Pretend you’re living in the decades following the Salem Witch Trials.
You’re well educated (obviously), and, as such, you have the power to recreate society.
What concerns would you have about the way the past decades were governed?
The way community was formed?
The way people were punished?
How people gained and maintained power, etc.?
What might you change?
Be specific, considering what we learned about the Puritans via our Witchy Webquest as well as The Crucible.
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If I were to have the opportunity to change some things after the Salem witch trials era, I would defiantly do so. I think it would be a good idea to group people and organize communities by the different interest and beliefs they have, that way the people are in agreement with each other more than they are arguing. Punishments should be conducted fairly according to the laws, but also with mercy and forgiveness to promote better behavior. Power should be gained by popular demand in the community instead of wealth or divine right. Overall, I would have the communities be more logical in their decisions and in the reasons for their actions.
ReplyDeleteThe main problem I am concerned with is the role that fear plays in the society. I think the people in charge had too much power in the community. I think that the citizens in the society were practically brainwashed into believing whatever they were told to believe. People believed that the bible was law, and that anything else was a lie. They were not free to think on their own, form their own opinions, or disagree with the laws of the community. If they did happen to go against the system, they were considered outsiders and questionable. People were punished for things that seem almost unreasonable. If they were tried they were usually found guilty on very scarce evidence. Basically, if you didn’t have power, you had no control over your own fate. I would make it so that the citizens would not fear their leaders, but rather, respect them. I would make the punishment more fair and the trials more just. I would make it so that citizens would be able to voice their own opinions without fear of consequences.
ReplyDeleteAh this is a hard question. I would defiantly want to change a few things. I feel that, as Hannah said, fear is plays such a monumental role in the society and the Salem witch trials as a whole, that i would try to dissipate that anxiety of always having something to worry about. I feel that in order for the society to grow faster, there needed to be a massive meeting showing that fear should not be a constant in the means of running the culture. I feel that as the community was being formed, before the trials even began, that it needed to have more equality. That possibly, instead of asigning one person that they would listen to, there would be a group of men AND women to voice there opinions (seeing as women were the main target in this era).
ReplyDeleteI would also want to change the way fear is brought up in the society. I would make it so that instead of spreading the wrath of god around people would be happy with their life. A happy society is one that can prosper. I would still keep the governement for the people, but have townspeople be able to share their feeling and let their voices be heard. I would spread the power out so not one person is in charge who can spread the fear around to everyone else. The way people are treated would be changed too. If someone was accused of a crime hard evidence would be needed before them being prosecuted. The last thing I would do is have the communities connect to each other in a big townhall seminar. In The Crucible the towns were spread out and information was hard to gather. If the towns met every so often then they could take logically about what's going on around them.
ReplyDeleteThe structure of Puritan society was mainly based on religion and the relationship between God and man which was commonly taught by accentuating man's "intense sinfulness" and duty and God's soveriegnty. Communities gathered around this religion or general common beliefs. What I would seek to change is the religiosity but lacking of true Christian values among leaders and peoples.
ReplyDeleteThis lacking is shown in the forms of punishment which were commonplace in Puritan communities. They were exceedingly severe considering the crime committed: usually public humiliation, torture, or even death. In my opinion, these do not cultivate a more God-focused world for which the preachers and leaders seemed to be striving.
Rather than these leaders gaining and maintaining power through wealth or greed, governmental leaders would be nominated and elected by the citizens.
Overall, what worries me about Puritan traditions is the prevalence of darkness, of man's inherent "evil" rather than the goodness of man and the mercy of God. With these beliefs so engrained into the minds of people, to what hope could they hold of a bright future? In a recreation of the post-Puritan world, the positive aspects of life would be taught and stressed. Also, rather than the empty structure of religion, tradition, and greed as the source of leadership, seeking morality, generosity, and charity would guide decisions and lifestyles.
The idea of change is nice however, after a place has been in fear for so long it takes a while for the fear to stop. I guess the first thing that I would do is to have a town meeting and try to have everyone talk during the meeting so, then they know that speaking up won't get them killed. Also, I would say some bonding time where the town could reform bonds and hopefully stop the hate that some people feel for others, maybe by having a ball or by "raising the roof" to bring the community together once again. I woulds say being as positive as possible is key, having punishment would only add to the tension. Once a community has strong bonds to one another it is then harder to break those bonds like the Salem Witch trials did.
ReplyDeleteThe concerns I have are that the government is definitely not strong enough. We need to have a few stable leaders and what they say go's. Plus the punishments were to severe. For example, in Salem people were killed for using "witchcraft." This is insane because there was no real proof that the accused actually did these acts. In my town there would have to be solid proof for someone to be convicted. Also to get the community together we would have meetings or clubs of people with common interests such as knitting club, farmers club, etc. The people with the power would be the ones in charge. (Judges, Governor, Other Government people) This way there would be no mistake in who had the power.
