331. American Witches

It’s 1647, and in New England, where puritan settlers live in fear of God’s wrath and a hostile indigenous population, there are rumours coming from Boston, and up the Connecticut valley, that witches are to blame for the death of local children… In today’s episode, Tom and Dominic are joined by historian Malcolm Gaskill, as they discuss witch crazes, hunts and trials in the 17th century, with a particular focus on the town of Springfield, Massachusetts.
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[@loriedmundson782]

Thank you for the depth and scope of the podcast. Gained greater understanding of the witch trails. One of my female ancestors was hanged in Salem as a witch. A few years later the governing body paid the family 30 dollars sterling in reparation...

[@dearestsimone]

Marvelous. Funny thing. Witchcraft in America is so popular now, featured in all the bookstores etc. But if we ask folks whether they 'believe' in witchcraft, everybody twitches a little bit. I think most just 'like' it. Two different things.

[@capatheist]

Of course we 'believe' in witchcraft... It's just not real.

[@capatheist]

As in the magic...
People do witchcraft... It just doesn't do anything except reveal mental instability

[@tatjanakragh1539]

English-colonized New England was under the real pressure to survive. A place like Springfield Mass., was in the distant forest--certainly in the furthest west of any colonies. Wars with indigenous tribes was fierce. 1610-1614, 1622-1632, 1644-46, all out warring, with whole towns burned and everyone killed or abducted. And this wasn't "just" a war between the settlers and the tribes--it was the politicized use of tribes between the English and the French. 17th and even the 18th centuries life in New England was tough. Mix this in with the theocratic influences by way of calvinism--this created perfect environment for high paranoia

[@barbararice6650]

Wasn't there a New England regiment in the New Model Army 😑

[@martiwilliams4592]

Thanks so much for a thought -provoking, sensitive and entertaining podcast. "The Ruin of Witches" is on the top of my list of books I will buy.

[@localbod]

If "Crypto-Popery" isn't a Death Metal album title, it damn well should be!

[@fuferito]

Atun Shei's VVitchfinder General of Massachusetts Bay approves.

[@greyfriars6540]

I like Malcolm Gaskill's approach to writing history, to not insert modern interpretations on events, but write through the lens of the time. Unlike Mary Beard, who rewrites history as she goes along, and reinterprets it to suit her Left Liberal Feminist BBC ideology.

[@unbabunga229]

You guys laugh at them but we don’t have witches anymore, so it did work

[@localbod]

💯🎯.
Facts.

[@ropeburnsrussell]

I must doubt your expert.
There is no Springfield, Connecticut.

[@ben.mitchell.theater]

I think he said it was in the 'Connecticut Valley'. Which is still correct. So don't 'doubt' him.
The period under discussion was over 140 years years before either Connecticut or Massachusetts became states.
Springfield was founded in 1636 under the administration of the 'Connecticut' Colony. So when Pynchon founded it, it could also correctly be referred to as 'Connecticut'. At the time, the 'Massachusetts' colony, consisted of the Bay area. Hence it was called the 'Massachusetts Bay Colony'.
After a few years however Massachusetts Bay Colony, took over administration owing to difficulties with defending Springfield against Indians. But it's still in the Connecticut Valley on the Connecticut River.

[@ropeburnsrussell]

@@ben.mitchell.theater you are correct.