What do you think motivated the Salem witch trials, and what is today's corollary?

Hate, fear, and douchebaggedness. Tea Party bigots, neo-nazis and the WBC seem like the closest thing today.

Lack of modern medicine, really. I'm currently read a book The Crucible, about Salem Witch trials. Instead of goddidit, it's witchdidit. Someone became paralyzed in it, for seemingly no reason at all. Then rumors spread like wildfire, and the large witch hunt begins.

Not sure of the corollary, but there's your first part!

It's been a long time since I've studied the Salem witch trials, but I suspect jealousy and envy, along with a good dose of superstitious fear coupled with unquestioning faith was behind that farce. In other words, very very human motivations. It would be really handy (scary???) if magic were real, but since life keeps plodding along in very humanly predictable ways, I'm coming down on the side of "ain't no such thing."

Today's corollary...hm. Phony accusations of rape or abuse? Exes trying to get back at exes? Trying to get child custody? Prosecutors just trying to rack up convictions to show that they're "proactive" and should be re-elected? Those pop to mind.

Interesting question, thank you.

We haven't any thought - within the "crucible" which was headquartered on it, however no longer honestly factual, she ran away and grew to be a prostitute. Here is the situation referenced in "Echoes Down the corridor" which is on the end of The Crucible, through Arthur Miller) it says that "The legend has it that Abigail became up later as a prostitute in Boston." nevertheless, given using the word "legend," it's presumed the accusation is obviously false. The last declare states Abigail died from a usual Sexually transmitted sickness in colonial Massachusetts for the period of that time interval. Despite the fact that there is no exact proof of what occurred to Williams after the pains ended, one reference stated she "it seems that died earlier than the end of 1697, if now not sooner, no older than seventeen." i don't consider which you can make a 5 page paper out of that, you'll higher find another subject.

Religion played a role in it, but we can't blame this on God. Any history major familiar with Salem knows that there were rivalries in the town among different factions and socio-economic groups. All but one of the accused witches were female. Some of them were wealthy land owners, and those women were sometimes despised or mistrusted. Sometimes, they were widows who inherited the property. It was a complex affair, involving paranoia, conversion hysteria, an inordinate fear of witchcraft, etc. The experiences that some of the townspeople had might possibly be explained by a fungus that could have contaminated their bread supply. I am convinced that many, many innocent people died at Salem.

"Salem, like many other communities in the past and present, harvested rye as part of their grain crops, and it was a staple in their diet. But it turns out that rye grass is susceptible to a particular fungus called Claviceps purpurea which infects the edible portions of the plant. During the ergot stage of this fungus' development, a cocktail of interesting alkaloids are present which will cause problems with circulation and neurotransmission when ingested by humans. A woman named Linnda Caporael was the first to suggest that Ergot of Rye may have contributed to the madness in the Salem trials.

Ergot poisoning, or ergotism, can cause a distressing array of side effects. The initial symptoms are usually gastrointestinal in nature, including nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Shortly thereafter the sufferer may experience a gamut of symptoms caused by ergot's influence on the central nervous system. These usually start with relatively benign sensations such as headaches, "pins and needles," and burning/itching sensations on the skin; but the the experience can escalate into spasms, convulsions, unconsciousness, hallucinations, and psychosis. In severe cases, the body tissues experience physical side effects such as loss of peripheral sensation, swelling, blisters, dry gangrene, and sometimes death."

I'm too tired to look the definition of corollary. My guess is whatever else that motivates us to go after things we can't understand or control.

Short answer...Governing Controls wanted to set up Rule, as a Dictatorship, that would breach no opposition... from any. The Beast Roared. Still happening, histories repeat themselves.

Longer response:

Whenever we do a careful study we begin to factor in various details. Every system has a governing ruler who manages the classes to promote ideals. Our Americas left British Rule in faith and with the hope of freedom in the hearts of all peoples Wayne. The Dictators came as well, nothing much has been changed... we all want freedoms exchanged and granted until one group challenges our ideals. Histories have been written, from the beginnings to justify actions while ignoring, minimizing or attacking others, demonizing the opposition with willful distortions of another peoples intention. The masses then, now, give acceptance to inaccurate characterizations of those they fear and oppose. While the colonists came here to establish their own religious freedom they excluded others freedom.

Many examples of this exist, as even the Constitution supported slavery. Peoples are won over by and through many disguises, still today, how we educate is still determined by careful selection of what systems of knowledge we want embraced.

