Summary of Killing the Witches by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard E-Book

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• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

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This book does not in any capacity mean to replace the original book but to serve as a vast summary of the original book.

Summary of Killing the Witches by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard:The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts (Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series)

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• Exceptionally summarized content that you may skip in the original book

Bill O'Reilly's Killing series, with over 19 million copies in print, explores the terrifying events of 1692-1693 in Salem Village, Massachusetts. The book recounts the Puritan tradition and early American ministers' influence on the founding fathers, the American Revolution, and the Constitutional Convention. The hysteria led to over 200 people being accused, with 30 found guilty, 20 executed, and others dying. The book explores the impact of fear on reason and reason, highlighting the dangers of misunderstanding.

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GP SUMMARY

Summary of Killing the Witches by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts (Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series)

Bill O'Reilly's Killing series, spanning 19 million copies, delves into the 1692-1693 Salem Village hysteria, highlighting the influence of Puritan tradition on founding fathers, the American Revolution, and the dangers of misunderstanding.BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

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Summary of

Killing the Witches

A

Summary of Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard’s Book

The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts

(Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series)

GP SUMMARY

Summary of Killing the Witches by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard: The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts (Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series)

By GP SUMMARY© 2023, GP SUMMARY.

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NOTE TO READERS

This is an unofficial summary & analysis of Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard’s “Killing the Witches: The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts (Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series)” designed to enrich your reading experience.

DISCLAIMER

The contents of the summary are not intended to replace the original book. It is meant as a supplement to enhance the reader's understanding. The contents within can neither be stored electronically, transferred, nor kept in a database. Neither part nor full can the document be copied, scanned, faxed, or retained without the approval from the publisher or creator.

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Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

Prologue

Effie MacCalzean, a Catholic woman with less than an hour to live, is accused of possessing dark power and promoting evil, including casting a spell on the 25-year-old King of Scotland, James VI. The king is terrified of witches and has authorized the prosecution and torture of all such women. In Edinburgh, a filthy, hardscrabble town, Effie is a mother of three young daughters and is a Catholic. She is charged with 28 counts of sorcery, including bewitching two children to death, attempting to murder her husband, attending four conventions of witchcraft, and sitting next to the devil himself while handling a wax image of King James.

The trial is the talk of the town, with the prospect of a mother of three young women being tried for witchcraft being a salacious scenario. Effie's trial is the talk of the town, and her brother-in-law, David Seaton, is the man who has ruined her. In 1590, a young maidservant named Geillis Duncan is arrested on the charge of "acting strangely," code for being a witch. Under questioning, she denies having anything to do with witchcraft.

As the painful drama plays out, a birthmark, which authorities consider a "devil's mark," is found on her naked torso. She confesses, and Geillis is thrown into the dreaded Old Tolbooth Prison, where she will soon die of deprivation.

In 1591, Effie MacCalzean, the illegitimate daughter of Thomas MacCalzean, is imprisoned and her trial begins on June 9. Six legal advocates represent the wealthy woman, but no member defies the king, King James VI. Effie's inherited lands will go directly to the Crown if she is executed, as her daughters have no legal standing. The trial lasts four days, and the unanimous verdict is guilty.

Effie is tied to the stake, and the crowd cheers as she struggles against her binds. The flames rise, and Effie screams, causing her body to suffocate. The audience is disappointed that King James has not attended, but as the crowd walks down the hill, the people are satisfied. Justice has triumphed over evil in Scotland, and Effie is dead. However, the Devil is not, and soon, he will be on the move.

Chapter One

SEPTEMBER 6, 1620

PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND

MORNING

John Alden, a young barrel maker and carpenter, stands at the rail of the merchant ship Mayflower, preparing for an extremely dangerous voyage to the New World. The ship faces challenges such as lack of food, gale-force winds, and a ten-week voyage to the American coast. The Mayflower's companion ship Speedwell had to be abandoned in port due to leaks and the North Atlantic turning mean in autumn. The Puritans, Protestants of the Puritan sect, are willing to sacrifice comfort and lives for a better future.

The Puritans have faced persecution in England, but they return to Virginia to establish an English colony in the Americas. A British merchant company agrees to support their settlement in return for profitable exports from the New World, so the Mayflower is chartered by the merchants.

The voyage begins with a solemn prayer, and the ship sails out of the English harbor into the turbulent Atlantic. The passenger list consists of men, women, children, and two dogs, with Myles Standish, a mercenary, providing protection. John Alden, the barrel maker, is responsible for maintaining the beer supply, as water is easily polluted and can make people ill. Beer becomes the primary source of liquid nourishment, and Alden ensures each passenger is allotted no more than one gallon a day.

The Mayflower, a "sweet ship" known for its pleasant aroma, is a ship built to carry 180 tons of cargo in its hold. However, the ship's harsh conditions, including a crowded hold and a lack of sanitary facilities, make it a dangerous and dangerous journey. The Puritans, a peaceful people, are well-armed to defend their colony from pirates, French, and local Indian tribes. The ship has never attempted a voyage of this length with so many passengers.

Autumn storms turn the Atlantic treacherous, forcing the ship to "lie ahull" and being carried on the waves. Passengers are subjected to cold, filthy, and unsafe conditions aboard. The ship is tossed like a cork in a hurricane, and many become seasick.

The first death occurs on September 23, 17 days into the voyage. Another fierce storm hits the ship, and a main beam cracks, putting the Mayflower's fate in jeopardy. Captain Christopher Jones, who is ingenious, explains that a large iron implement buried deep in the storage hold was used to help the passengers build cottages when they land.

The crew works to restore the beam, and Captain Jones maintains course for America. The Puritans gather to say a prayer of thanks and guidance, as the voyage continues at a slow rate, with no sign of land or a clear timeframe for the journey.

In late September, Elizabeth Hopkins gives birth to a child named Oceanus, named after his Atlantic birth. However, life comes with death, as William Butten, an indentured servant to Dr. Samuel Fuller, dies of an unknown ailment. Meanwhile, John Howland, a 27-year-old, loses his balance and is swept into the raging sea. Despite his desperation, Howland is saved by a rope that he clung to, and the crew members search the ocean for him.

On November 9, 1620, the Mayflower reaches America, where it is discovered that one seaman has died and a passenger has been born. The ship's officers, crew, and over one hundred settlers have reached the shores of America. However, navigation is inexact, and Captain Jones decides not to make landfall and sail south to Virginia. The ship sails into the rocky shoals and hidden sandbars of Pollock Rip, causing great turmoil among both Puritans and Strangers.

The Mayflower settles in a sheltered harbor, Provincetown, and forges the "Mayflower Compact," with John Alden as the youngest man to sign the document. Five weeks later, Captain Jones decides to make the short voyage to the mainland, as winter is coming and the people need a more permanent location. The first landing party, led by Myles Standish, cleared some land and named the settlement "New Plimoth."

Despite the danger, the passengers and crew return to Plymouth at night, and poet James Russell Lowell claims that the outcasts who landed at Plymouth are destined to influence the future of the world.