Transcript Superstitions in Colonial Times

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What is a superstition? Well, it is irrational
belief to explain the cause of things.
The Puritans had no logical explanation for the
reason why things happened.
Their explanations were based on their fear and
their wild imagination about why things
happened.
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The Salem Witch Trials was based on superstitions.
People’s ignorance led to the belief in witches.
They believed that people who had strange behaviors or rituals
were involved in witchcraft.
The strange behaviors included screaming, uncontrollable
seizures, and trance-like states.
Physicians were unable to determine any physical cause for
this unnatural behavior.
This caused physicians to believe that nine-year-old Elizabeth
Parris and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams were under the
influence of Satan.
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The Salem Witch Trials might also have occurred as a result
of people’s thirst for power or fear.
They feared that people were associating with the devil.
People were filled with wild imaginations when they heard that
Betty Parris was flying when in fact, she was only pretending
to be witched.
The people were filled with hysteria when a rumor dispersed
throughout Massachusetts that evil spirits were lurking there.
The people under the influence of witchcraft would immediately
reproach anyone seen with the devil, and everyone was no
longer safe from suspicions and the consequences of being
suspected.
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Common superstitions about black cats have come from
different Europeans immigrating to America.
Scottish immigrants believed that when a black cat entered a
room with someone waking, it was bad luck, and this
indicates that a member of the family may soon be deceased.
People believed that drinking a soup from a boiled black cat
can cure the disease of tuberculosis although they also
believed that killing a black cat would bring misfortune to
them.
They were thought to be vile creatures, having an allegiance
to the devil.
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The black cats were thought to be vile creatures, having an
allegiance to the devil.
Witches were believed to be able to take on the form of a cat
to conceal themselves when walking among humans.
They were considered to be the familiars of witches.
The church thought that witches held their meetings during the
night, and it may be a cat’s nocturnal temperament that they
are connected to witches.
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People were convinced that herbs can cure anything.
People would put an herb on any cut you would have to make it
recover faster.
They were used to reduce any kind of swellings when you bump
into something.
If an arm or leg was broken, herbs would be used to help make the
broken parts of the arm or leg heal faster.
Families began to make their own medicines with herbs.
Honey would usually be put in the herbs to make them taste better
since they were bitter.
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Some herbs that were used in colonial times are sage, thyme,
lavender, and angelica.
Sage was used to make game meat and stew taste better.
Thyme was used to flavor food and was also used as medication.
Lavender was used to make the clothes smell fresh since there
were many strong and unpleasant odors during the time.
Angelica was used to delayed the time of birth during pregnancy.
Sage
Lavender
Angelica
Thyme
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The number 13 is considered to be a lucky number.
It is part of many national symbols as it honors the
original 13 colonies.
Burning bayberry was a custom in many homes to
bring good fortune.
People believed that if one candle was burned until
it was gone, good health and wealth would be
brought to them throughout the year.
In conclusion, there are many superstitions in colonial
America. Many of the superstitions were formed out of
fear because of their misunderstanding of how things
happened. The Salem Witch Trials were based on
superstitions since there were really no witches and so were
the medicines that they used and black cats. They didn’t
have the science and technology that we have today to have
any logical explanation for why things happened.
Your Travel Guide To Colonial America by: Nancy Day Publisher: Runestone Press 2001
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http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=23337
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http://www.millercoryhouse.org/html/colonial_herbs.html
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http://www.herbcompanion.com/gardening/herbs-for-the-colonial-garden.aspx?page=2
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http://www.herbcompanion.com/gardening/herbs-for-the-colonial-garden.aspx?page=3
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