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Historian Answers Witchcraft Questions | Tech Support | WIRED

Historian Mikki Brock joins WIRED to answer the internet’s bubbling cauldron of questions about witches, witchcraft, and witch hunting through the ages. Can men be witches or only women? Do witches really cast spells and create potions? Who came up with the concept of witches flying on brooms and why? Why do cartoon witches always…

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Historian Mikki Brock joins WIRED to answer the internet’s bubbling cauldron of questions about witches, witchcraft, and witch hunting through the ages. Can men be witches or only women? Do witches really cast spells and create potions? Who came up with the concept of witches flying on brooms and why? Why do cartoon witches always have such a pointy nose? Why do we associate black cats with witches? Why did the Salem Witch trials start? Answers to these questions and an entire coven more await on Witchcraft Support.

0:00 Witchcraft Support
0:17 Boy Witches
2:11 Witch torture in old Scotland
3:59 Whoever is in charge of marketing over at the Salem Witch Trials, amazing job
5:14 Burned in the USA
5:49 Witch Tests
7:01 Concurrent witch trials worldwide?
7:35 Spells? Potions?
8:44 Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?
10:57 Brooms: Why?
12:51 Malleus Malefic arum
15:18 Mass hysteria
16:32 Why are you booing me I’m right
18:02 Witch noses
20:04 Cats and witches through history
21:39 How to spot a witch
22:38 Why did The Salem Witch Trials start?
26:09 Actual witches or ergot poisoning?
27:27 Five-fingered Anne Boleyn
28:56 How does one avoid being accused of witchcraft?
30:52 Regretfully we have not beaten the witch charges
32:41 The witch slander must end
33:33 Blessed to report that we have beaten the witch charges
34:14 Witches: Origins
36:57 Witch hunting never ends
37:43 “Come, we fly!”

Correction: An edit in this episode makes out that Elizabeth I was the first queen of England. In fact, she was the first unmarried queen of England; the first queen was actually her half-sister, Mary I.

Director: Anna O’Donohue
Director of Photography: Ben Dewey
Editor: Philip Anderson
Expert: Mikki Brock
Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi
Associate Producer: Paul Gulyas; Brandon White
Production Manager: Peter Brunette
Production Coordinator: Rhyan Lark
Casting Producer: Nicholas Sawyer
Camera Operator: Constantine Economides
Sound Mixer: Lily Van Leeuwen
Production Assistant: Kalia Simms
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Assistant Editor: Billy Ward

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225 Comments

225 Comments

  1. @billih8sclowns

    October 31, 2024 at 8:54 pm

    Brilliant video and completely agree with her opinion of the film The VVITCH. Such a great depiction of the psychological anxiety that many puritans must of felt when they believed they were the victims of witchcraft.

  2. @mattmorales4320

    October 31, 2024 at 8:55 pm

    Ser Drunken the Tall is most certainly an ASOIAF reference, a play on Ser Duncan the Tall.

  3. @Amel-fk8ll

    October 31, 2024 at 8:57 pm

    I would listen to her for hours!

  4. @vincentwinqvist4023

    October 31, 2024 at 8:58 pm

    15:09 Professor, with all due respect for both you and with fascinating topic: 8 am is too early for anything.

  5. @mcribbedherpleasure668

    October 31, 2024 at 8:58 pm

    Men cannot be witches,we are warlocks

  6. @chipdamage9374

    October 31, 2024 at 9:02 pm

    It’d be interesting to hear a historian talk about the way that this same phenomenon takes place even today in modern societies. I think it’s pretty easy to see the parallels in America right now.

  7. @schaissewolfhausen9363

    October 31, 2024 at 9:04 pm

    The Devil is active. It looks like 💵

  8. @MeredithHagan

    October 31, 2024 at 9:04 pm

    What drives me crazy are those shirts and buttons that say “They didn’t burn witches, they burned women,” mostly because people accused of witchcraft were mostly hanged or drowned or tortured/starved to death. Burning was for heretics.

  9. @schaissewolfhausen9363

    October 31, 2024 at 9:05 pm

    God is active too. It looks like🦠

  10. @wendelynmusic

    October 31, 2024 at 9:05 pm

    I remember reading that belladonna would spread on the broom. and then women would absorb the belladonna through our genitalia and the ensuing hallucinations would feel like flying on the broom. any truth to this or is it an old coven’s tale?

