Not only were some of the alleged witches accused of having curdled milk at home, some neighbors said that they spoiled their milk just by passing by it. Now, that's some dark magic right there!
A slave woman named Tituba was accused of witchcraft because she encouraged girls to predict the identities of their future husbands.
This is what happened to Rachel Clinton in her trial: "Did she not show the character of an embittered, meddlesome, demanding woman—perhaps in short, the character of a witch? Did she not scold, rail, threaten and fight?" argued her accusers.
As a woman, you're not supposed to be sassy, talk back, or stand up for yourself. Failure to comply with these norms would put you at risk of being labeled a witch.
Any rule will do. This will automatically put you in a pact with the devil, and instantly turn you into a witch.
Sources: (Mentalfloss) (History Collection) (History of American Women Blog)
See also: Why is witchcraft on the rise?
Delivering babies? What kind of sorcery is that? The church did not approve of some midwives' practices, including the use of herbs. So yes, your job could also qualify you as a witch.
There is no way you have such a fertile womb! That can only be achieved through magic...
Your womb is probably cursed. Only a witch could have a cursed womb, right?
Dorothy Goode was in prison for nine months after confessing to witchcraft. Goode was just four years old! Her mother, Sarah Goode, with whom she allegedly practiced witchcraft, was hanged.
If you lost your temper and argued with anyone, that person could easily accuse you of rubbing shoulders with the devil.
We've all done stupid things when we're angry, but how many of us have accused another person of witchcraft? Women could use this to their advantage in the 17th century.
Don't expect things to get easier if you're a child either. Because, you know, children can be witches too.
Rachel Clinton, a survivor of the Salem trials, was accused by other women of "hunching them with her elbow" when she passed by them at church.
Don't think you can get away with it if you're rich either! Any financially independent woman who lived without a man's provision would raise eyebrows.
Sarah Good, a poor woman who would wander around home to home begging for food, was accused of witchcraft in the Salem trials and hanged in 1692.
Call it coincidence, but between 1620 and 1725, the vast majority of the women executed for witchcraft in New England were women without brothers or sons to leave their inheritance.
Yes, being a woman would put you instantly under the radar for witchcraft and association with the devil.
A good example would be in the famous Salem trials, where 13 women and five men were convicted.
Spoiled dairy products were mentioned in the Salem trials as evidence of black magic.
A group of women together is likely a coven of witches, so you'd probably be accused of witchcraft.
Do you daydream about the perfect partner and try to imagine how that person will be? If your answer is yes, you might be a witch!
Witch hunting has killed many people throughout history, and unfortunately continues to do so to this day in some parts of the world. One of the most famous events in witch-hunting history was the Salem witch trials, which took place between February 1692 and May 1693. If you've ever wondered what exactly could get you accused of witchcraft in the 17th century, then this is your chance.
Curious? Then browse through the following gallery and see if you would have qualified as a witch.
Signs you'd be considered a witch in the 17th century
Would you be accused of practicing witchcraft?
LIFESTYLE Witchcraft
Witch hunting has killed many people throughout history, and unfortunately continues to do so to this day in some parts of the world. One of the most famous events in witch-hunting history was the Salem witch trials, which took place between February 1692 and May 1693. If you've ever wondered what exactly could get you accused of witchcraft in the 17th century, then this is your chance.
Curious? Then browse through the following gallery and see if you would have qualified as a witch.