The Salem Witch hunt.edited 1

Like many other Europeans, the puritans believed in supernatural powers whereby every event that appeared in their daily activities was interpreted as a sign from God. Puritans argued that “everyone, however humble or subordinate, deserved respect if they carried out faithfully their responsibilities within the hierarchy of God’s creation” (Godbeer, 2011). The Puritans believed in God's mercy and judgment, and they believed that witches allied themselves with the devil to carry out evil deeds to the people of God. This essay aims to show how the Puritans brought theocratic anxiety to the colonies and helped shape their criminal justice system that enveloped religious supremacy.