ReplyDeleteSomewhat similar to what Mary Catherine said, Puritan society was established based on religion. If I were to reestablish Puritan society after the witch trials, I would not allow religion to govern and run their society. Throughout the trials, religion was emphasized and used for judgment. The entire witch craft anxiety originated from their religion. It is unwise to allow religion to overlap with government, so I would make sure that such would not be present in the reestablished community.
ReplyDeleteIf I was living after the Salem Witch Trials, and was thinking about the way societys were goverend, I would be most worried about how religion was part of the government. I am a religious person myself, but I realize that church and state often need to be separated for things to run smoothly. Some people may not belive the same things I do, but I cant judge them for acting different than me, unless they are doing something truly illegal. I would want people to be elected based on a democracy. It simply isnt fair for a group to be in power, like in The Village, that just gets to stay in power forever because they say so. They were clearly not running things well, but no one knew what to do to make them leave. I would make sure that there were elections every few years so that if a leader wasnt doing their job, we could change it and move on. Really, I would just make sure everything was more of a democracy, so that the whole town that I was living in had a say in what was going on, rather than just the few select people who had started the town.
ReplyDeleteThere are many things that should be changed but, I would change the way leaders were elected to power. It's hard to have your village leader so involved in the church because, it gives them an unfair advantage over you. It also makes it easy for them to manipulate decisions if they say they are "advocating" for God. There is really no way to argue with that, unless you want to jeopardize your eternity. Therefore, I think it would be beneficial to separate the church and state.
ReplyDeletePrior decades are the decades we learn from--they tally our mistakes. In order to learn from this, we must think how we would improve the decisions resulting in the mistake. What government should (but rarely does) come down to is honest justice: no bias, just fact and faith. However, government is often composed of conspiracy which is never an honest thing. The problem in communities is that is those who are similar are always together. One girl is my friend only because we look alike and both love Leonardo DiCaprio and the color purple. While being with those who are comparable to you is lovely, there will always be the ugly duckling that does not fit in. When you clash with the décor, it causes upset, as we saw in The Crucible. People who were different were accused of being witches. While I don't believe we would sanely accuse our freak-neighbor of being a witch, we would persecute them in one fashion or another. This could be spreading rumors or violence. This form of punishment is cruel, but inevitable. In modern times, people have gained power through charisma. This is no doubt a very important trait for a leader, because if you are not charismatic, you cannot gain any support. But what is also more important is knowledge and experience. If you have knowledge of something, like MLB stats, people will turn and listen to you. Thus, you are given power from something so simple.
ReplyDeleteThe Puritan society and government, as Mary Catherine mentioned, were based on religion and God. Although I think that both are beneficial in a society, I would lessen the effect it had on the people. In that sermon “Sinners in the Hand of a Angry God”, I believe that John Edward’s sermon focused on the negatives and “wrath of God”. If I could change something in the Puritan society I would change their view on their religion into a more positive thing, and show that God loves as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Puritan punishments were hard and demeaning to the criminal. They had some unreasonable rules, such as puritans not being allowed to have strangers in their houses’ for more than 2 weeks. If rules like this were broken, then the “criminal” was usually publically humiliated, with their crime known all around the village. I would change this by taking out some of these unbelievably strict and unnecessary rules.
The cause of these rules was the government itself. It was a theocracy were the minister was “sanctioned by God” to lead the Puritans. These ministers had the most power over anyone, and could do what ever they desire. I would change this as well, making the theocracy in to more of a democracy.
I would agree with Ben, if I could have changed things after the Salem Witch Trials era i would have. Some of the things that I would change would be how the law is obeyed, this way there would be no more unfair trials and unjust killings. Also, I would try to make it so that others would have more trust in one another. Another thing that I would change is that I would make the powerful people come to power by voting on them instead of them having God given power. Overall I would just use common sense.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that the biggest problem with Salem was the way fear governed and controlled society. Since, Salem was such a small town I think I basically would have tried to turn it into a true democracy, where anyone who wanted to could vote on all the issues and everyone could have an equal role in the government. A few basic and necessary laws and rights would then be established and a few people would be hired to enforce and maintain these laws and freedoms based on what the society wants. These people would have checks on their power because they would be beholden to everyone else in society. Severe punishments would be outlawed under basic civil rights. I also would have tried to diminish the role of the church in society. The church was very controlling and irrational and I think I would have tried to show this to the people and convince them to become more free and independent. I would encourage people to respect the privacy and rights of others and try to create a more liberal, free and independent atmosphere in regards to social and sexual standards. I would also try to encourage independent thought within the community by granting and supporting access to art, literature and information and by encouraging people to engage in this realm of society. I would have created open community forums for people to discuss their concerns and feelings as well as made mental health help and counseling available to them. I think these things would have helped to decrease the class tensions, greed and religious control which so clearly existed within and controlled Salem, causing the Salem Witch Trials.
