Puritan Life in Salem Village:
1. Why did the Puritan's leave England and venture to a new land?
They left England because they wanted to practice their way of worship more freely.
2. Explain how the Puritan's felt about freedom of religion.
They had no really strong interest in it because they wanted their church to have power of the way things were done in the community.
3. How important is the church in Puritan society? Explain.
The church was the root or base of society. If you were not part of the church, you would be cast out and treated harshly. That's how much power it had. It could control the way people looked at each other.
4. What is excommunication?
It is when the church considered you to be out of God's forgiveness because you would not repent for your sins. They would "hand you over to the Devil" sort to speak. They would turn you away and cut you out of society.
5. Why were church leaders so influential/powerful in Puritan communities?
Since the church was so powerful in the communities, the reverend had the ability to make the people believe every word he said. They believed what he said was from God it must be true.
6. How does religion today compare to the Puritan's idea of religion?
Today there are many people of many different religions and do not have a Christian view of the world so church isn't as important to others as it is to some. Most don't allow a religion to rule there life because they have a mentality of "I can do things myself".
7. Why was witchcraft often the explanation for illness?
Because the medicine back then wasn't that advanced. Therefore they didn't know much about the majority of physical and mental illnesses that we know about today. They blame had to be put on someone.
8. What scientific explanation was given by Caporeal as to the cause of the mysterious behavior in Salem?
She believes that the strange behavior was caused by ergot poisoning. Many people ate rye bread because they could not afford wheat. Ergot is a fungus found in rye so many women and children were more susceptible.
Salem Witch Trials - 1692 Salem:
Puritan Children
1. Describe the life of a Puritan Child.
The children were held to very strict rules on how they should behave, work, and live. They were not allowed to express ideas or emotions that did not comply with the church's way of life. Games and toys were discouraged, as they were thought to be sinful distractions. The boys were given a little more freedom than the girls and would work as apprentices, and they were allowed to go out hunting and fishing.
Religion and Witchcraft
2. Describe a Puritan church service.
Everyone was forced to go to church. Men and women sat on opposite sides of the room and were required to keep silent with their opinions. They were made to dress a specific way.
3. What did the Puritan's believe about God and their church?
They believed that any misfortune was caused y God to punish those who had sinned. Everything was God's will. If a neighbor was struck with something bad then they wouldn't help because God was punishing that person.
4. What do you think was the main message the Puritan's tried to convey to its parishioners?
That God is the one who controls lives and that everything is his will.
5. Why was everone so fearful? What were they afraid of?
Everyone was afraid of The Devil. they believed that the weak were his servants and did what he wanted. They were afraid of witches and witchcraft.
6. How did the Puritans feel about individuality?
They didn't encourage free thinking, opinions, or emotions. They wanted everyone to live by their strict laws.
Economic and Social Divisions
7. Differentiate between Salem Town and Salem Village.
Salem Village was a part of Salem Town, but it was where poor farmers lived. The people there didn't have money and weren't successful. Salem Town was a center of trade with London and wealthy merchants lived there.
8. Explain the reason for the friction between Salem Town and Salem Village.
Salem Village was being taxed by Salem town so they wanted to break free, but the town wouldn't let them because they depend on the village as their food source.
9. What role did the new minister, Reverend Parris, play in the Salem witch trials?
He kind of worsened the relationship between the town and the village because he was selected as the reverand for the village and claimed that Salem Town was almost corrupt. He supported the witch trials completely and thought that most witches came from Salem Town.
Joseph McCarthy:
Answer the following questions about Joseph McCarthy
1. Who was Joseph McCarthy?
He was an American Politician, who fueled the communist subversion scare during the Cold War.
2. What feelings of the American psyche or events of the time allowed for McCarthyism to become such a prominent movement in the 1950s?
Political tension was growing; fear of communism was growing as well, and McCarthy was close with the beloved Kennedy family.
3. What effect did McCarthyism have on artists and entertainers?
Many were believed to have info on communists because their investigations. If they didnt cooperate, they were blacklisted.