The heart attack continues today, consequently, as our problem might be we don't see the dust that is thrown in our eyes from the onset. It could be said, that the gun of today, is still the sword of yesterday, the name of the instrument has been changed. Also that the governments have never stayed in check, nor those who govern, then or now. As long as the governing forces still have arms, blind slaves will follow... we need to develop the kind of mind that questions and sees in advance, so we aren't blindfolded... taken as blind slaves. You have some very good answers here! Tides rolling in, joining in with rivers and streams here, as there are many answers to this question. We could mull over, pausing, reading, revising... many. G question!

Ignorance.

See, when I was a kid, somebody who was a greedy fool would also be considered ignorant.

It's at the heart of every issue mankind has. When understanding is sought, anything can be accomplished.

But, I've heard the illness theory, the land grab theory.....ignorance is still at the core of it all.

Today? Right here & now? My Prime Minister, Stephen Harper & his omnibus bill....selling off our resources & freedoms & rights to foreign interests, without so much of a care for the impact on our standard of living, our health, our right to self determination....he is clearly ignorant of the out come of this stance....

If he could be enlightened in a way to see why it's wrong....ah.....pipe dream....

Fear of the unknown and in general, piousness, lack of knowledge, superstitions, hysteria, hallucinations, and the placebo effect.

Not sure what a corollary is.

The same thing that motivated the inquisition. Weak cowardly people killing those of the true and original religion, because they know what we are capable of, we are powerful, very powerful. That is why, they killed us so that all that were left are the vulnerable stupid people who believed in god because they are weak, and cannot think for themselves like sheep, so that all the wealth and power can be in the hands of few, because the stupid f-ing church/bible people HATE HUMANITY. Thats why they have enslaved the millions of dumb asses across the world.Spiritual satanism IS The true and original religion. Christianity was stolen from many religions all over the world, but with name changes and fake events. Its backwards. GOD/ANGELS = EVIL. SATAN/DEMONS = PERFECTION. SPIRITUAL SATANISM IS based of that of the ancient egyptians, sumerians, etc. WHY DO YOU THINK GOD DOESNT ANSWER PRAYERS? HES A MADE UP FAIRY TALE. OF COURSE SO MANY BELIEVE IN GOD NOW, BECAUSE EVERYONE WHO DIDNT WAS KILLED CENTURIES AGO BY THE CHURCHES. i know satan is real. i can prove it, and so can any other true satanist. CHRISTIANS AND JEWS ARE WEAK PATHETIC AND COWARDLY PEOPLE. THOSE KNOWING OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE SEE MY POWER, AND SATANS ENERGIES WITHIN ME AND COWER IN FEAR. ITS F**KIN HILARIOUS! THEY ARE THE WEAKEST OF PEOPLE. satan loves all that are dedicated to him by performing a dedication ritual, AND dedicating yourself to be of hells army. Its all about meditations, freeing our souls, and obtaining higher knowledge and improving one's self. Its very rewarding. Unlike christianity, because god is a fictitious character made up and all thats in the bible is to strip you of spiritual knowledge, so that you are weak and all power is in the hands of a few. Even george washington has quotes of how the jews were trying to rule the world, and how it would be a much better place without all of them. There are NO RULES. NOTHING IS EXPECTED OF YOU. ITS A PRO-choice religion. You do whatever it is that is of your own personal nature. But beware, if you are blasphemous torwards satan and his demons bad things will happen. You must first have the knowledge of the religious lies we were brainwashed with. Like if you ever called a demon an angel they instantly become infuriated. But i have invoked the energies of many demons, all of which were extremely pleasurable and friendly with me, to the point i cry of happiness, not even on purpose, from the beautiful energies of satan, the ancient gods/demons. But that is because im dedicated, respectful, and knowledgable. We are lovers of children and animals, and the earth. But most spiritual knowledge has been corrupted. You cannot trust books, and most websites because the christians corrupted it, making it blasphemous and dissrespectful to satan and his demons, and the gods of duat. Wo do you trust? EGYPTIANS, who have more knowledge than we do now centuries later, or fake god who wqsnt even made up until centuries after egyptians, mayans, sumerians, etc? USE YOUR BRAIN ON THIS ONE. MOST PEOPLE RARELY DO, AND FOLLOW WHAT THEY ARE TOLD TO BELIEVE. LIKE THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS, AND THE INQUISITION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MURDERED FOR CENTURIES FOR BELIEVING IN SATAN BECAUSE THEY ALL KNOW THE POWER WE OBTAIN. WHY DO YOU THINK CHURCHES BRIBE SO MUCH? AND THE BIBLES MURDERS, AND HYPOCRITICAL 7SINS, AND THE CHURCHES PRIESTS RAPE CHILDREN. WTF KIND OF GOD IS THAT?

NONE.