?

01;02;30;06 - 01;02;30;21

We don't know.

01;02;30;21 - 01;02;34;04

But I want to thank each

and every one of you for joining me today.

01;02;34;06 - 01;02;36;17

Thank you for your support.

01;02;36;17 - 01;02;40;09

I, I truly could not do it

without anybody, you know, supporting me.

01;02;40;09 - 01;02;42;09

I do appreciate all of you.

01;02;42;09 - 01;02;45;04

You know, remember

to keep the reviews coming in.

01;02;45;04 - 01;02;49;24

Send in your send in your topic

suggestions remedial scholar at gmail.com.

01;02;49;24 - 01;02;50;24

Share with your friends.

01;02;50;24 - 01;02;53;29

Now spread the spread the wealth you know.

01;02;53;29 - 01;02;56;18

And next week we got the the Donner Party.

01;02;56;18 - 01;03;00;08

So we're going to keep the the creepy

and horrific

01;03;00;08 - 01;03;03;14

continuing for the so so far anyway.

01;03;03;16 - 01;03;04;17

Yeah Donner party.

01;03;04;17 - 01;03;08;15

You don't remember the infamous

Donner Party finding a secret route?

01;03;08;15 - 01;03;11;21

Basically, the Hastings cut off work

their way out west

01;03;11;21 - 01;03;14;21

to California away and they mistimed it.

01;03;14;26 - 01;03;17;28

It got a little dicey

and they ended up frozen

01;03;17;28 - 01;03;21;07

in the winter in the Nevada mountains.

01;03;21;07 - 01;03;23;03

And that's not a good place to be.

01;03;23;03 - 01;03;24;15

The infamous Donner Pass.

01;03;24;15 - 01;03;27;26

I've driven through it

many times, and it's a beautiful area,

01;03;27;26 - 01;03;30;28

but some pretty,

pretty gnarly stuff happened there.

01;03;30;28 - 01;03;35;24

So anyway, that's what we got

going on next week and I hope you return.

01;03;35;24 - 01;03;38;18

Join me with that.

Goodbye. We'll see you next time.

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