For a research paper on the puritans do you think the salem witch trials would work?

Question

For AP English next year, we had a summer project. We had to read the scarlet letter and part of the project is to do a research paper on one aspect of puritan society. Would the salem witch trials work, probably?

Answer 1

Yes, it gives a little bit of the history of how the puritans persecuted innocent people.  The scarlet letter "A" demonstrates how the puritans marked the people who they considered to be outsiders or were considered blasphemous. The constant but failed attempt to pursue the adulterer is also a perfect example of how the puritans obsessed over an issue in which they could not resolve. Their relentless cruelty and harsh punishments are also paralleled in both the story and the history of early colonial times through the puritan's unjust trials and testimonies.

Answer 2

You might also dive into some of the theories about why the Puritans went so nuts about witches. One theory is that they ate some rye that had ergot in it from becoming spoiled, which made those girls insane. Another theory is that the people who were hung (no one in the US was burned at the stake) were those who had property that their neighbors wanted to seize. Kinda crappy of someone with high morals! ;) Good luck on your paper!

Answer 3

YES! just go online and also look up the crucible. there will be more info for you there.