The Witch Craze in Britain, Europe and North America, 1580-1750
Just in time for Halloween - learn about the REAL Wtichcraze which plagued Europe during the 17h Century Crisis.
Keith (M.A. Military History)
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(362)
What's included
5 live meetings
4 hrs 35 mins in-class hoursHomework
Sample "independent study" will be provided which is totally optional for the student.Class Experience
US Grade 6 - 9
Beginner - Intermediate Level
The Witch Craze in Britain, Europe and North America, 1580-1750 will cover five separate instances of witchcraft accusations and persecutions during the 17th century Crisis. Classes do not build upon each other, but of course are related; meaning if you were to drop in and only want to investigate the Salem Witch trials then that is fine. Week 1: The North Berwick witches in Scotland 1590-1597 Week 2: The Lancashire witches of 1604-13 Week 3: The Great Witch Hunt, in Bamberg, Germany, 1623-32 Week 4: Matthew Hopkins and the East Anglian witch craze, 1645-47 Week 5: Cotton Mather and the Salem witch hunt, 1692-93 UK PARENTS: A Level History A Unit Y312 Popular Culture and the Witchcraze of the 16th and 17th Centuries In Western culture, witches have often been associated with the devil and have been the target of persecution and witch hunts. These witch hunts reached their peak during the early modern period, particularly in Europe and North America, and resulted in the execution of thousands of people, mostly women, accused of practising witchcraft. Today, the image of the witch has been reinterpreted in popular culture as a symbol of feminine power and independence. However, the history of witches remains a dark and complex subject that has shaped our understanding of gender, power, and belief.
Learning Goals
Determine how the after-effects of the 1688 Revolution, Indian threats, economic crisis and social tensions led to the witch craze
Discuss the events of the Salem Witch Trials
Analyse the influence of Cotton Mather on the growing hysteria of the witch craze in Salem
Assess the reasons for the ending of the witch hunt, specifically Increase Mather’s and Governor Phips’ rolesDetermine the impact of the Thirty Years War on the witch craze in Bamberg
Identify those that were affected by the witch hunts
Discuss the roles of Prince-Bishop von Dornheim and Friedrich Förner in the Bamberg Witch Trials
Analyse how Emperor Ferdinand II and the arrival of the Swedish Army ended the witch trials in Bamberg
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
rian Levack, The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe (1987)
Joseph Klaits, Servants of Satan: The Age of the Witch Hunts (1985)
BFl566/K53/1985 - good, recent survey of witchhunts, with bibliography
H.R. Trevor Roper, European Witch Craze of the 16th & 17th C.
- famous older essay: theory of thin "mountain air" as source of w/c delusions
E. William Monter ed, European W/C anthology of primary & secondary material
Alan Kors & Edward Peters, W/C in Europe, 1100-1700:
A Documentary History- anthology of basic w/c documents; new edition 2001
Henry Charles Lea, Materials Toward a History of W/C (3 vols) -
reference work; notes for his unwritten history of w/c, published posthumously
Anthropological background:
Lucy Mair, Witchcraft - survey of anthropological literature
on African witchcraft; last chapter on European situation
Mary Douglas (ed) Witchcraft Confessions & Accusations(1970)
articles drawing on diverse tribal belief systems
E.E. Evans Pritchard, Witchcraft, Oracles & Magic among the Azande (1937) -
classic account of Azande witch beliefs
History of demonology:
Dictionary of Angels, Including the Fallen Ones (Reference)
Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive Christianity (1977)
J. B. Russell, Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1981)
J. B. Russell, Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1984)
Entry on the Problem of Evil" in Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Reference)
D.P. Walker, Unclean Spirits: Possession & Exorcism in France & England (1981)
Fernando Cervantes, The Devil in the New World: the impact of diabolism in
