| 1. During the great European witch persecutions of the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, many people were executed for withcraft.
How many? |
a) Nine million
b) One million
c) Fewer than 100,000 |
| 2. There was an unusually large proportion of midwives among the
victims of witch persecution. Is that true? |
a) Yes, because midwives possessed special
knowledge, which was a source of irritation to men.
b) Yes, because midwives facilitated birth
control, of which the Catholic church disapproved.
c) No. Although midwives were sometimes
accused of witchcraft, more often they were called upon to search women
accused of witchcraft for magical devices or to ascertain whether they
were pregnant. |
| 3. Although people were executed for witchcraft in many parts of
Europe, there were countries in which the persecution of witches was forbidden.
Is that true? |
a) Yes. In Spain, for example, the Inquisition
forbade the persecution of witches.
b) Yes. There were no persecutions of witches
in the Protestant principalities of Germany.
c) No. Witches were persecuted everywhere
in Europe. |
| 4. Judges were able to recognize witches by their external appearance.
Is that true? |
a) Yes, because most witches were old, ugly
women with crooked noses.
b) Yes, because most witches were young,
had red hair, and were the objects of envy.
c) No. Because anyone could become a witch,
nobody knew for sure what a witch should look like. |
| 5. Only adult women were executed for witchcraft. Is that true? |
a) Yes. The general assumption was that
witches were adult women.
b) No. Men and women were executed for witchcraft
in roughly equal numbers.
c) No. Although the overwhelming majority
of victims were women, a large minority--about 20%--were adult men and
children. |
| 6. Witch persecution was an attempt by men to eliminate special
knowledge passed down among women from pre-Christian times. Is that true? |
a) Yes. People who were accused of witchcraft
were actually women who possessed knowledge and powers passed down from
pre-Christian times. The extermination of "wise women" was intended to
secure the dominance of men in society.
b) No. The goal was to exterminate a supposed
sect of witches, who were held responsible for thunderstorms, hailstorms,
epidemic diseases, and other natural disasters.
c) No. The governments of Europe were interested
simply in enriching themselves from the confiscated property of accused
witches. |
| 7. The Catholic church was particularly eager to persecute witches.
Is that true? |
a) Yes. The Inquisition, for example, was
particularly eager to persecute witches.
b) Yes. The Catholic church saw its position
endangered by the Protestants and faught with all its powers against every
enemies, real or perceived...including witches.
c) No. With only slight variations, Protestants
were as likely to prosecute for witchcraft as Catholics. |
| 8. People are still executed for witchcraft today. Is that true? |
a) No. The persecution of witches ended
long ago.
b) Yes. As recently as 2000, for example,
hundreds of people were killed for witchcraft in Africa.
c) Yes. But only in the movies. |
