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