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The legal process started with an acquisition. If the acquisition was deemed credible, the accused would be arrested and then interrogated for confession. After this they would be sent to a court for a trial by a grand jury. Most of the evidence used against witches was spectral evidence, testimonies that the accused attacked using their spirit. Sometimes others would confess to being witches, and identify others to practicing witchcraft as well. If the accused hadn't confessed to being a witch, they would be executed, most commonly by hanging. Ironically, confessing to being a witch would save your life.

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In the Salem Witch Trials, 78% of the accused witches were women. This was because of the puritan belief that women were more sinful by nature and easier to be manipulated by the Devil than men were. The first accusations were by young girls who started to act strangely, so much so the puritans believed witchcraft was afoot. As more people were being accused, some people would accuse others for personal gain. Today, Salem is a hotbed for witch culture, although today's witches are far different than their 17th century predecessors. They do not worship the devil, instead practicing European pagan beliefs.

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Many early witches seen in Europe were pagan women or "natural healers" who were accepted among their Christian neighbors. That is until the Catholic Church outlawed witchcraft in 785, though most European leaders wouldn't recognize this order until centuries later. The practice of witchcraft was punishable by death with some of the first executions happening in the 14th century. The territory which is present-day Germany executed the most people in suspicion of witches. In all of Europe, Ireland had the least amount of executions, despite being entirely Catholic.

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The Puritans were unlike other early New World settlers. The Puritans traveled in family units, whereas most other settlers were single men. This helped build better communities and camaraderie than other European settlements and colonies. They had high literacy rates and kept records of many aspects of their lives. Incredibly intolerant, other religions and even other sects of Christianity were never allowed to be worshiped.

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The Church of England is made up of fundamentals of both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. It was officially founded in the 16th century, the founder being King Henry VIII. He broke off ties with the Pope in order to annul his marriage with Catherine of Aragon. When Queen Mary inherited the throne in 1558, she persecuted the protestants and embraced Roman Catholicism. The Puritan movement led to the the English Civil Wars, and the Puritans leaving for the New World.