1. Why did the Puritan's leave England and venture to a new land?
They left England because they wanted to practice their way of worship more freely.
2. Explain how the Puritan's felt about freedom of religion.
They had no really strong interest in it because they wanted their church to have power of the way things were done in the community.
3. How important is the church in Puritan society? Explain.
The church was the root or base of society. If you were not part of the church, you would be cast out and treated harshly. That's how much power it had. It could control the way people looked at each other.
4. What is excommunication?
It is when the church considered you to be out of God's forgiveness because you would not repent for your sins. They would "hand you over to the Devil" sort to speak. They would turn you away and cut you out of society.
5. Why were church leaders so influential/powerful in Puritan communities?
Since the church was so powerful in the communities, the reverend had the ability to make the people believe every word he said. They believed what he said was from God it must be true.
6. How does religion today compare to the Puritan's idea of religion?
Today there are many people of many different religions and do not have a Christian view of the world so church isn't as important to others as it is to some. Most don't allow a religion to rule there life because they have a mentality of "I can do things myself".
7. Why was witchcraft often the explanation for illness?
Because the medicine back then wasn't that advanced. Therefore they didn't know much about the majority of physical and mental illnesses that we know about today. They blame had to be put on someone.
8. What scientific explanation was given by Caporeal as to the cause of the mysterious behavior in Salem?
She believes that the strange behavior was caused by ergot poisoning. Many people ate rye bread because they could not afford wheat. Ergot is a fungus found in rye so many women and children were more susceptible.
Salem Witch Trials - 1692 Salem:
Puritan Children
1. Describe the life of a Puritan Child.
The children were held to very strict rules on how they should behave, work, and live. They were not allowed to express ideas or emotions that did not comply with the church's way of life. Games and toys were discouraged, as they were thought to be sinful distractions. The boys were given a little more freedom than the girls and would work as apprentices, and they were allowed to go out hunting and fishing.
Religion and Witchcraft
2. Describe a Puritan church service.
Everyone was forced to go to church. Men and women sat on opposite sides of the room and were required to keep silent with their opinions. They were made to dress a specific way.
3. What did the Puritan's believe about God and their church?
They believed that any misfortune was caused y God to punish those who had sinned. Everything was God's will. If a neighbor was struck with something bad then they wouldn't help because God was punishing that person.
4. What do you think was the main message the Puritan's tried to convey to its parishioners?
That God is the one who controls lives and that everything is his will.
5. Why was everone so fearful? What were they afraid of?
Everyone was afraid of The Devil. they believed that the weak were his servants and did what he wanted. They were afraid of witches and witchcraft.
6. How did the Puritans feel about individuality?
They didn't encourage free thinking, opinions, or emotions. They wanted everyone to live by their strict laws.
Economic and Social Divisions
7. Differentiate between Salem Town and Salem Village.
Salem Village was a part of Salem Town, but it was where poor farmers lived. The people there didn't have money and weren't successful. Salem Town was a center of trade with London and wealthy merchants lived there.
8. Explain the reason for the friction between Salem Town and Salem Village.
Salem Village was being taxed by Salem town so they wanted to break free, but the town wouldn't let them because they depend on the village as their food source.
9. What role did the new minister, Reverend Parris, play in the Salem witch trials?
He kind of worsened the relationship between the town and the village because he was selected as the reverand for the village and claimed that Salem Town was almost corrupt. He supported the witch trials completely and thought that most witches came from Salem Town.
Joseph McCarthy:
Answer the following questions about Joseph McCarthy
1. Who was Joseph McCarthy?
He was an American Politician, who fueled the communist subversion scare during the Cold War.
2. What feelings of the American psyche or events of the time allowed for McCarthyism to become such a prominent movement in the 1950s?
Political tension was growing; fear of communism was growing as well, and McCarthy was close with the beloved Kennedy family.
3. What effect did McCarthyism have on artists and entertainers?
Many were believed to have info on communists because their investigations. If they didnt cooperate, they were blacklisted.