DBQ witch craze
DBQ-The Witch Craze
Identify and analyze at least three major reasons for the persecution of individuals as witches in Europe from the late fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries.
From the Middle Ages until the 1700s, a fevered witch craze was spread throughout Europe. These witches were isolated, persecuted and when found, tortured and consequently killed. With most of the population concentrated in southeastern Europe, over 100,000 witches were tried. It was believed that these individuals practiced black magic and were associated with the Devil, but a single fact becomes clear when studying the witch craze and that is that there is a certain type of individual that was singled out as a witch. The majority of of accused witches were female(Witchcraft Statistics, doc 2) and mostly over 50 years old(Witchcraft Statistics doc 3). The witch craze concentrated on elderly women who more often than not were from a low social class (Witchcraft Statistics, doc 1.). A combination of religious beliefs, social prejudices and cultural precepts helped heighten the already rampant witch persecution throughout Europe.
The witch craze spread throughout the common-people of Europe, this due to a strong support to the persecution of witches advertised by influential religious leaders. Although Europe was in a state of religious turmoil due to the warfare between Catholic and Protestant faiths, Catholics and Protestants alike contributed to the spread of the witch craze. Martin Luther preached that “sorcerers or witches are the Devil’s whores who steal milk...torture babies in their cradles...” (Religious Opinions, doc 3). John Calvin, another influential religious leader said “...We are therefore taught by these examples that we have to wage war against an infinite number of enemies...”(Religious Opinions, doc 4). Pope Innocent VII, issued “The Witch Bull” in 1484 where he stated it was the peoples duty to get rid of witches and he gave inquisitors the right to
Identify and analyze at least three major reasons for the persecution of individuals as witches in Europe from the late fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries.
From the Middle Ages until the 1700s, a fevered witch craze was spread throughout Europe. These witches were isolated, persecuted and when found, tortured and consequently killed. With most of the population concentrated in southeastern Europe, over 100,000 witches were tried. It was believed that these individuals practiced black magic and were associated with the Devil, but a single fact becomes clear when studying the witch craze and that is that there is a certain type of individual that was singled out as a witch. The majority of of accused witches were female(Witchcraft Statistics, doc 2) and mostly over 50 years old(Witchcraft Statistics doc 3). The witch craze concentrated on elderly women who more often than not were from a low social class (Witchcraft Statistics, doc 1.). A combination of religious beliefs, social prejudices and cultural precepts helped heighten the already rampant witch persecution throughout Europe.
The witch craze spread throughout the common-people of Europe, this due to a strong support to the persecution of witches advertised by influential religious leaders. Although Europe was in a state of religious turmoil due to the warfare between Catholic and Protestant faiths, Catholics and Protestants alike contributed to the spread of the witch craze. Martin Luther preached that “sorcerers or witches are the Devil’s whores who steal milk...torture babies in their cradles...” (Religious Opinions, doc 3). John Calvin, another influential religious leader said “...We are therefore taught by these examples that we have to wage war against an infinite number of enemies...”(Religious Opinions, doc 4). Pope Innocent VII, issued “The Witch Bull” in 1484 where he stated it was the peoples duty to get rid of witches and he gave inquisitors the right to