New Spain (1994) on demonization of new world peoples
W/C as fertility cult: Margaret Murray and her critics
Margaret Murray, The Witch Cult of Western Europe (1921) and The God of the Witches;
see also her article in Encylopedia Britannica 1929 edition (through 1960's)
Arno Runeberg, Witches, Demons and Fertility (1947)
Elliot Rose, A Razor for a Goat (1962)
J. B. Russell, History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics, Pagans (1980)
Chap on 20th C. Witch Revivals (Leland, Crowley, Gardner & Wicca)
Norman Cohn, "The Non-Existent Society of Witches," in
Europe's Inner Demons definitive critique of Murray
Carlo Ginzburg, Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches' Sabbath (1989 Italian/1991 English)
General reference
Richard Golden (ed) Encyclopedia of Witchcraft (2006) BF1566 .E56 2006 v.1 -4
availalbe in Suzzallo Reference Section for Library Use Only (LUO)
Learned Magical Tradition and the Faust Legend
Palmer, P.M. and More, R.P., The Sources of the Faust Tradition from Simon
Magus to Lessing (1936): primary sources for Faust legend
Frances Yates, Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition (espec first half)
Richard Kieckhefer, Magic in the Middle Ages(1990)
Valerie Flint, Magic in the Early Middle Ages
Wayne Shumaker, Occult Sciences in the Renaissance
Medieval Witch Beliefs Norman Cohn Europe's Inner Demons: (1970)
Richard Kieckhefer, European Witch Trials (Berkeley 1976)- important discussion of
pre-1500 trials; makes useful distinctions between popular & learned witch beliefs
J. B. Russell, Witchcraft in Middle Ages (1972) - general account of medieval events, but unlike
most other historians, Russell believes there really was a "devil-worshipping sect" in Middle Ages
Edward Peters, The Magician, the Witch and the Law: on extension of medieval legal jurisdiction over
sorcery and witchcraft
Sydney Anglo, "Evident Authority & Authoritative Evidence: The Malleus Maleficarum,"
Sydney Anglo (ed) The Damned Art: Essays in the Literature of Witchcraft (1977)
16TH & 17TH CENTURY WITCH TRIALS
England:
James Sharpe, Instruments of Darkness: Witchcraft in Early Modern England
Keith Thomas, Religion & the Decline of Magic (1971) (N.B.: 600+ pages)
work of major importance which re-interprets the relationship between late medieval religion,
the Protestant Reformation and English witch trials; extensivediscussion of magical beliefs &
astrology; important chapters on sociological context of English witchcraft accusations
(especially Ch 15-16"The Making of a Witch")
Alan Macfarlane, Witchcraft in Tudor-Stuart England (1970)
- important sociological/historical study of trials in Essex, 1560-1680; most extensive
statistical analysis of patterns behind accusations, trials & convictions for w/c, with
numerous variables examined (e.g. gender, class, place of origin)
Wallace Notestein, History of Witchcraft in England 1588-1718 (1911) - early but reliable general account
Scotland:
Christina Larner, Enemies of God: Witch-Hunt in Scotland (1981) - sociologicallysophisticated studY of
witch trials; discussion of social perception of witchcraft as female crime.
Colonial America:
Boyer & Nissenbaum, Salem Possessed - examines social patterns underlying
Salem accusations & trials
John Demos, Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England
(1982) - psychological & sociological approach to New England witch beliefs
John Demos, "Underlying themes in w/c of l7th C. New England,"
American Historical Review Vol. 75 (1970) pp. 1311-1320
Carol Karlsen, The Devil in the Shape of a Woman (1987): role of "anomalous"
property inheritance in accusations against New England women
Chadwick Hansen, Witchcraft at Salem (1969)- general account of Salem trials
Marion Starkey, The Devil in Massachusetts (1950)- general account of Salem trials
Richard Weisman, Witchcraft, Magic and Religion in 17th Century Massachusetts
(1984) - good sociological study of pre-Salem trials
Marc Mappen, Witches & Historians: Interpretations of Salem (1980) BFl576/M34
Germany: several other important titles in German (references available)
H.C. Erik Midelfort, Witch-Hunting in Southwestern Germany, 1562-1684 (1972) -
major work on German witch trials, good on large panic trials.
