Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials

Click on the link to read  John Dane's Narrative.

Read the first five paragraphs of John Dane's Narrative, until you reach the following passage:

Then said my mother, "go where you will, God he will find you out." This word, the point of it, stuck in my breast; and afterwards God struck it home to its head.

1. What does John Dane's piece about morality tell you about Puritan life?
2. Define 'Providence' and explain John Dane's beliefs about Providence.
3. In the third paragraph of John Dane's narrative, he relates a story about his upbringing.  Write a paragraph, explaining how this story makes you feel. How is this different or similar to your own interactions with your parents?
4. Choose one paragraph in John Dane's narrative and summarize it in your own words.

3) Making it personal: Choose a person from the Salem Witch Trial historical record on the website "Important Persons in the Salem Court Records"  and write five sentences about him or her answering some of the following questions, or questions you come up with on your own.  Pay close attention to your individual's history and personality, as you will follow him or her throughout the remainder of the lesson.

Important Persons in the Salem Court Records

1. How old was the person?
2. What was the person's occupation?
3. What do we know about the person's family?
4. Why do people think this person was accused of witchcraft and/or accused others of witchcraft?
5. What is most remembered about this person in current popular culture, if anything?
6. Was this person wealthy or poor?
7. Where did this person live?                                                                                                         
When you are finished, you may go to

National Geographic's Salem Witch Trials