Project Gutenberg 2015-10-13 Public domain in the USA. 382 Drake, Samuel G. 1798 1875 Drake, S. Gardner (Samuel Gardner) Drake, Samuel Gardner Calef, Robert 1648 1719 Mather, Cotton 1663 1728 Mather, C. (Cotton) The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3) Produced by Dianna Adair, Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Eleni Christofaki and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was made using scans of public domain works from the University of Michigan Digital Libraries.) "The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination" by Samuel G. Drake is a historical account written in the mid-19th century. This work delves into the notorious witchcraft trials that plagued New England, particularly focusing on the writings of key figures like Dr. Cotton Mather and Mr. Robert Calef. The book examines the societal impacts of these trials, the beliefs surrounding witchcraft, and the eventual decline of such superstitions, making it a crucial exploration of a dark chapter in American history. At the start of the work, the author sets the stage by discussing the context in which the original texts on witchcraft were produced, particularly Mather’s "Wonders of the Invisible World." Drake outlines the strange and frightening atmosphere of the time when witchcraft accusations were rampant, leading to widespread fear and resulting in unjust prosecutions. He notes that notable figures, including ministers and judges, grappled with their beliefs about the existence of witches, reflecting a community steeped in superstition. Furthermore, the preface elaborates on the societal reaction to the decline of belief in witchcraft, suggesting that many in the community were uncomfortable admitting their historical credulity. This opening portion effectively piques interest in the witch trials and sets a reflective tone for the critical analysis that follows. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 64.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en Witchcraft -- New England BF Text Category: History - American Category: History - Religious 724951 2025-07-20T06:56:15.562419 text/html 700359 2024-10-22T23:15:51 text/html 1308732 2025-07-20T06:56:27.261395 application/epub+zip 1314671 2025-07-20T06:56:17.648426 application/epub+zip 346096 2025-07-20T06:56:16.627432 application/epub+zip 1539001 2025-07-20T06:56:33.765361 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 1430933 2025-07-20T06:56:26.067407 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 467384 2022-09-22T16:59:32.062827 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 579209 2025-07-20T06:56:13.818441 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 559035 2024-10-22T23:15:51 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 18828 2025-07-20T06:56:33.926348 application/rdf+xml 14838 2025-07-20T06:56:16.791415 image/jpeg 2554 2025-07-20T06:56:16.709436 image/jpeg 1043226 2025-07-20T06:56:15.661463 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia en.wikipedia en.wikipedia