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The Resource America bewitched : the story of witchcraft after Salem, Owen Davies

America bewitched : the story of witchcraft after Salem, Owen Davies

Creator
Summary
  • Reveals how witchcraft in post-Salem America was not just a matter of scary fireside tales, Halloween legends, and superstitions: it continued to be a matter of life and death. If anything, witchcraft disputes multiplied as hundreds of thousands of immigrants poured into North America, people for whom witchcraft was still a heinous crime. Tells the story of countless murders and many other personal tragedies that resulted from accusations of witchcraft among European Americans--as well as in Native American and African American communities. For instance, the impact of this belief on Native Americans, as colonists--from Anglo-American settlers to Spanish missionaries--saw Indian medicine men as the Devil's agents, potent workers of malign magic. But also reveals that seventeenth-century Iroquois--faced with decimating, mysterious diseases--accused Jesuits of being plague-spreading witches. The book shows how different American groups shaped each other's languages and beliefs, sharing not only our positive cultural traits, but our fears and weaknesses as well
  • "The infamous Salem witch trials of 1692 are etched into the consciousness of America. Nineteen people executed, one tortured to death, four others perished in jail--the tragic toll of Salem remains a powerful symbol of the dangers of intolerance and persecution. As time passed, the trials were seen as a milepost measuring the distance America had progressed from its benighted past. Yet the story of witchcraft did not end in Salem. As Owen Davies shows in America Bewitched, a new, long, and chilling chapter was about to begin. Davies, an authority on witches and the supernatural, reveals how witchcraft in post-Salem America was not just a matter of scary fire-side tales, Halloween legends, and superstitions: it continued to be a matter of life and death. If anything, witchcraft disputes multiplied as hundreds of thousands of immigrants poured into North America, people for whom witchcraft was still a heinous crime. Davies tells the story of countless murders and many other personal tragedies that resulted from accusations of witchcraft among European Americans-as well as in Native American and African American communities. He describes, for instance, the impact of this belief on Native Americans, as colonists-from Anglo-American settlers to Spanish missionaries-saw Indian medicine men as the Devil's agents, potent workers of malign magic. But Davies also reveals that seventeenth-century Iroquois--faced with decimating, mysterious diseases--accused Jesuits of being plague-spreading witches. Indeed, the book shows how different American groups shaped each other's languages and beliefs, sharing not only our positive cultural traits, but our fears and weaknesses as well."--Publisher's description
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Edition
First edition
Extent
viii, 289 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Contents
  • 1. Aftermath : Salem: never again? ; The witchcraft of others ; Reporting witchcraft ; Where to find witchcraft ; A five points witch
  • 2. Magic of a new land : Snakes and roots ; Witch balls ; What happened to the fairies? ; They shoot witches don't they?
  • 3. The law : The squire ; Fiasco in Fentress ; Delaware witches beware ; What's in a name? ; Dealing with slander German-style ; Popular understanding
  • 4. Witches : Three sorts of witch ; Doing witchcraft: lizards, bags, and dolls ; Witchcraft fantasies ; Skin shedding and shape-shifting ; The new witches
  • 5. Dealing with witches : Pillow talk ; Confronting the witch ; The witch must die ; Attacking from a distance ; Warding off witchery ; Written charms ; Catholic armoury ; Bringing in the experts
  • 6. Dealing with witch believers : The other Salem witch trials ; Alaska: of barbers and gunboats ; The Pennsylvania problem
  • 7. Insanity : Putting it to the test ; Blame it on the roots ; Paranoia in the heat ; A danger to the public: incarcerating witch believers
  • 8. Witch killings up close : Beard-stroking and friendly words: witchcraft in Sullivan County ; Big trouble at Booger Hole ; Solomon Hotema: Choctaw witch killer
  • 9. Times a-changing : Reinventing witchcraft ; Finding an American heritage ; And so back to Salem
Isbn
9780199578719
Instance
Label
America bewitched : the story of witchcraft after Salem
Title
America bewitched
Title remainder
the story of witchcraft after Salem
Statement of responsibility
Owen Davies
Creator
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
  • Reveals how witchcraft in post-Salem America was not just a matter of scary fireside tales, Halloween legends, and superstitions: it continued to be a matter of life and death. If anything, witchcraft disputes multiplied as hundreds of thousands of immigrants poured into North America, people for whom witchcraft was still a heinous crime. Tells the story of countless murders and many other personal tragedies that resulted from accusations of witchcraft among European Americans--as well as in Native American and African American communities. For instance, the impact of this belief on Native Americans, as colonists--from Anglo-American settlers to Spanish missionaries--saw Indian medicine men as the Devil's agents, potent workers of malign magic. But also reveals that seventeenth-century Iroquois--faced with decimating, mysterious diseases--accused Jesuits of being plague-spreading witches. The book shows how different American groups shaped each other's languages and beliefs, sharing not only our positive cultural traits, but our fears and weaknesses as well
