Student

In 1692, the time of the Salem Witch Trials, many people were hanged because they were accused of being witches. I do not agree with the way these trials were handled, not do I think they were justified or necessary. The judges, Danforth and Hawthorne, did not grip the situation correctly. If anybody came up to the court and accused someone else of being a witch, the accused were automatically considered a witch and were treated as one. The community and the judges were too transparent with their beliefs and knowledge. They believed everything they heard was true, and because of that nineteen people were hanged. Don't get me wrong, I think there was enough evidence that proved whether or not someone was a witch, i.e. Marry Warren. But most of the time all it took was one accusation for the person to get the rope around the neck. A perfect example that shows why these people should not be hanged was what John Proctor said. While John was beginning to sign his confession of seeing or communicating with the devil he said, "Because it's my name! Because I cannot have another one in my life! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul, leave me my name." John Proctor was not a witch, John Proctor was an adulterer. But Danforth pressed the issue and pushed for the confession. John Proctor did not sign because he did not want his reputation to go down the drain. Because he did not sign a lie, he hanged.

It's clear that the situation of these "witch accusation" trials were unfair. Only later did the Salem community realize that the hangings were immoral.