Question

Mather’s purpose in writing The Wonders of the Invisible World was to

a. prepare an objective account of the witchcraft trials
b. warn other Puritans about the tactics of the devil
c. expose the weakness of the evidence brought against Martha Carrier
d. justify the decision of the court that condemned Carrier to death.

Answer 1

Cotton Mather wrote 'The Wonders of the Invisible World' primarily to justify the Salem witch trials' court decisions, including the execution of Martha Carrier.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mather's purpose in writing The Wonders of the Invisible World was to justify the decision of the court that condemned Carrier to death. Cotton Mather, a leading Puritan minister, was involved in the Salem witch trials and held a firm belief in the existence of witches and the devil's work in society.

His writings were part of the Puritan effort to explain and manage the anxieties and challenges they faced, attributing many of society's ills to the devil's influence. Mather saw witches as a palpable threat to the Puritan way of life and supported the court's decisions to execute those accused of witchcraft.