Salem Witch Trials or Womens Rights - Research Paper Example

Salem Witch Trials or Women’s Rights Introduction Women’s right has perhaps formed the basis of controversies revolving rights of individuals within the society. Salem Witch Trials in American is an example where the rights of women were violated based on their inability and position in the society. The trials were viewed as women’s up rise in fighting for their rights as a fraction of women were empowered at the expense of others living in the society (Buchanan, 18). They were integrated by becoming one after the incidence as they were looking for ways to prevent such atrocities perpetrated by their oppressors, men from repeating itself in the society.

This paper aptly examines the impact of social, political and religious tensions of the day from the incidence of the Salem Witch Trails. Social Tension The Salem Witch Trails elicited a series of mixed reactions amongst the public regarding various issues like Violence, death and sex. The society had various beliefs that they adhered to and as such, they believed that bad things did not just happen but had a force influencing the happenings. The assumptions made by the young women that they had been bewitched constituted to the dos and do not of the Salem society and the person responsible for this was considered an individual who was not deemed to live in the society with others.

Witchcrafts were associated with outbreaks of conflicts, plagues and famines and majorly targeted marginal individuals (Norton, 87). They were women who their husbands were dead, the unmarried or those considered to have poor social status in the society. Political Tension Political tensions can be described as the process of being nervous about the governance of a country. The Salem Witch Trials reflected political tensions in the colonial societies since as individuals in different social classes were laying blames on each other.

An example is that the rich were accusing the poor of witch craft activities, and having no proof that they were not, they paid the penalty that was awarded to witches who were caught in the society. Secondly, the trials caused political tensions as the judges who were preceding the cases took the opportunity to try and alter the wartime failures and since there were spectral evidence individuals were afraid of being accused of witchcraft because they could not defend themselves in front of the judges chosen to serve them.

Thirdly, the trials stirred political tensions since they were perpetrated to settle old feuds like disputes within congregation or property (MacBain, 28). Religious Tension The Salem Witch Trails had religious tension to the individuals living in the society because it stirred a feeling that the really existed evil and dark magic in the society. Being a religious society, the inhabitants were determined to do away with the witches as they considered them omen and the devils agents who were out to cause pain and misery to Gods’ believers.

Stories of witchcraft were causing fear amongst the inhabitants of Salem and as they were full of demons and frightening. This resulted to unnatural behavior amongst individuals which was viewed as witchcrafts by the elite in the society. Therefore, religious tensions arose about the topic as great emphasis was placed on the significance and influence of the church by the colonizers who wanted to do way with the traditions of the puritans of inhabitants of Salem. The trials also spark tension because individuals became aware of the influence of religious leaders which were above their expectations of roles that were to be conducted by religious leaders.

The leaders instilled fear amongst the people instead of giving them hope by using the devil as an agent of misfortunes for those who refused to embrace the puritan as their way of life (Conlin, 353). Conclusion In conclusion, the Salem Witch Trails exposed the inhumanity being perpetrated against women in the society because of false evidence, mass hysteria and suspicion. This was because of the status they occupied in the society. The trials also highlight the political, social and religious impacts stirred by the incidence which resulted to mass murder of individuals.

As much different systems exist to serve individuals within the society, they have flaws as they do not take interest on the rights and dignity of individuals. The religious systems existing in Salem at the time is seen as not perfect because it was selfish since it trashed all other aspects regarding traditions of the Salem inhabitants. Works Cited Buchanan, Paul D. The American Women's Rights Movement: A Chronology of Events and of Opportunities from 1600 to 2008. Boston: Branden Books, 2009. Print. Conlin, Joseph R.

The American Past: A Survey of American History. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. MacBain, Jenny. The Salem Witch Trials: A Primary Source History of the Witchcraft Trials in Salem, Massachusetts. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 2003. Print. Norton, Mary B. A People & a Nation: A History of the United States. Australia: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.