Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Decades before the Salem Witch trials, 11 people were hanged as witches in the Connecticut River Valley. The advent of witch hunting in New England was directly influenced by the English Civil War and the witch trials in England led by Matthew Hopkins, who pioneered "techniques" for examining witches. This history examines the outbreak of witch hysteria in the Valley, focusing on accusations of demonic possession, apotropaic magic and the role of the clergy. Although the hysteria was eventually quelled by a progressive magistrate unwilling to try witches, accounts of the trials later influenced contemporary writers during the Salem witch hunts. The source of the document "Grounds for Examination of a Witch" is identified.
Synopsis
With a compilation of information that has never before been available in one source, this exhaustive reference work provides complete published election returns for all popular Congressional elections, including special elections, in the United States--over 36,000 since 1788. For all candidates, party affiliation, number of votes received, and percentage of popular vote are given. A brief history of congressional elections is provided, outlining the variations between states in the early years and detailing the changes caused by the Civil War and the Reconstruction era.