The Gendered Narrative of Witch-Hunting Through the Centuries (original) (raw)

Colonists used the belief of witchcraft to grapple with psychological tensions and concerns that had developed out of trying to make sense of their new external worlds, ultimately embedding witchcraft into the cultural belief system of the United States. Accusations of women practicing witchcraft in New England were mainly due to the strict moral doctrine that Puritans adhered to that had created gendered societal roles, and fears concerning the inability to attain salvation. Witchcraft in the United States, which was originally used by early settlers as a scapegoat and form of suppression for outspoken women, in turn today has been reclaimed as an archetype of power for those who are often marginalized by society.