  • "The infamous Salem witch trials of 1692 are etched into the consciousness of America. Nineteen people executed, one tortured to death, four others perished in jail--the tragic toll of Salem remains a powerful symbol of the dangers of intolerance and persecution. As time passed, the trials were seen as a milepost measuring the distance America had progressed from its benighted past. Yet the story of witchcraft did not end in Salem. As Owen Davies shows in America Bewitched, a new, long, and chilling chapter was about to begin. Davies, an authority on witches and the supernatural, reveals how witchcraft in post-Salem America was not just a matter of scary fire-side tales, Halloween legends, and superstitions: it continued to be a matter of life and death. If anything, witchcraft disputes multiplied as hundreds of thousands of immigrants poured into North America, people for whom witchcraft was still a heinous crime. Davies tells the story of countless murders and many other personal tragedies that resulted from accusations of witchcraft among European Americans-as well as in Native American and African American communities. He describes, for instance, the impact of this belief on Native Americans, as colonists-from Anglo-American settlers to Spanish missionaries-saw Indian medicine men as the Devil's agents, potent workers of malign magic. But Davies also reveals that seventeenth-century Iroquois--faced with decimating, mysterious diseases--accused Jesuits of being plague-spreading witches. Indeed, the book shows how different American groups shaped each other's languages and beliefs, sharing not only our positive cultural traits, but our fears and weaknesses as well."--Publisher's description
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1969-
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Davies, Owen
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • plates
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Witchcraft
  • Witchcraft
  • Witchcraft
  • Witch hunting
  • Witch hunting
  • Witch hunting
  • Witch hunting
  • Witchcraft
  • Hexenglaube
  • Hexenverfolgung
  • United States
  • United States
  • Salem, Mass
Label
America bewitched : the story of witchcraft after Salem, Owen Davies
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 269-271) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
1. Aftermath : Salem: never again? ; The witchcraft of others ; Reporting witchcraft ; Where to find witchcraft ; A five points witch -- 2. Magic of a new land : Snakes and roots ; Witch balls ; What happened to the fairies? ; They shoot witches don't they? -- 3. The law : The squire ; Fiasco in Fentress ; Delaware witches beware ; What's in a name? ; Dealing with slander German-style ; Popular understanding -- 4. Witches : Three sorts of witch ; Doing witchcraft: lizards, bags, and dolls ; Witchcraft fantasies ; Skin shedding and shape-shifting ; The new witches -- 5. Dealing with witches : Pillow talk ; Confronting the witch ; The witch must die ; Attacking from a distance ; Warding off witchery ; Written charms ; Catholic armoury ; Bringing in the experts -- 6. Dealing with witch believers : The other Salem witch trials ; Alaska: of barbers and gunboats ; The Pennsylvania problem -- 7. Insanity : Putting it to the test ; Blame it on the roots ; Paranoia in the heat ; A danger to the public: incarcerating witch believers -- 8. Witch killings up close : Beard-stroking and friendly words: witchcraft in Sullivan County ; Big trouble at Booger Hole ; Solomon Hotema: Choctaw witch killer -- 9. Times a-changing : Reinventing witchcraft ; Finding an American heritage ; And so back to Salem
Control code
812686039
Dimensions
24 cm
Edition
First edition
Extent
viii, 289 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Isbn
9780199578719
Lccn
2012533582
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)812686039
Label
America bewitched : the story of witchcraft after Salem, Owen Davies
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 269-271) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
1. Aftermath : Salem: never again? ; The witchcraft of others ; Reporting witchcraft ; Where to find witchcraft ; A five points witch -- 2. Magic of a new land : Snakes and roots ; Witch balls ; What happened to the fairies? ; They shoot witches don't they? -- 3. The law : The squire ; Fiasco in Fentress ; Delaware witches beware ; What's in a name? ; Dealing with slander German-style ; Popular understanding -- 4. Witches : Three sorts of witch ; Doing witchcraft: lizards, bags, and dolls ; Witchcraft fantasies ; Skin shedding and shape-shifting ; The new witches -- 5. Dealing with witches : Pillow talk ; Confronting the witch ; The witch must die ; Attacking from a distance ; Warding off witchery ; Written charms ; Catholic armoury ; Bringing in the experts -- 6. Dealing with witch believers : The other Salem witch trials ; Alaska: of barbers and gunboats ; The Pennsylvania problem -- 7. Insanity : Putting it to the test ; Blame it on the roots ; Paranoia in the heat ; A danger to the public: incarcerating witch believers -- 8. Witch killings up close : Beard-stroking and friendly words: witchcraft in Sullivan County ; Big trouble at Booger Hole ; Solomon Hotema: Choctaw witch killer -- 9. Times a-changing : Reinventing witchcraft ; Finding an American heritage ; And so back to Salem
Control code
812686039
Dimensions
24 cm
Edition
First edition
Extent
viii, 289 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Isbn
9780199578719
Lccn
2012533582
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)812686039

Subject

Genre

Library Locations

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      44.564107 -69.663239

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