Why It Started
Satan was acting in the world.
Satan recruits witches and wizards to work for him.
A person afflicted by witchcraft exhibits certain symptoms.
A time of troubles, making it seem likely that Satan was active- small pox, congregational strife in Salem Village, frontier wars with indians.
Stimulation of imaginations by Tituba.
Convulsive egotism, a disease caused by eating infected rye that can produce hallucinations, but unlikely.
Teenage boredom- no television, no CD's, and lots of of bible readings, strict and humorless Parris household.
Magistrates and judges receptive to accusations of witchcraft.
See as way to shift blame for their own wartime failures.
Admission of spectral evidence.
Confessing "Witches" adding credibility to earlier charges.
Old feuds (disputes within congregation, property disputes) between the accusers and the accused during changes of witchcraft.
Why It Ended
Poulots grow when respected citizens are convicted and executed.
Rebecca Nurse (jury first acquits then told to reconsider)
George Burroughs (recites Lord's Prayer perfectly hanging)
Glies Corey (81 year old is pressed to death)
Accusations of witchcraft include powerful and well-connected.
Wife of Governor Phips.
Mary and Philip English (and others)
The educated elite of Boston Pressure Gov. Phips to exclude spectral evidence.
No body knows exactly why it started and ended but there are many beliefs.
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