The United States of Salem: "witchcraft" witch City

In early 1630, established in 1836, is located in SalemThe United States of AmericaNortheastern Massachusetts, distanceBostonOnly 20 km, a population of less than 50000 people. Salem is one of the oldest seaport in North America, its history is almost synchronous with the North American colonial history of development. Many years ago, "May flower" the firstBritainImmigration is from here, to settle the land.

Salem's great reputation in the United States, almost make known to every family, but this is not due to its long history, or old buildings and streets carefully protected, but because the famous "witch trials". Because of this case, Salem also got another name -- "witch city".

Salem

Disease caused by the trial

More than 20 innocent "witch" was executed

In the dictionary, "witch" refers to use astrology, spiritualism and the female wizard spell, also known as the witch. A long-standing witch legend, ancientGreeceMythology has had a witch image. In the middle ages ago, witch usually have good social status and economic income. But in the middle ages, the Catholic Church began to belittle and vilify the witch, witch make up their image, even burned alive. So then people began to believe: every night witch will pass through the chimney, riding a broomstick to demons together to go to the party, even hail, crop failure and disease is caused by the witch.

1487.EuropeThe Catholic Church has published the witch "professional books --" witch "hammer", the book detailed account of the various recognition, "witch" method. With the development of modern printing in Europe, the book in 1487 to 1669 nearly 200 years, he has reprinted nearly 30 times, causing a delay for a long time "the Witch Hunt: such as tide"GermanyThe town panbe just 6000 people, but in the 5 year, there were 600 people sentenced to witch Inferno; and another German city of Wuerzburg, 5 years also has nearly 900 "witch" dead sea of fire.

While the other side of the Atlantic Salem, and continental Europe as. In 1689, it established the first church, and invited the priest Palisse.

In 1692 March, pastor's daughter got a strange disease, she walk stumbled, aching, will suddenly attack spasm, facial expressions are a terrorist. Subsequently, usually with several girls she follow like a shadow appeared the same symptoms. The girl's behavior becomes grotesque, they ganged up, follow like a shadow, repeat each other some be rather baffling words, or a sudden scream, or suddenly waiwaixiexie put stiff static posture, is really fantastic. The local doctors tried various methods to cure but failed, so he said this kind of disease is someone uses witchcraft, so that these girls in the evil.