Scattered throughout the history of humanity are some episodes of inexplicable extremism. In some cases it is strongly linked to the culture of a society, but in others it is simply the fruit of a seed planted by something or someone more important, that is, someone who has power or influence. One of the cases to highlight is that of the city of Salem in 1692, where dozens of inhabitants, especially women, were executed because of the belief in witchcraft and related arts in which the powerful believed. While various primary sources from the era exist, many of them are somewhat biased or distorted in a way that is considered inaccurate or at least misleading. Due to the lack of objective information, historians debate the absolute reason why people went mad. However, most evidence shows that the main cause of hysteria was the change in social structure that occurred over the same period of time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In its early days, Salem was one of many New England towns that operated Puritan churches with a form of democracy charged with determining who where elected officials, appointed schoolmasters, and debated other tedious matters. Yet these settlements began to change as the city's population grew. Many of the new settlers would find themselves converted to the belief system held by the Puritans, where they are the "chosen" children of God. This growth led to a huge increase in church membership. Many of whom did not believe in the core values ​​or ideals of the original settlers, quickly creating a distinction between the “chosen” and the rest. This distinction is important because it is the first time the spiritual purity of the religion has been diluted, leading many to believe that God's will was being questioned. This defiance of God's word creates hatred among community members, many of whom are waiting for the right moment to unleash their resentment. Aside from the population increase, Salem was facing a social crisis over what the morals of the community would be. The enlargement of the community created a division between those who lived in the Municipality of Salem and those who lived in the Borough of Salem. While there is a distinction due to economies, the real dispute was not about which economy was better, but rather which lifestyle was accepted. This separation is evident when looking at any map of the accused, as many of the “witches” are far removed from those who accuse them. As moral disagreement grew in Salem Village, each side began to move their homes closer to those who agreed with their respective points of view. Based on this unification of opinion, the citizens of the village began to isolate themselves into smaller communities. Ensuring that, at the end of the trials, much of the previously owned land was left abandoned or unclaimed. This internal schism made it impossible for anyone to remain a neutral party, as simply living on one side or the other caused one's morals to be called into question. Another social factor that contributed to Salem's mass hysteria was the prominent role that women began to assume. play in communities. Although Puritan society granted women rights that were not afforded to them elsewhere, they were still treated harshly. This meant that there was a clear distinction between how women were treated compared to men. This unfair distinction can be seen in court cases or in these cases of accusations of.