Witchcraft+Craze

Analyze at least TWO factors that account for the rise and TWO factors that explain the decline of witchcraft persecution and trials in Europe in the period 1580-1750. ThesisThere were many factors that led to the rise and decline of the witchcraft craze, but the main ones were fear and uncertainty. **__ The Rise __** -wanted scapegoat -times uncertain (war, plagues-Black Death, economic+social uncertainties) -didn’t know why/how certain things happened (Black Death, animals dying suddenly, etc.) -religious uncertainties: Protestants+Catholics accused each other of “being in league w/ the devil” -property owners feared the poor=> transformed poor into devils’ agents -Catholic acknowledged existence of witches -2friars (Sprenger+Kramer) wrote book //__Malleus Maleficarum__// //__-Malleus Maleficarum__// talked about how to identify+try witches -most of lower class, unwanted people(old women, milkmaids,etc) -witches mostly women. They were “inferior” to men mentally+morally => more susceptible to witchcraft **__ The Decline __** -Religious passions+war subsided(caused too much damage) -Govs. recovered -Educated people realized old attitude contrary to reason