Context to the Era: Witchcraft

Question 1

How prevalent was the belief in the supernatural on the scale of the whole of Europe in the 1500s and 1600s?

Answer 1

They all believed in Christianity which was based on many supernatural events

Question 2

How were people superstitious with stars and illness?

Answer 2

Certain star patterns would make people predict that there would be a time of illness

Question 3

What was Henrich Kranmer’s job?

Answer 3

Author

Question 4

What book did Henrich Kranmer write and when?

Answer 4

Malleus Maleficarum in 1487

Question 5

What does ‘Malleus Maleficarum’ translate to?

Answer 5

Witches Hammer

Question 6

What was the scale of Witches Hammer?

Answer 6

It was the second best-selling book in Europe for over a century

Question 7

What is significant about the amount of time Malleus Maleficarum was popular?

Answer 7

It showed there were sustained beliefs about witches for over a century

Question 8

What was the first best-selling book in all of Europe?

Answer 8

The Bible

Question 9

What did Witches Hammer say the Devil he had created in Europe? What gender would this be present in and why?

Answer 9

He had created a form of evil which would be present in women as the devil had more control over women

Question 10

Why were older women often accused of witchcraft from a biological perspective?

Answer 10

Because they had gone through the menopause and were no longer able to have children for the community

Question 11

Why were widowed women often accused of witchcraft?

Answer 11

Because they were often isolated meaning they did not have any social connections

Question 12

Name 3 skin characteristics which were used as evidence for a woman being a witch

Answer 12

If they had moles, warts or Skin-tags

Question 13

Why were men more likely to gain more power and control in a nation from 1520 to 1640?

Answer 13

Because there was lots of religious discourse and conflict over religion

Question 14

What event happened between 1520-1640 resulting in Famines meaning men would want to gain even more power? When did this event escalate?

Answer 14

Little Ice Age, which escalated in the 1570’s

Question 15

Why were witches more likely to be targeted from 1520-1640 in relation to everything happening in Europe in this era?

Answer 15

Because society would want to find a group of individuals to blame the misfortunes on