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Why were people accused of witchcraft? - Coggle Diagram
Why were people accused of witchcraft?
Monarchs
Henry VIII
Henry suspected witches were in plots to kill him.
Passed a law that made witchcraft punishable by death though this law ended with his death
Elizabeth I
Protestants persuaded Elizabeth that tougher laws were needed.
1563 - Brought back the death penalty for using magic to kill someone.
James I
Anyone who was shown to have contacted evil spirits would be hanged.
James was worried people were trying to overthrow him so he wanted to find any opposition.
The Witchcraze
Far fewer people were executed for witchcraft in England than Scotland or Europe.
Tough Times
There were more witch trials when there were bad harvests or times of hardship like the Civil War.
Geography
Most witch trials were conducted in Essex (279 compared to by 16 in Sussex).
Essex was a very Puritan area.
The Black Art
Their powers
People believed witches got their powers from the devil, who they would meet at a 'Sabbath'.
The witch got powers in exchange for her soul
Witches would be given a familiar, an evil spirit which took the form of a small animal.
People believed witches fed their familiars with own blood so suspected witches would be checked for a suspicious mole or wart.