i history of witchcraft in medieval europe ii native american witchcraft iii witches in...
DESCRIPTION
Emerged as a way to describe misfortunes had by different people. Mainly part of European culture between the 14 th and 18 th centuries. These mainly involved people accusing others of being witches: - bad neighbors - enemies - good witches that lost employers’ trustTRANSCRIPT
HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT
Outline I – History of Witchcraft in Medieval
Europe
II – Native American Witchcraft
III – Witches in American History
IV – Witches in Popular Culture
I - Witchcraft in Medieval Europe
Emerged as a way to describe misfortunes had by different people.
Mainly part of European culture between the 14th and 18th centuries.
These mainly involved people accusing others of being witches:
- bad neighbors - enemies - good witches that lost employers’
trust
Witchcraft v. Demonology Some said witches
entered pact with the devil.
Others distinguished between witches and demons.
To some they were the same, though they could only be seen when they wanted to be, most would remain invisible to torment people.
Medieval Witch-hunts Started in the 14th century in Spain Witches were believed to threaten
Christianity During the span from 14th to 18th
centuries in Europe and America, an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 people were executed as witches
At times spear-headed by the Catholic Church, led by Saint Charles Borromeo
Decline of witch-hunts in 18th century – because of fruit?
II – Native American Witchcraft
Mainly a part of some native american religious beliefs
Many native american groups included having a shaman, witch-doctor, or medicine man
Sometimes known as “healers” who knew medicinal herbs
Shamanism in North America
In several different tribes, including Navajo, medicine men used trances to help diagnose sick people
They also used crystal rocks, hand shaking and chanting during their trances
Many shamans were used to heal both ailments of the physical realm, and the spiritual and mental realms
III – Witches in American History
Prominent in the late 17th century
Mainly occurred in the Northeast, though not isolated there
Springfield and Salem, Massachusetts
Latin American history
Springfield and Salem The two most well known cases in
American history are the Springfield and Salem trials
Springfield was the first trial in colonial North America
Salem was the largest and most well known
150 people accused of witchcraft were arrested and imprisoned in the Salem area in a span of just over a year
29 convictions
Salem, continued.. Of the 29 convictions, over 19 people
were hanged and one person was crushed to death while trying to be coerced into confessing to being a witch
Not limited to New England, also colonial cases of witchcraft in Virginia
Though this was the height of witch-hunts in America, a man in Tennessee was put to death for witchcraft as recently as 1833
Witches in Popular Culture Witchcraft has
always been a mainstay in American pop culture, especially around Halloween
Recent popularity explosion due to the Harry Potter book and movie series
Some Famous Witches and Wizards…
The Queen
The Blair Witch
Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Jafar and the Genie
Gandalf
Merlin
Dumbledore
Sabrina