ReplyDeleteIn puritain sociaty religion was law, and it was strict. The extremely literal intrepritation of the Bible allowed for little self expression and this repression i believe caused a build up of of anxiety which would search for an outlet in other areas. This outlet was expressed through occurences such as the salem witch trials and such. Power was gained through a strict adhering to social acceptability and through fear. Often this was the fear of God. Punishment was irrational and not proportinate to the crime. If I could have changed things I would have allowed for self expression. I do not believe the Bible tells us to conform as difference is what makes collaborative success. I am really not sure I have made any sense but that is how I feel.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to change the post-Salem ways, I would be concerned about the strong tie between church, state and punishment, which seems too hard on those convicted of crimes other than murder. As it has already been done, I would put power towards elected officials who knew what they were doing and getting into so as to potentially prevent unfair hand-downs of punishment. As for punishment, I would limit the death penalty to more serious crimes, such as murder, since I believe a life should not be legally taken away unless that life illegally took another's life. In other words I think the death penalty is too heavy to hand for lesser crimes, even though those crimes may go against moral values and strict laws. This would limit church and state punishment, such as the case with Tibuta, whose beliefs did not confer with the beliefs of those who ran the government and system of punishment.
ReplyDeleteIf I had the power to recreate the Purtian society, there are many changes I would make. First off, I would separate church and state, but I wouldnn't let either one lose their importance in this Puritan society. This way we could still be very religious just that we wouldn't be able to call on the bible when we talked about law. Then, I would, as Grant said, make it illegal to give someone the death penalty for not committing murder. With the way people were elected to power, I would make a democratic government where we hold elections once a year and everyone's vote is equal.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of work to be done if change is to take place in a society where cultural anxieties have permeated so deeply. I think that what I would do first is to change the structure of the town. Previously, things in Salem had been so out of balance, as some of my classmates have pointed out. The power was so unevenly distributed, it was almost begging for something to go wrong. I would implement a more democratic government. Then, if the people were concerned about something, they knew that they would be able to express their opinions and be heard, instead of lashing out irrationally in attempt to be heard by ANYONE with more pull in the community than they. Second, I would place someone in first command who is from the outside. No one would have any preconceived notions about them. That person, however, would be fully aware of the situation in Salem, and have in mind a goal to reach with the community. They would encourage people to not fear, and begin to show people that different is not bad, but actually it gives a town a rich culture and mindset. This person in charge would also have a "board of elders" of such, in power along with him. This might quell some worries of the other people in the town, that the leader in charge will be held accountable for his or her actions. Third, seeing as religion is such a huge part of the Puritan society, I would place someone in a position at the church. However, I would have this person teaching different philosophies than what were previously thought. If this is a place where people invest their time and where their beliefs are centered, then they might be more willing to accept change coming through the church. Finally, anything else that is done from this point, I would do at a very slow pace. These people already have a mind set when it comes to their society and culture. Coming in and changing a whole bunch of things all at once will not go over too well with the people, especially those who were heavily impacted by those generations before them.
ReplyDeleteThe ways in which past decades were governed were not just, and caused many problems. Some of the concerns that I have relating to this society are those of the way people were trusted with power, and the way that cultural anxiety was penetrated by people with power, afflicting it on people without power. The community was formed when a group of people with similar lifestyles came together, such as what happened in "The Village". Power was given to the people with money. This causes some of my concerns because the people with money aren't necessarily the best fit people to fill a position of power and leadership. Though they are the ones to whom others strive on in order to survive in their community, they are not useless, and should have the opportunity to have a voice of power. The way people were punished in this society was unjust. Typically, one is punished for being charged guilty, but in the society that is in "The Crucible", people were punished for not confessing to something that they didn't do in the first place. A common trend occurs within the people who were convicted. None of the people charged had much power. All of them had something about them that didn't quite fit in with the rest of society, whether they didn't go to church, they worked on Sunday's, or poppets were found in their houses. But of all the people convicted, the majority would not confess to being a witch, and cost their lives in order to save their dignity. From these patterns, one can draw some conclusions of this Puritan society. The Puritians had high moral values and standards to live by. Anyone who did not hold these standards was considered to be a potential witch. They were tried, convicted, and often hanged simply because they were differnt. This shows that the Puritian lifestyle is one that does not like change, and likes everything to be the same. People gained and maintained power by the money they had. If one had a lot of money, he automatically had a lot of power. If one worked night and day just to get by, they typically would not have power. Power was maintained if money was obtained. It was an "every man for themselves" type of society that required every person to work for a living. If you were blessed with wealth, it meant that you worked harder earlier, and now could have power. If you were not so fortunate, you had little power because you spent all your time earning a living. If I could go back and change this Puritan society, I would make it a type of society with equal voice. Power would not be determined by wealth, and conviction would not be based on if one was like the rest. The society would be fair and just, such as a democratic society, in which every citizen has a say. The Puritans chose this lifestyle for a reason. Whether it was the best choice or not, it is what they lived by and flourished off of for many years. Though there are things we would change today to make a better society, there are also things that we can learn from their actions. They teach people today how to survive in an "every man for themselves" type of world, and they teach us lessons about the consequences of letting money determine society.
