Witch Printables

Did You Know...

• Witchcraft has existed since humans have lived in groups. The ancient Greeks and Romans differentiated between good magic and harmful magic, and only punished those practising harmful magic. However, when Christianity was becoming widespread, the distinction between good and harmful magic was eliminated. Witchcraft was then considered to be closely linked with devil worship.

• From the Middle Ages to the 1077's, witchcraft was closely associated with heresy, the rejection of the church. It was during this time that witch hunts began and around the 1000's the chruch started sentencing heretics, including suspected witches, to be burned.

• Witch hunts came to a peak in the 1500's and early 1600's in Europe. Many women were tortured until they confessed to witchcraft.

• The most famous witch hunt in America took place in Salem Mass., starting in 1692. A group a girls from the village took and interest in the occult and then started acting strangely around town. Three women were arrested, followed by more and more arrests. Ultimately about 150 people were imprisoned on charges of witchcraft and 19 men and women here hanged.

• Witches have a long history with Halloween. Legends say witches would meet twice a year when the seasons change. Once on April 30 and again on October 31st. They would cast spells and cause magical mischief.