What makes a woman a witch? Financial independence
What makes a woman a witch? Financial independence
www.theguardian.com
What makes a woman a witch? Financial independence
Women aren’t being burnt at the stake any more, but there is still risk and violence implicit in the label ‘witch’
Harrison’s case is emblematic of a pattern in the witch-hunts of colonial New England. In an analysis of the trials, the US historian Carol F Karlsen found that, although it was rare for women to inherit property, when they did, they were more susceptible to witchcraft allegations. Women from families without male heirs (Harrison had three daughters) made up 64% of the females prosecuted, 76% of those who were found guilty, and 89% of those who were executed.