The Salem witch hunt of 1692 is among the most infamous events in early American history; however; it was not the only such episode to occur in New England that year. Escaping Salem reconstructs the "other witch hunt" of 1692 that took place in Stamford; Connecticut. Concise and accessible; the book takes students on a revealing journey into the mental world of early America; shattering the stereotype of early New Englanders as quick to accuse and condemn. Drawing on eyewitness testimony; Richard Godbeer tells the story of Kate Branch; a seventeen-year-old afflicted by strange visions and given to blood-chilling wails of pain and fright. Branch accused several women of bewitching her; two of whom were put on trial for witchcraft. Escaping Salem takes us inside the Connecticut courtroom and into the minds of the surprisingly skeptical Stamford townspeople. Were the pain and screaming due to natural or supernatural causes? Was Branch simply faking the symptoms? And if she was indeed bewitched; why believe her specific accusations; since her information came from demons who might well be lying? For the judges; Godbeer shows; the trial was a legal thicket. All agreed that witches posed a real and serious threat; but proving witchcraft (an invisible crime) in court was another matter. The court in Salem had become mired in controversy over its use of dubious evidence. In an intriguing chapter; Godbeer examines Magistrate Jonathan Selleck's notes on how to determine the guilt of someone accused of witchcraft; providing an illuminating look at what constituted proof of witchcraft at the time. The stakes were high--if found guilty; the two accused women would be hanged. In the afterword; Godbeer explains how he used the trial evidence to build his narrative; offering an inside perspective on the historian's craft. Featuring maps; photos; and a selected bibliography; Escaping Salem is ideal for use in undergraduate U.S. survey courses. It can also be used for courses in colonial American history; culture; and religion; witchcraft in the early modern world; and crime and society in early America.
#969806 in Books 2002-10-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.90 x 1.20 x 9.90l; 1.58 #File Name: 0195154681408 pages
Review
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful. Remarkably valuable sourcebookBy tarihci202I don't imagine that anybody but students of the Modern Middle East or the Islamic World would find this useful; but for specialists in the field; this is an exceptionally valuable text. There are several points to commend this particular compilation. First; the introductory essay is very good. Second; the range of readings is geographically and topically broad. And third; one can search for essays both by region and by topic. It is an easy source to use for classroom study.For those who don't have a significant background in the field; this work is likely to be unsatisfying; consisting largely of readings from 19th and early 20th Century Muslim intellectuals. For those with more than a passing interest; this collection certainly gives a sense of major issues and perspectives and would make a good companion to secondary source readings.
