Question

Chapter Seven, “An Inextinguishable Flame,” pp. 194-209. 1.​In October 1692, Sir William Phips (NOTE SPELLING, PLEASE) wrote to the Clerk of the Privy Council (a Very Important Group of the King’s advisors) about the Salem witch phenomena. What did he say, and why? 2.​Baker argues that Phips actually ended up doing the exact opposite of what he had hoped to do. Why? 3.​Whose writings probably had the most effect on Phips’ decision to halt the trials? 4.​How was Samuel Willard involved in this whole mess? 5.​Why did Willard argue caution when prosecuting supposed witches? 6.​Why did Cotton Mather (NOTE SPELLING, PLEASE) argue against Willard and others? (See p. 199.) 7.​What happened to Cotton Mather after he published his famous book, The Wonders of the Invisible World? 8.​In which ways was Cotton Mather’s writing effective? Or was it? In other words, what was at stake for Mather and Sir William? 9.​What did Phips do once Mather’s book was published? 10.​On pp. 202-203, Baker explores Phips’ motivations at ending the Court of Oyer and Terminer, and thus the entire witchcraft craze. What were some of his motivations? 11.​Why was Phips’ reputation at stake by mid-1692? 12.​Why was Sir William’s family “most peculiar” (203)? 13.​Why did Phips take so little official notice of the trials? 14.​On p. 205, Baker says, “…for that reason alone the Salem trials became a pivotal moment in American history.” What was that reason? 15.​What happened when Samuel Willard preached an important sermon in 1694? 16.​On p. 207, Baker says, “Phips may have ended the witch trials, but in the process he helped to start America down the long road to revolution and independence.” Explain what he means here. 17.​How did Massachusetts law change to prohibit another series of witchcraft trials?

Answer 1

Answer: Chapter Seven, titled "An Inextinguishable Flame" in the book, discusses various aspects related to the Salem witch phenomena and the role of Sir William Phips, Cotton Mather, and Samuel Willard. Let's go through each question one by one:

1. In October 1692, Sir William Phips wrote to the Clerk of the Privy Council about the Salem witch phenomena. The exact content of his letter is not mentioned in the question, so it would require referring to the specific pages mentioned (194-209) in the book to find out what he said and why.

2. According to Baker's argument, Phips ended up doing the opposite of what he had hoped to do. The specific reason for this is not provided in the question, so it would be necessary to refer to the book on pages 194-209 to understand the argument presented by Baker.

3. The question asks whose writings probably had the most effect on Phips' decision to halt the trials. Again, the specific writer is not mentioned here, so it would require referring to the book on pages 194-209 to find out which writings had the most impact on Phips' decision.

4. Samuel Willard was involved in this whole mess in some capacity. The exact nature of his involvement is not specified in the question, so it would require referring to the book on pages 194-209 to understand his role.

5. Willard argued caution when prosecuting supposed witches. The reason for his argument is not provided here, so it would be necessary to refer to the book on pages 194-209 to understand his reasoning.

6. Cotton Mather argued against Willard and others. The specific reason for his argument is mentioned to be on page 199 of the book. Referring to that page would provide a better understanding of Mather's viewpoint.

7. The question asks what happened to Cotton Mather after he published his famous book, "The Wonders of the Invisible World." Again, the specific event or consequence is not mentioned here, so it would require referring to the book on pages 194-209 to find out what happened to Mather.

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