Final answer:
People in Puritan societies, such as those during the Salem Witch Trials, were accused of witchcraft often due to manifestations of misfortune, deviance from social norms, or being on the social periphery. Fear, superstition, and social stress led to mass hysteria and wrongful executions, particularly of women and social non-conformists.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person might be accused of witchcraft in Puritan societies, such as the Kabre culture, due to a variety of social, religious, and psychological factors. In the Puritan context, witchcraft was seen as an alliance with the Devil, manifesting in misfortunes like the sickness or death of children, the loss of cattle, and other catastrophes. People often accused individuals whose behaviors or appearances deviated from accepted norms, or who appeared threatening for any reason such as social non-conformity or ethnic differences. Women, due to perceived weaker constitutions, and those on the social fringes, such as the homeless or non-churchgoers, were often targets for these accusations. During the Salem Witch Trials, mass hysteria fueled by fear, superstition, and tensions from external threats like Native wars led to false accusations and executions of many innocent people. These historical events illustrate the dangers of superstition and scapegoating in tightly knit communities during periods of stress and change.