  11. @erinmccurdy2326

    October 31, 2024 at 9:06 pm

    I need more videos of her!!

  12. @xXVannXx

    October 31, 2024 at 9:07 pm

    So interesting 😱

  13. @Dan-vo7vc

    October 31, 2024 at 9:07 pm

    They were HANGED. When you say someone is “hung” that means something very, very different.

  14. @bursegsardaukar

    October 31, 2024 at 9:11 pm

    And Helen Duncan was the last person in England to be imprisoned in 1944 under the Witchcraft Act of 1735.

  15. @jorge6207

    October 31, 2024 at 9:11 pm

    ‘No creo en brujas, pero que las hay, las hay’

  16. @lienmeat

    October 31, 2024 at 9:11 pm

    Um, I’m not clear on her stance about witch trials: “but it wasn’t a panic”… very next question about Hansel and Gretel… “when it comes not just in witch hunts, but to moral panics in general”. Alright…well…I think you need to re-explain how the witch trials weren’t a hysteria or panic again or something, because it sounds like you said they are a panic right after that, and then went on to to compare it to other moral panics.

  17. @nero-e8n

    October 31, 2024 at 9:12 pm

    We all know that the cause of this is Anti-Semitism. I bet the ADL and Ben Shapiro would agree.

  18. @cccouzelis763

    October 31, 2024 at 9:14 pm

    I just wish she opened with the disclaimer that the thousands of people murdered during witch hunts were NOT WITCHES (in the US & Europe). They were ordinary people, mostly women (as she does mention – 85%ish females)… and 50% older women (>40 yrs old). In some villages, there were almost no women left. A truly chilling example of state-sanctioned deadly misogyny. I have to also say the way she discusses horrific torture practiced upon these ordinary citizens is disturbing to me. The witch hunts were an incredibly tragic & terrifying period of history that still very much shape our culture today. What would society be like now had such deep fear not been sewn into the experience of simply being female? The BBC podcast series called Witch is excellent for more thorough details.

  19. @MrCarlbrooks

    October 31, 2024 at 9:15 pm

    If you’d read your John Bellairs you know for a fact that witches were often men. Do your research people!!

  20. @DigitalAndInnovation

    October 31, 2024 at 9:16 pm

    These are always great, but she is exceptional!

  21. @FrancoisBourque

    October 31, 2024 at 9:16 pm

    ednbruh in proper scohish accent 😅

  22. @KMO325

    October 31, 2024 at 9:16 pm

    38:16 I mean when you bring in Bewitched, you go through a whole different lane of witch mythology. That show went to Japan and gave us the whole magical girl genre of anime/manga. Think about it, Sailor Moon even has a black cat familiar as a nod to the meta-influence.

  23. @paulocapella1774

    October 31, 2024 at 9:20 pm

    One of the best you ever did. It breaks your norms, very good indeed.

  24. @matthewpereira

    October 31, 2024 at 9:25 pm

    this was so informative!!!! obsessed lol

  25. @michaeleggimann106

    October 31, 2024 at 9:26 pm

    Asking for more weight is not defiance.
    At that point.. it’s just helping him have it done. Like tugging on down the legs of someone hung without a big drop

  26. @jadensmomma41

    November 1, 2024 at 7:40 pm

    You said people in modern times people have tons of candles, tons of horses, and never need to worry about what they are going to eat. Even in these modern times, there is plenty of food insecurity. Yes, if you’ve never had to worry about it yourself it can be hard to remember. But still……

  27. @aggc1232

    November 1, 2024 at 7:43 pm

    The portion about harm to children immediately made me think of anti-trans and drag queen panic

  28. @xDokuhabix

    November 1, 2024 at 7:47 pm

    This video is absolutely wonderful. So much historical context validation 🥲

  29. @I_Love_Feet

    November 1, 2024 at 7:48 pm

    So… if my dad beats me… and he’s not a witch… the inversion of that is… if my dad was a witch he would show paternal affection?