ReplyDeleteThis is a difficult question. Obviously, the times following the Salem Witchcraft trials were times in which everyone wanted change; no one wanted "history" to repeat itself. I would start, as a lot of my classmates have said, with a rational form of government. One in which there is no debates about power. That way, when a problem comes up, the people know where to turn to and how to react with out being irrational. One of the main things that I would try to change was how people were punished. It seems very unfair to be judged based off of untangible evidence, like they did in Salem. Another thing that I saw wrong with the society before was the amount of anxiety, and how much of an effect that the anxiety had on their town. I would try, in whatever way possible to dissipate all of the prior anxieities. Also, as many have my classmates have mentioned,Puritan society was based on strict religion and moral principles. While a society based on these principles is definetely not bad, to the degree in which they were emphisized in Salem seemed to be too much. I think that the puritans lost sight of why they believed and instead just believed because if they didn't, consequences would follow. The town of Salem needs some shaping up after the trials, but the goal of a happy, peaceful society is not out of reach; change can come if you let it.
ReplyDeleteI would be concerned about hte way my peers let fear influence their actions and how that in turn would effect me. I would wonder how the formation of the community would turn against me in times when I had done something wrong or strange. The way people were punished would scare me because they are so brutal and harsh when some crimes are very small. I would change the way people saw each other and how harshly they reacted when someone did something a little different. I would like to change how open minded the Puritan people were.
ReplyDeleteI would first make sure that the community I lived in was governed and formed not based on religous beliefs or laws. In Salem's society, had they not based the trials upon belief, the witches could not have been found guilty. I would also be sure that the legal system was based more upon factual evidence, rather than circumstancial evidence, and that juries were unbiased. All of the Salem trials were based purely on falty evidence of Abigail and her friends. I would also be sure that punishment did not include things as cruel and unfair as crushing someone with stones simply for refusing to speak. Lastly, power would not be decided simply by the amount of money someone has or their decided job. In The Crucible, the priests and those with more money held most of the power. That is what caused girls like Abigail to rebell and abuse their power. If power was handed out by the people, to those they feel deserve it, then it would not become so "out of control". I fear that people gain too much power simply because they are charismatic. It happened in The Crucible, when people listened to and trusted Abigail simply because she was a great actor and could capture the audience, and it happens in the world now with leaders and celebrities.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to change something about the way people were governed I would start by creating a Constitution-like collection of laws that were not based on the bible. And I would require that evidence in court would have to be visible by everyone. And finally I would try and create a system that gave balanced power to many people and that also kept the amount of power for each person in check.
ReplyDeleteIf I had the chance to recreate the Puritan society, I would have started with separating the church and state, as many of you before me said. A lot of you also believed that fear played a big role in the society, which I also agree with, but I believe power is even more important. Those with the power installed the fear in everyone else, so in the end, it all comes down to that power. Therefore, I would try to create a more democratic society into groups that would share the power fairly. Also, I would create a set of rules that each group had to follow, such as the Constitution in our country. That way each group could check the others to make sure they were following the rules and the power was fair. In the end, it would make things more organized and fair.
ReplyDeleteBy the time I post this people have responded on all spectrums to these questions. So, going along with what everyone has been saying; I am concerned at how this time period was governed in the following ways: 1. the fear used as a routine way to hold power and to just generally govern. 2. the lack of balance - so much of the society is based on an extreme. 3. the emphasis to stay from nature, personally I feel that nature is an important part to being a healthy not ignorant person. It seems to me that these people live with the idea that association with nature (besides just farming) is bad and degrading to their soul.
ReplyDeleteThe punishment has no second chances, and even if you are not killed as punishment, no-one will ever look/ treat you the same again. It seems to me that it is a no win situation - in my opinion punishment should not be something that you can’t learn from.
People truly gained and maintained power through fear (as others have mentioned) and this is a false way to be powerful. The people in power should be the ones that have the same ideas as the majority of the people; not those with the most inciting speeches.
I guess I would change this emphasis on fear and put more on nature and advancement.