Introduction
We are about to begin our study of a play written by Arthur Miller called The Crucible. This play, like "Young Goodman Brown" is based on the Salem Witch Trials. However, Miller borrows even more heavily from these trials than Hawthorne. In order to better understand the participants in the Salem Witch Trials, as well as the culture that produced such a horrific event in American History, we are going to learn more about Puritan culture and beliefs. By the end of this Web Quest, you should have a better grasp of the cultural context of The Crucible.
Task
Who were the Puritans and how did their culture contribute to the Salem Witch Trials?
Process
1. Use the following website to answer #1, 10, 20-21, 28-29, 34-35:
https://www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/puritans.html
2. Use the following website to answer #2, 8-9, 30-33:
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/eighteen/ekeyinfo/puritan.htm
3. Use the following website to answer #3, 23-27:
http://www3.gettysburg.edu/~tshannon/hist106web/site15/bobs/puritanbeliefpage11.htm
4. Use the following website to answer #4-7:
http://www.history.com/topics/puritanism
5. Use the following website to answer #11-14:
http://www.ushistory.org/us/3d.asp
6. Use the following website to answer #15-16:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puritans#Beliefs
7. Use the following website to answer #17-19:
http://www.ibiblio.org/byers/wq/theocracy.html
8. Use the following images to answer #22:
https://www.google.com/search?q=puritan+church&espv=2&biw=876&bih=635&s…
Evaluation
You will be evaluated on your understanding of Puritan culture in 3 ways:
- Through your completion of this worksheet
- Through your ablity to apply your knowledge of Puritanism to our study of The Crucible.
- Through a quiz on Puritanism.
Conclusion
I hope this Web Quest has enhanced your understanding of the Puritans who initiated, participated in, and suffered from the Salem Witch Trials. As an historical play, The Crucible is best studied alongside the history that lies behind it.