  30. @rdyornot77

    November 1, 2024 at 7:49 pm

    She turned people into gingerbread, and had a house made of frogs! 16:47

  31. @KellBell9008

    November 1, 2024 at 8:02 pm

    I want to take all of her classes.
    Fully enchanted by her passion and her knowledge base.

  32. @gypsyjill6832

    November 1, 2024 at 8:02 pm

    Witches of Eastwick. Hands down my favorite witch movie.

  33. @BadFluffy

    November 1, 2024 at 8:03 pm

    Great video. Her enthusiasm and expertise, and talent in answering the silliest questions in a smart way is only equaled by Professor Bestock’s in the Ancient Egypt video a few months back. Talented and enthusiastic historians who know their stuff can make history fascinating.

  34. @Maximillieeee

    November 1, 2024 at 8:04 pm

    If yall like these type of videos, check out the podcast Ologies by Alie Ward. Fantastic

  35. @leannezzers

    November 1, 2024 at 8:05 pm

    Incredible video!!!!! Her expertise and enthusiasm make for an incredible watch

  36. @Kiahra08

    November 1, 2024 at 8:09 pm

    Hanged* not hung!

  37. @alyssa4009

    November 1, 2024 at 8:24 pm

    i love these expert videos, it just goes to show that you always learn something new everyday!

  38. @OroNZ

    November 1, 2024 at 8:31 pm

    I really wanted her to cast a spell at the end. Or offer the crew some apples. Or give the camera a stinkeye, and watch the camera tilt over. Great Support session 🙂

  39. @nnybznz

    November 1, 2024 at 8:31 pm

    poisoned rye*

  40. @bravosierra2447

    November 1, 2024 at 8:42 pm

    Ummm…what was the title of that book?

    I want to make sure I know what it is so I can avoid it & I’m asking for a friend.

  41. @tamarasmith9060

    November 1, 2024 at 8:46 pm

    The bible quote though didn’t actually say to murder witches. It said don’t let a witch “live among you”, meaning don’t let them be part of your town/tribe. In other words, drive them out of town. But of course religious zealots always have to go for an extreme interpretation.

  42. @maliciaemiseria

    November 1, 2024 at 8:47 pm

    she’s so enthusiastic and well-spoken in her explanations! so brilliant and beautiful

  43. @alyssa4009

    November 1, 2024 at 8:53 pm

    “lowkey tripping” i love her she speaks my language🫶🏻

  44. @Cez.1

    November 1, 2024 at 8:53 pm

    This was really insightful! Thank you 😊

  45. @elfarlaur

    November 1, 2024 at 8:59 pm

    One thing I’m surprised she didn’t mention about the witch tests, an innocent would sink in the water, but they were attached to ropes so that they could be pulled out. It wasn’t “if they’re innocent, they drown,” like most people think.

  46. @leslieb33

    November 1, 2024 at 9:00 pm

    Satanic Panic would be a great band name.

  47. @DaeberethwenArbenlow

    November 1, 2024 at 9:03 pm

    I am not at all surprised that people believed in witches for real, even in modern society people believe some crazy stuff

  48. @mojrimibnharb4584

    November 1, 2024 at 9:04 pm

    Put on the hat!!!

  49. @lvxiaoxing

    November 1, 2024 at 9:11 pm

    China’s Purge and Culture Revolution has a lot of similarities to these 164th century witch hunts. It’s actually all personal. Grievances between neighbors, workers hated their superiors, indentured farmers want to be in charge so they want the people in the way dead. Even today, If we have a system that empower people with bad faith or agendas, the same thing will happen. It’s human nature.

  50. @danjelkewl6949

    November 1, 2024 at 9:16 pm

    She should have worn the hat 🙁

  51. @Audulf-of-Frisia

    November 2, 2024 at 5:56 pm

    For those that want to read high quality scholarly works I suggest the books by Carlo Ginzburg. In particularly his Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches’ Sabbath.

  52. @Bobanderic

    November 2, 2024 at 6:31 pm

    The irony of using canabalism to slander witches only to find Victorians a hundred years later or so consuming powdered up mummies as medicine…..

  53. @dmhq-administration

    November 2, 2024 at 6:33 pm

    The silicon nitride CRACKING the tungsten… 😱

  54. @dnastrand9922

    November 2, 2024 at 6:36 pm

    Why did i immediately think of Willow by Taylor Swift?

