occurred, the witches would be free of shame, judgement and any restrictions. The witches confessed to these beliefs. Thus, the trials were a means of repressing these beliefs since they punished anyone who was believed to be a witch. When young adolescent girls rebelled against the harsh restrictions placed upon them by society, society used the witchcraft trials to maintain control. Practising witchcraft was a way to release frustrations in the very ridged puritan society. The trials restrained any views that conflicted with the puritan religion. The slave Tituba showed the young girls of Salem tricks and spells similar to voodoo. This was against Puritan religion since Puritans believe that God Doesn’t permit people to look into the future. Therefor, the people of Salem put Tituba on trial along with her ideas. This set an example to the town that anyone practising different beliefs would be put on trial. The trials were used to suppress new ideas that conflicted with puritan ideology. They ensured that the practice of the puritan religion would remain unchanged. Thus, the judges used the trials to suppress rebellion and to keep society constant. The trials were also used to keep the social hierarchy intact. The officials wanted to keep each class constant with no upward mobility. The Puritan point of view was that God had ordained the class structure. Therefore, people must remain at the level where God placed them at birth. Carol Karlsen states in The Devil in the Shape of a Woman, "The connections between economic conflict and witchcraft represent well-trod ground of historians." During the late 1680’s through the 1690’s people were moving up socially. People resented this and used the trials to stop it. People advancing socially were accused of witchcraft and placed on trial. They were found guilty and sentenced to jail or execution by hanging. Thus, the trials were used as a deterrent to people trying to raise...
