16 Signs You Were A Witch in 1692

As times change, so does our culture. As we continue to evolve as a society, we adjust our views on what’s important and what is ideal. But a society reveals its character the most in what it is afraid of.

Every so often, a wide-spread panic grips American culture. During the 50s, Senator Joseph McCarthy was able to exploit the public’s fear of Communism to suppress anything he saw as “un-American.” A lot of innocent people had their lives ruined in the process. 

But this hysteria wasn’t the first of its kind. A few hundred years before, Puritan leaders throughout New England found similar use of their congregation’s fear of the devil. From there, they were able to turn any women they found undesirable into “witches.”  But back then it was even worse, since if you were caught in those cross-hairs, they had the power to kill you.

And just to drive home how ridiculous and arbitrary the whole thing was, here were 16 telltale signs they looked for to decide who was practicing witchcraft.

COMMENT and tell us if you would be called a witch in 1692 and why.

1. If you were a woman.

The Puritans of the 1690s believed women were at risk of being tempted by the devil because they were “morally weaker” than men. Because there was no one more virtuous than guys who had people killed on trumped-up charges, I guess.

2. If you floated in the water.

Women who floated were believed to be rejected by the water because they weren’t baptized. If you sank and somehow avoided drowning, you were free to go. If you floated, you were a witch.

3. If you were very poor.

If you were forced to beg for food, you tended to pick up a bad reputation from those who didn’t want to give you any. At that point, it wouldn’t be difficult to accuse you of witchcraft.

4. If you were wealthy without depending on a man.

Authorities at the time thought “property is power that belongs in male hands only.” So if you made your own money, it must have been through some sort of dark magic.