East Anglian Witch-hunts

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When were the East Anglian witch hunts?
1645-1647
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define Indictments
the formal charges on which suspects stand trial
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what happened to indictments with Hopkins' witch-hunt?
Indictments rose with Hopkins' witch hunt and then fell after 1660
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What were Gaule's criticisms of Hopkins' witch hunts?
Hopkins' criteria was highly directed at the old women who were vulnerable and easy to convict. Hopkins did not convict on hard evidence but on the basis that they were disliked and easy targets. He did this because it was a way of making money.
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what was Gaule's belief about witches?
he helped end the witch hunts, though did not doubt their existence. He believed witches were a reality.
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How did Charles I's rule cause chaos?
he didn't expect to become king and so didn't have the right qualities. He wasn't liked and not respected which didn't help relations with parliament and so sparked Civil war.
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How were the legal structures in East Anglia affected by Civil War
the assize courts were unable to function normally during the civil war. This had a huge impact as local magistrates would now take over the role of local justice.
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what 3 key factors in East Anglia increased levels of fear and suspicion?
Crop failure, changing land use, and economic impact of the Civil war.
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why did witches get the blame for crop failures in East Anglia?
people looked for scapegoats. due to the men being at war, women were responsible for gathering the crops and so were blamed for the crops failing. They were proclaimed withes for causing it.
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what were the economic crises in East Anglia?
debt due to rising food prices which were due to crop failures/shortages due to increasing population, enclosures effected common land and price of land, and there was taxation because to Civil war.
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what was Hopkins' personal experiences of witches?
he believed witches had had meetings near his house in Manningtree, Essex
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Who did Hopkins believe he was doing his work for?
God
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how many in Est Anglia between 1645 and 1647 were thought to have faced trial and to have been killed?
700 faced trial, 300-400 killed
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What was one way Hopkins determined guilt?
he would cut the suspected witch with a knife, needle or pin. If they did not bleed they were said to be a witch
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How did Hopkins' method of determining guilt mean he could make more money?
communities paid for his service. when cut, if they were too cold they would not bleed and he sometimes used a blunt knife or retractable blade so they wouldn't bleed. This would show them to be witches or make them believe they were.
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What was Hopkins particularly keen to find evidence of?
sexual activity with the devil, suckling of imps and any marks associated with witchcraft - these were likely to be associated with women.
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What role did class play in witch craft accusations?
witches were more likely to be illiterate and women were more likely than men to be illiterate. Also, many accusations came about after a poor woman was denied charity. The lower class had less power and were more vulnerable.
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what qualifications did Hopkins and Stearne have?
none, but both became good at their work
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What was Hopkins' title and how did he acquire it?
'witch-finder general' - this was self appointed and was not given to him by parliament.
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what did Hopkins and Stearne do?
made assessments of suspected witches quickly and efficiently. They also carried out interrogations.
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Who was also involved in their work?
search-women and watchers were essential. Also, interrogations were most often carried out with other local magistrates or officials. Hopkins only started the work, the people had to carry it on once they had to leave
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why did Hopkins and Stearne only stay to set legal proceedings in motion before they left, leaving others to continue the cases to trial?
They had a heavy workload and so had to move onto the next job elsewhere. Also, their accusations did not always end in executions in trial and so they had to leave before they were accused of fraud.
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were Hopkins and Stearne's careers long or short lived? and what does this suggest?
their careers were short-lived, suggesting a lesser impact
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How/why did Hopkins and Stearne become so popular?
As they made assesments of suspeted witches in areas, surrounding areas would hear of their work and so on, spreading the word of what they were doing and increasing their popularity
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Who did Hopkins see as the ultimate enemy?
he was religious and so saw the Devil as the ultimate enemy
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why was Hopkins keen to earn lots of money?
he was the 3rd son and so did not inherit anything. Witch-hunting earned him money and his title as witch-finder general gave him status.
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Why did Hopkins use sleep deprivation on people?
it produces a distorted perception of reality and so most would eventually confess to being a witch.
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name 6 methods Hopkins and Stearne used to uncover evidence of someone being a witch
watching, searching the bodies, walking, swimming test, intimidation and physical violence
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what was watching?
a suspect would be deprived of sleep while they were watched by a group of people working in shifts.
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what did searching the bodies involve?
search-women were employed to inspect the bodies of suspects for evidence of the Devil's mark
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what was walking?
suspects were forced to walk around a room constantly.
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why was walking often used in conjunction with watching?
the suspects were more likely to stay awake and became more exhausted and therefore more willing to confess
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What was the swimming test?
suspected witches were tied up, fingers to opposite toes, and then lowered into the water. If they sank they were innocent but if they floated, the water had rejected them and they were guilty of witchcraft.
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Why did the swimming test have an air of legitimacy?
it was approved by King James I in his book Demonologie
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what was the role of puritans during the hunts? How did their influence decline?
Puritan ministers stressed the threat of the Devil. Their influence declined when the previous authorities were re-established at the end of the civil war.
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How did change in social attitudes influence the decline in witch-hunts?
The rising population meant that people were loosing touch with their neighbours and communities. There was therefore less gossip amongst people that would have brought up suspicions.
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What costs were growing in terms of Witch-hunting?
feeding prisoners due to more and more detained on charges of witchcraft, the assizes were too expensive, executions carried a huge cost and Hopkins and Stearne demanded high fees.
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how did the high costs of Hopkins and Stearne influence a decline in witch-hunts?
people were beginning to question whether what Hopkins and Stearne were doing was worth the money
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How did the re-establishment of traditional authority influence the decline in witch hunts?
with the Civil war coming to an end, traditional sources of authority were returning to East Anglia. It was deemed safe enough for assizes to resume. This meant that by late summer more and more of the accused were being acquitted.
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How did the restoration of Charles II in 1660 contribute to the decline in witchcraft?
witchcraft only received half-hearted support from the ruling elite under Charles II
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What was the role of the devil in the English hunts?
the devil had less of a role, instead familiars or imps took centre stage
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what were familiars?
half -animal, and half-demonic beings that most witches were thought to own
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what was a witch's mark in England?
a mark on a witch's body where familiars were supposed to **** blood from.
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define maleficium
a harm committed by magic
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Card 2

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define Indictments

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the formal charges on which suspects stand trial

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what happened to indictments with Hopkins' witch-hunt?

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Card 4

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What were Gaule's criticisms of Hopkins' witch hunts?

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Card 5

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what was Gaule's belief about witches?

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