The figure of the witch has seen a dramatic resurgence in recent years. From TikTok tutorials on spell work to Etsy practitioners-for-hire, from American Horror Story: Coven to the boom in fantasy novels, pop culture has never been more fascinated with witches and magic. This revival coincides with a broader interest in spirituality, astrology, and mysticism. How did we get here? What are the origins of modern witchcraft beliefs, and why has the witch become such a powerful symbol of resistance and female empowerment?
This course explores the history of magic, witchcraft, and the supernatural from 1500 to 1800, focusing on both beliefs and lived experiences. We will examine the infamous witch trials, cultural anxieties about ghosts, demons, and magic, and the ways supernatural beliefs shaped daily life across Europe and its colonies. Our geographic scope includes France, England, Ireland, Scotland, the Holy Roman Empire, and the French Atlantic world.
Beyond content, the course emphasizes historical methods: how scholars interpret evidence, construct arguments, and recover voices from the past. Students will work closely with primary sources—trial records, pamphlets, treatises, and testimonies—and use them to craft original, argumentative essays that develop both historical knowledge and critical analysis.
This course explores the history of magic, witchcraft, and the supernatural from 1500 to 1800, focusing on both beliefs and lived experiences. We will examine the infamous witch trials, cultural anxieties about ghosts, demons, and magic, and the ways supernatural beliefs shaped daily life across Europe and its colonies. Our geographic scope includes France, England, Ireland, Scotland, the Holy Roman Empire, and the French Atlantic world.
Beyond content, the course emphasizes historical methods: how scholars interpret evidence, construct arguments, and recover voices from the past. Students will work closely with primary sources—trial records, pamphlets, treatises, and testimonies—and use them to craft original, argumentative essays that develop both historical knowledge and critical analysis.
- Teacher: Chloe Roberts