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Evaluating Secondary Sources: Writing an Opinion Piece
Historians still don't agree on the exact cause of the Salem witch trials. Several theories have been put forward explaining
the motive behind the accusations:
Economic Causes
• In Salem, some families were very rich, while others were poor. This disparity led to jealousy among some of the
people. Several families were engaged in property disputes.
. Some of the accused were rich. If convicted, they would lose their land and property, which could then be bought by
others. Suggesting that a person was a witch was one way of obtaining that person's property.
• Some of the accused were poor. They were outsiders, and wealthier townspeople looked down on them. Accusing
these people of being witches was one way of eliminating them from the village.
Political Causes
•. In the recent past, there had been several disputes over who should govern the Massachusetts Colony. The colonists
had also endured some violent conflicts with American Indians. These events created political turmoil and instability.
• People were upset, and they blamed their problems on a lack of effective leadership. The leaders, in turn, were eager
to see others take the blame for social problems.
• Accusing people of witchcraft made the accused responsible for social and political problems. The supposed witches
could be blamed for whatever was wrong with society. Leaders did not have to take responsibility for mistakes or try
to make changes.
Intellectual Causes
.
People knew little about science in those days. They were afraid of things they didn't understand.
People didn't know about the causes of disease. If a person became sick, they believed it might be because of a
curse.
Witchcraft was one way of explaining the unknown

Answer 1

The Salem witch trials were influenced by economic, political, and intellectual factors.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject of this question is History. The question is asking about the cause of the Salem witch trials. Historians have proposed several theories to explain the motives behind the accusations. These theories include economic causes, political causes, and intellectual causes.

Under economic causes, some families were rich while others were poor, leading to jealousy and property disputes. Accusing someone of witchcraft was a way to obtain their property. Under political causes, there was political turmoil and leaders wanted to shift blame for problems onto others. Accusing people of witchcraft made them responsible for social and political problems.

Lastly, under intellectual causes, people were afraid of things they didn't understand, including diseases. They believed curses and witchcraft explained the unknown. Overall, the Salem witch trials were influenced by a combination of economic, political, and intellectual factors.

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