  55. @angrypoppy

    November 2, 2024 at 6:40 pm

    14:38 Dandadan be like

  56. @davepx1

    November 2, 2024 at 6:58 pm

    Most importantly, the persecution mania was modern, not medieval as many imagine. It follows the spread of printing, a revolutionary information & communication technology abused by the real malefactors to “flood the zone with crap” and stoke paranoia, eroding people’s ability to differentiate between information and poison. Yup, some things never change.

    Correction to correction: Mary’s the first queen regnant (unless we count Matilda/Maud in opposition to Stephen), but there’d been plenty of queens holding the title as royal consort (i.e. spouse): Elizabeth & Mary’s dad even chopped a couple of their heads off; It could be a tough gig.

  57. @your_toad_overlord

    November 2, 2024 at 7:06 pm

    I recommend the musical vinegar Tom. When I went to see it it was very well portrayed. They talked about the witches very well.

  58. @doomedspacemarine5076

    November 2, 2024 at 7:18 pm

    Made me look 🧹

  59. @Mysterium-zy6ri

    November 2, 2024 at 7:20 pm

    Reading the crucible for AP Lang, so this is pretty fitting

  60. @Juniperjellybeans

    November 2, 2024 at 7:21 pm

    I can tell that she has spent a lot of time teaching and speaking. I would love to have her as a professor ❤

  61. @bella.the.bookish.baker.

    November 2, 2024 at 7:23 pm

    I want to be her friend so bad

  62. @shadowmoon1657

    November 2, 2024 at 7:34 pm

    In 30 minutes you could read about Early Ages, Middle Ages tortures, Salem, the Inquisition…. she doesn’t specify the churches and knights involved, the many forms of tortures, and obviously go the misandrist role bc Gen Z need to drink their juice of blended information, thats all they can get.

    History is dead

  63. @danielamckee5435

    November 2, 2024 at 7:35 pm

    Is the movie she is talking about called The Witch: Part 1 – The Subversion and Part 2 – The Other One?

  64. @your_toad_overlord

    November 2, 2024 at 7:37 pm

    When you talked about cats and broomsticks I felt inclined to add on that it had a lot to do with the plague, as women who used brooms to keep their houses clean and kept cats didn’t have mice in their houses so didn’t get the plague they were often blamed.

  65. @peridot1706

    November 2, 2024 at 7:39 pm

    If the witch trials had happened in modern day, would they’ve been accused of riding Dirt Devil ® vacuums? 🤔 or a little more low key, riding on Roombas like a Segway. 😊

  66. @SmilingScorpion-gi5lx

    November 2, 2024 at 7:53 pm

    Nonsense the almost totalitarian amont of people sent to death for witchcraft through history and still currently today have been and are men. A miniscule minority have been wemon. Across the globe wemon are only considered to even be witches in American and European folklore. The rest of the world only men were believed to be magic users ( witches)

  67. @jhardman1876

    November 2, 2024 at 8:09 pm

    I hope there’s another episode with this presenter soon, I could have watched this video for hours!

  68. @sateremawe

    November 2, 2024 at 8:30 pm

    muricans are so egoic that apparently they actually believe that some event that happened in there is the most known one in the world just because it is the most known in their self centered country. tragicomic.

  69. @richardhughes7044

    November 2, 2024 at 8:31 pm

    very good!

  70. @hinesfigher6093

    November 2, 2024 at 8:37 pm

    Really enjoyed this, but would like to know more about the several times you mentioned witchcraft in the same sentence with anti-semetism. How is that, could you explain?

  71. @Indicteronomy

    November 2, 2024 at 9:02 pm

    Her knowledge is her most attractive feature, but it’s a close competition. Thanks for sharing Ms Brock!

  72. @IceMetalPunk

    November 2, 2024 at 9:11 pm

    Speaking of the ubiquity of the “harm to children” scare tactic and the Satanic Panic… It was a little before my time, but there was a movie with Tom Hanks about D&D. Except it was about Tom’s character, a lanky teen, playing D&D and then becoming psychotic, believing the game was all real, until he almost jumps off a bridge in hysteria.

