Apeh Dbq - Witch Craze

Richard Chao November 1, 2008 P. 4 Witches DBQ From the Middle Ages onward until the 1700s, a witch craze ran rampant throughout Europe. Witches were isolated and persecuted, mostly with torture. Over 100,000 “witches” were tried, with most of the number concentrated in southeastern Europe. They were viewed negatively with their perceived connection with the Devil, and many punishments and sanctions were imposed on the accused. Three major reasons for the persecution of witches were religion, the social tendencies and prejudices of the people, and the peoples economic greed. The witch craze took place between 1480-1700, encompassing both the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. The religious philosophies and the influence of the prevalent religious leaders of the time played a crucial role in the progression of the accused. Religion dominated the time period and it’s easy to see how many opinions were shaped by the religion. In Document B3, religious icon Martin Luther preaches that witches are “the Devil’s whores who…torture babies in their cradles…force people into love and immortality.” He then states that the Devil himself is capable of doing these by himself, but chooses to use humans to carry out his dastardly deeds. As he was a very influential leader, we know that he shaped the thoughts and beliefs of his followers, and this would cause them to believe in the same mindset that he possessed. This would cause many to question people around them and if they’re possessed or not. Likewise, John Calvin, another major power in Religion during this period, stated that the witches were “great armies, which wage war against us…we have to wage war against an infinite number of enemies.” (Document B4). Even the most influential power in politics, the Pope (Pope Innocent VII), stated in his “The Witch Bull”, that the people should “remove all impediments…..to exercise their office of inquisition and to proceed to the

correction…punishment of the aforesaid persons for their said offences and crimes” (Document B2). The fact that the highest ranking power in religion acknowledged the existence of witches led to the whirlwind of accusation and pandemonium. Ultimately, all three religious leaders had a strong influence on the people’s beliefs. They are obviously biased towards their cause, and therefore are not necessarily believable or reliable in their observations. They basically scared the people in order to gain loyalty and a following. Their effect is exhibited in Document B5, a diary entry of a young Protestant boy, dated in the late 16th Century. He basically states his fears of the devil and hell, as a result of the beliefs instilled into his head by religion. This is reliable because a diary entry generally shows true emotions and beliefs. Socially, we see that Europe held many prejudices, mostly against older women. In Documents D1, D2, and D3, we can derive that most of the accused were poor (laborers and farmers, D1), elderly (D3), females (D2). The studies are definitely reliable as they are academic studies of the time period. About 80% of the accused were women, and most were over 55 years of age, showing that they were powerless. In Document C1, W. Fulhecke states that “The bodies of aged persons are impure…by the Devil whetted for such purpose to the…destruction of others”. Kramer and Sprenger, two Dominican Monks, took it a step further and stated that women are the target because they are weaker and are formed at the very core from sin (Document B1). These both show the obvious bias towards women, especially the elderly. The accusations towards the witches mainly occurred as a result of the people observing the unexpected or unknown. For example, in Document A1, Walpurga Hausmannin, a midwife and widow, was tortured into confessing to lust, adultery, and death of her children. As a result of the children dying, the people immediately suspected witchcraft. This testimony is not very reliable as she was tortured and when people are tortured, they have a tendency to lie. Also, in Document

A4, we see that the accused also purportedly cured ailments through the use of charms and magic, baseless observations that led to the death of many accused. The economic aspect to the witch trials was also apparent. In Document A2, the canon Linden, from Trier, Germany, tells of how people used the trials for financial gain. He wrote that “The movement was promoted by many in office, who hoped for wealth from the persecution”, and “the executioner rode…like a noble of the court…clad in gold and silver…the children of those convicted and punished…their goods were confiscated.” This showed that people of high position used the trial for their own monetary greed, and also to gain goods. This was shown in Document A7, where the mayor of Bamberg, Germany, Johannes Junius, was jailed and forced and wrote a letter to his daughter. He was tortured and lied in order to prevent the torture. His social status definitely made him a target, and this could be seen as a major motivator. The judges also were under pressure, as evidenced in Document A6. Roger North, the brother of the chief justice in Exeter England, stated that if a judge questioned the “opinion” of the public, he himself would be accused. Both these sources are reliable because the canon Linden was an eyewitness and a member of clergy, who surely had many connections and knew much about his surroundings. Ultimately, the witch craze was started and continued as a result of people’s beliefs at the time. Their philosophies were greatly influenced by religion, the social climate of the time, and economic greed. These three factors all contributed to the death of over 100,000 innocent people between 1480 and 1700.