The Heretic's Daughter

Understanding the witch persecutions that arose in Salem, Massachusetts, in the 1690s would be impossible without reference to the Puritan mindset that fueled it. New England was distinct from other colonies established in the New World. Places like Virginia and the Carolinas had been founded with an eye toward turning a profit for wealthy landowners and the Crown. In contrast, colonists who immigrated to New England did so for religious reasons. Puritans sought to escape harassment at home and wanted to establish a refuge where they could practice their faith away from the contaminating influence of other ideologies. The name “Puritan” refers to the sect’s insistence that the Church of England needed to purify itself from the lingering influence of Catholicism.

Puritans adhered to the Calvinist doctrine that humans can’t be saved by good works alone since all people are inherently sinful. God’s grace designates some souls for salvation and others for damnation. Thus, individuals must have a conversion experience before they can number themselves among the “saints.” Church leaders deemed themselves among the elect who were assured of a place in Heaven. In addition, they tended to see their own beliefs as purer than any other Christian sect. The implicit moral superiority of this stance inevitably led to an exclusionary