Final answer:
Putnam is eager to say that it is witchcraft because of the deeply rooted belief in witchcraft in the Puritan belief system during that time period.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason why Putnam is eager to say that it is witchcraft is because the belief in witchcraft was deeply rooted in the Puritan belief system during that time period. The Puritans believed that the devil was at work in society and tended to blame the works of the devil for misdoings. Cotton Mather, a leading Puritan minister, was famous for his pronouncements on witches and wrote a book about witchcraft. Putnam's eagerness to blame witchcraft may stem from his adherence to the Puritan beliefs and the influence of Mather's writings.
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