Lets start with the political problems of Salem. The tension over land was growing fast. The residents were divided into two groups: those that wanted to separate from Salem town, and those that did not. The farming families in the Western part of Salem Village wanted to separate from Salem Town. The families located in the eastern part of Salem Village and therefore closest to Salem Town wanted to remain part of the town. (Sutter) There was much overcrowding in in New England communities. In 1632, the general court granted Governor Endicott three hundred acres of land. With subsequent land grants to others, the boundaries and borders that told the people who owned what land was in dispute. Salem was a seaport community that had been settled early and most of the land within its borders belonged to the first generation settlers. In the 1650’s boundary disputes between Salem residents and those of surrounding towns increased. As a result of a shortage of land, most second and third generation Salem children lived as adults on subdivided land or moved on. The sons and daughter that stayed in Salem to farm found themselves with lower income than their parents. The resulting tensions were increased by the ownership of land being in the hands of a few. (Trials) The outcome was a climate of extreme animosity, and it was this tension that led the Puritans to use the trials to acquire the land from their neighbors. Woloch ties the shortage of land to the shortage of men thus “leaving young women, such as the “accusers,” with limited options and negligible marital possibilities.” Thus decreasing the chances of their escaping their already insignificant positions they already held in their homes, homes of others and in the community. (Woloch, 29)

The Salem Witch Trials were caused by an overwhelming need to control. The social structure and male dominance could not be allowed to change. The trial also drew attention to the “invisible” conflicts within the female community; this was a time of extreme stress the availability of land and the excess of men had vanished, leaving young women such as the “accusers” with limited options and negligible marital positions. (Woloch, 30)

The farmers caused a major source of social tension and conflict. The farmers outside of town petitioned for their own minister and for their own house of worship. They had two reasons for their request. Reason number one was they were far away from town, and number two they were not happy with the way the town was being managed. Their request was granted and this led to a separate parish for the farmers. The farmers refused to worship with the merchants. Tensions increased between the two groups as the merchants became more prosperous, and the farmers were finding it harder

Some topics in this essay:
Governor Endicott, Demos England, Madden Female, Bridget Bishop, Charles II, Witch Trials, Puritans Mather, Karlson Englanders, Hysteria Bishop, Cotton Mather, witch trials, salem witch, salem witch trials, salem town, women “accusers”, woloch 30, quaker women, social hierarchy, people moving socially, carol karlson, accused witches, puritan society, separate salem town, god ordained class, ordained class structure,