Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator. Jail, Hornitos, Mariposa County, CA. Documentation Compiled After, 1933. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/item/ca0320/>.
Robin Hood
Olaf1541. "Robin Hood Memorial." Wikimedia Commons, 17 Apr. 2005, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hood#/media/File:Robin_Hood_Memorial.jpg. Accessed 11 Jan. 2017.
The legend of Robin Hood is that of a poor commoner who steals from the rich to give to the poor. This legend dates back to the 1600s. While he is technically a criminal, those he helps hail him as a hero. This introduces an interesting idea about his criminality. While he does steal, he does not take the money for himself. He is both a criminal and a force for good in the community. When the people around him don’t want him arrested, should he still be considered a criminal?
Gilbert, Henry. Robin Hood. J.G. Ferguson, 1912. Hathi Trust Digital Library, J.G. Ferguson, catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007496850. Accessed 11 Nov. 2016.
Robin Hood has had many ballads written about his tale. These are a few folk songs that have been dedicated Robin Hood and his good deeds. While these tales originated in England, their effect has spread throughout the world, giving the conversation another layer. When a man breaks the law for the greater good, for the poor in his community, can you call him a criminal? Those who he steals from say yes, but these singers disagree.
Robin Hood Ballads. Recorded 1953. Performance by Wallace House, Folkways Records, 2004. Smithsonian Folkways, www.folkways.si.edu/wallace-house/true-tale-of-robin-hood/celtic-world/music/track/smithsonian.
The Salem Witch Trials
When it comes to blame, people are extremely quick to point fingers. Tituba was the first person to be accused of witchcraft during the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Though many after her would also be convicted of this crime, it was her sentence that led people to believe that people like Tituba were also witches--people who were different than the white-faced, pious Puritans. Apparently, being a dark-skinned Indian servant was enough evidence to condemn her. Tituba’s situation raises a very serious question. Was the justification for the execution of more than 200 people the crime of witchcraft? Or simply the crime of unconformity?
Bernard Rosenthal, Salem Story, 1997.
"Tituba's Story," New england Quarterly, Vol. 71, No. 2 (1998)
"Tituba's Story," New england Quarterly, Vol. 71, No. 2 (1998)
Religion was the cornerstone of 17th century New England. The conviction and execution of Goody Glover, detailed in "Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions" written by Cotton Mather in 1689, provides one example of the direct line that existed between sin and crime. Just like Tituba, Goody Glover was a social outcast--an Irish washerwoman who could only speak Gaelic. When brought to trial, she was asked to recite the Lord’s Prayer, and since she could not, was sentenced to be hanged. Not only was witchcraft considered a sin to the Puritans, but it was also a crime. The offender must be punished for their evil ways--even if it meant death.
Mather, Cotton. "Cotton Mather's Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions (1689)." Cotton Mather's Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions (1689). Salem Trials, 1689. Web.
To learn more about America's religious roots click below