H.C. Erik Midelfort, "Were there really witches?" in Robert M. Kingdon (ed.) Transition & Revolution in
Early Modern Europe (1974) - concise attempt to answer this basic question in German context
Christopher Friedrichs, Urban Society in Age of War: Nordlingen 1580-1720 (1979) -chap on witch trials
R.J.W. Evans, Making of Hapsburg Monarchy (1979) - chapter on campaign against popular magic & w/c
Kunze, The High Road to the Stake (1986) - reconstruction of a single German witch trial.
Roper, Lyndal "Witchcraft & Fantasy in Early Modern Germany,"History Workshop #32 (1991),
pp. 19-43 on post-partum accusations against "lying-in maids." Now included in her Oedpius and the Devil.
Lyndal Roper, Witch Craze (2005) on German witch trials, especially on role of older women
France & Switzerland:
Robert Muchembled, "The Witches of the Cambresis, " in James Obelkevich, (ed.)
Religion & the People, 800-l700, (1979), pp. 22l-276: trials in NE France near
Belgium where trial of Suzanne Gaudry occurred (Kors & Peters, #57)
Robin Briggs, Witches and Neighbors (1996) excellent book on Duchy of Lorraine
R. Briggs, Communities of Belief, on “spontaneous” confessions to diabolical pact Ch 1-3
E. William Monter, Witchcraft in France & Switzerland (1976) focuses on 16th-17th
century trials in area of southwestern France known as Jura
E. William Monter, "Patterns of W/C in the Jura," Journal of Social History Vol. II (1972) pp. 435-451
Spain: Julio Caro Baroja, World of the Witches (1964) chap on Spanish trials
Gustav Henningsen, The Witches' Advocate (1980) (N.B.: 600+ pages)
- massive study of the Spanish trials & Fra Alonso Salazar, Inquisitor who put a stop
to witch-hunting in Spain in the early 17th century
Maria Tausiet, “Witchcraft as Metaphor: Infanticide & its Translations in Aragon in 16-17th C”
Stuart Clark (ed), Languages of Witchcraft, pp 179-95
Italy:
Carlo Ginzburg, Night Battles: W/C & Agrarian Cults in 16-17 C Italy (1983) on benandanti & Inquisition
Ruth Martin, Witchcraft in Venice, 1550-1650 (1988) - urban sorcery
Mary O'Neil, "Magical Healing, Love Magic & Inquisition/16 C Modena," in
Stephen Haliczer, Inquisition & Soc in E Mod Europe (1987) pp. 88-114
William Monter, Ritual Myth and Magic in Early Modern Europe
Midwives: (Harley, Greilshammer & Green will be on e -reserve)
D. Harley, "Historians as demonologists: the myth of the midwife-witch,"
Social History of Medicine, Vol 3 (1990) pp. 1-26 (Health Sci Libr)
Myriam Greilsammer, "The midwife, the priest & the physician: subjugation of midwives in Low Countries
Middle Ages,"Journal of Medieval & Ren. Studies, Vol. 21 (1991) pp. 285-323 (Suzz Periodicals)
Monica Green, "Women's Medical Practice & Health in Medieval Europe,"
Signs: Journal of Women in Culture & Society Vol. 154 (1989) pp. 434-473
E. William Monter "The Pedestal & the Stake: Courtly Love & Witchcraft, "
in Renata Bridenthal (ed), Becoming Visible: Women in European History (1977) -
on ambivalent attitudes to women in European culture
Thomas Forbes, The Midwife & the Witch (1966) -discusses the medical role of
midwives & how they frequently came to be accused as witches (dated use with caution)
Gregory Zilboorg, The Medical Man & the Witch during the Renaissance (1935) -
16th C. medicine & w/c theory (dated; use with caution)
Joined September, 2020
5.0
362reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
3 Degrees
Master's Degree in History from American Military University
Bachelor's Degree in Education from University of Maine at Farmington
Bachelor's Degree in History from Acadia University (Nova Scotia, Canada)
I have taught this subject as part of higher level European History courses of study for the past 30 years in both private and public school settings to prepare students for challenging external examinations (I.B./GCSE/A-Level/AP). Reviews
Live Group Class
$15
weekly or $75 for 5 classes1x per week, 5 weeks
55 min
Completed by 4 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 9-14
3-18 learners per class
