Puritanism

Puritanism was a Christian religious movement that arose in the late 16th century in England. Its adherents, known as Puritans, sought to purge all traces of Roman Catholic belief and practice from the Church of England.

Some Puritans left England to found colonies in North America. There, they engaged in witch hunts, accusing each other of witchcraft on the basis of little evidence, which struck fear into the hearts North America's fledgling wizarding community and helped to largely dissuade pure-blood families from settling on the continent.

The Puritans' witch hunts culminated in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693. However, according to wizarding historians, at least two of the judges that presided over the trials weren't actually Puritans, but rather Scourers seeking to settle personal vendettas.

Appearances

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