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Salem, 1602

Within the Massachusetts colony we note numerous weaknesses on their part. Even just the laws they had

enacted were completely antithetical to that which we have presently. Individuals may be imprisoned for doing

whatever the Puritans had considered was not in God's word as their judgements were to have been founded on

religious beliefs. The founding fathers were not specifically analyzing the events in this colony when forming their

opinions, but they came to a conclusion based off of the possibility of things as such occurring.

Puritan Entry, January 19, 1692

A darkness hath fallen upon our colony and I fear of what shall befall next.

I find myself 'i a state of contemplation, I fear not for myself yet for mine child for she hath fallen ill from the

practice of black magic that hath dawned upon our colony, it seems she’s being manipulated by eyeless agents,

causing brainsick, ridiculous speech, trances, and we hast found that she frequently interrupts the sermons.

Till this February she’d been both perfectly well behaved and well mannered.

Witch Entry, January 19, 1692

Reports of black magic flote our colony, I hope not to find myself as a suspect yet as these witch hunts begin I don't

wot who’ll they’ll find, and worse what shall be done to us. Their hunts shall be marshal'd by envious conclusions,

and I fear the corporal agent of liberties shall fall through once a trial begins. 'i these following months, I shall attend

the sermons, and keep far from suspicions.

Puritan Entry, February 14, 1692

I arriveth to a conclusion on how to locate the perpetrator that hath cast a shadow upon our colony and girls.

A cake.

Our Tituba shall course the recipe I grant to her and we shall find whom hath put their magic upon our girls.

Witch Entry, February 15, 1692

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Mother.

O mother.

She'd been sent to compose a cake. A cake that caused a fault 'i the colony. A cake that convinced 'em she was a

witch. She tells me she hath done nought wrong. I receive her though i wot they won't.

Puritan Entry, February 15, 1692 Tituba.

I had tried to trust this brute, maugre her darkened skin and now hast found her to be one of 'em. Along with the two

others convicted with her. We wot the punishment that she's going to receive, yet she still shall be granted a trial

based towards the corporal agent of liberties

Witch Entry, March 22, 1962

Souls hath perished, mother admitted to the malicious acts 'i which she was accused of committing, a testimony

claiming to hast seen, two rats, one red the other black, claiming they had wanted her to serve 'em. Her testimony

avowing the “darkness” she'd bestowed upon girls of the colony, as she'd signed the book of Satan.Yet she is not

part of the dead, her confessions hast proven her to god and the Sarah girls were hung for punishment of practicing

these acts

The trial granted to Tituba was written in a code allowing all a right to a trial. In some aspects they were much like

rights granted to us today, though these were allowed entirely on the basis of the churchs’ personal beliefs. Tituba

believed that implicating herself would spare her from being accused of witchcraft, for which was destined to be

hanged as witches were. Lack of protection pertaining to the 5th amendment, cost Tituba her life. The Puritans

conclusions drawn from fear, were acted upon as the Bible justified the murders, as Exodus 22:18 states, "Thou shalt

not suffer a witch to live." Whereas, in a modern court of law, Tituba would be protected and follow a clear, stated

understanding. Acts in which she may, or may not have committed, don't have to be answered, and she’d be granted

rights to protect herself from incrimination. Common belief is that religion is the complete opposite of the base that

the government should be laid upon, and for this reason. The bible has in numerous cases been interpreted,
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ultimately leaving the government up to translation if this were the way in which laws were enforced. The 5th

amendment was written by the founding fathers allowing individuals to guard themselves from these acts, the

allowance of vowing to silence helps defendants avoid a dilemma of perjury, and self incrimination all at once. The

amendment reinforces protection from having their rights abused by the government, or in cases as such, society as a

whole, as well as convicting one of a crime. Despite questioning, your right to remain silent can’t be used against

you in a court of law.

Puritan Entry, March 18, 1963

Various of our women hast become intertwined with the cunning deception of the serpent.

Our bible tells the tale all too well..

“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.”

Yet some of our men hast 'i fact been led astray from Christ as I fear they hath been sirened and manipulated.

The women are to be shent.

And shall receive punishment for their actions as will the men they hath corrupted with 'em.

The same can be said for women's rights in general. Moreover, I consider that this occurrence is an excellent

illustration of whether we should not take our rights for granted, as they have not always been attainable to

everyone. Women were held to blame heavily for the original sin in this early society, the sin regarding Adam and

Eve, especially in colonies that were predominantly religious. It's obvious that they're to fault for the "witchcraft"

that struck the colony. Out of the hundreds of people accused, the majority were women, while five of the 19 people

killed were males on charges. Women were charged only by spectral evidence, and could trust no one as their own

kin would go out on a limb to accuse them.

Witch Entry, March 18, 1963

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Women are the target..I fear daily of the accusations being made for the people are 'i a delirious state and turning on

each other. Daughters are being forced to turn on their mothers

Mother hath taken place as some confessionary.

Though she told me she hath nought obtained information, they hath spared her life as she turns ‘i witches within the

colony.