    Because nothing affords more control over people’s actions than convincing them “this thing I don’t like will kill or torture your kids unless you do what I say”.

  73. @geoffrenball742

    November 2, 2024 at 9:16 pm

    As far as women vs men being overly accused harming other with witchcraft; the fact that men back then tended to be less covert when they murder or harm others. Keep in mind most public executions have always been mostly men, especially back. While witches were accused of more hidden/secretive/covert murder/harm. Guys stereotypically went with bare hands or weapons .

  74. @geoffrenball742

    November 2, 2024 at 9:18 pm

    LOVE THE WITCH OR VVITCH, MOVIE! Black Phillip is my favorite character. SO ADORABLE!!!!!!!🥰🥰🥰😀

  75. @Gandellion

    November 3, 2024 at 1:05 pm

    You’re telling me there were laws about torture back in the day? I had it in my mind that the authorities did what they fancied.

  76. @alexiaicenhower8314

    November 3, 2024 at 1:28 pm

    It’s so funny seeing a muggle badly explain stuff she can’t even see

  77. @grabbagool

    November 3, 2024 at 1:40 pm

    it’s a travesty when you defend the movie that you say nothing of the fear of female sexuality.

  78. @glossaria2

    November 3, 2024 at 2:23 pm

    “harm to children”– seeing a lot of disturbing parallels between this and the recent book-banning movement in the US >_<

  79. @janasrnkova653

    November 3, 2024 at 2:41 pm

    Early modern period people: Let’s acuse this woman of grinding a baby remains to make potion and kill her for it.
    Also early modern period people: Let’s grind some mummies to use in paint and medicine. 😂

  80. @AnnaMorissey

    November 3, 2024 at 3:32 pm

    Of course she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen…

  81. @katdenning6535

    November 3, 2024 at 3:46 pm

    My son is epileptic. Back in the day, seizures like his were frequently associated with witchcraft and demonic spirits 🙁

  82. @Ash_Andromeda

    November 3, 2024 at 3:55 pm

    The witches that are being hunted and used as scapegoats in our current society is the LGBTQ+ community, and especially Trans women and Drag Queens. It’s like the script hasn’t changed after all these centuries: “What about the children?!” It’s the same old trope being used over and over again just to demonize marginalized communities and push the blame to the “other” so we don’t focus on putting the blame on the Elite and governments who are actually to blame for the horrors of the world.

  83. @setiem13

    November 3, 2024 at 4:14 pm

    Metatron has entered the chat 😎:

  84. @suzimilligan

    November 3, 2024 at 4:31 pm

    They were “hanged” not “hung”.

  85. @eddielouisemoran5881

    November 3, 2024 at 4:33 pm

    I love “The Witch”. The second watch made me love and appreciate it even more. Anyone who thinks it is crap just really doesnt have the mental capacity and relies on modern jumpscare movies

  86. @Mary-h4h

    November 3, 2024 at 4:38 pm

    I had to do a report in middle school on the witch trials. I wrote they were hung if convicted. The teacher marked it wrong and wrote “no, they were burned at the stake.” Made me sooo mad!

  87. @mkUltra273

    November 3, 2024 at 5:05 pm

    Come on… antisemitic is not pronounced antisimetic. Semite is not pronounced Simete

  88. @wulyfs

    November 3, 2024 at 5:06 pm

    Just wonderful to watch, so much cool information, so interesting to watch her connect witchcraft to these larger social institutions and anxieties. Excellent expert!

  89. @Wildstag

    November 3, 2024 at 5:27 pm

    The witch-finder general would probably have a word or two to say about some of these responses.

  90. @peridot1706

    November 3, 2024 at 5:33 pm

    Men and women were both witches, “warlock” was not a widely used term. Its use was found briefly among some trials in Scotland. Also, the word meant oathbreaker… i.e., not a term for witch. It referred to breaking one’s covenant with the Christian god, which can be done in a variety of ways. A person could commit a non-witchcraft related violation and be called warlock.

    Modern/neopagan witches don’t use warlock and adhere to it meaning oathbreaker (sans the Christian reason). When someone is guilty of acting against a coven’s oaths, they’re ostracized and called a warlock. Sometimes you do find people who call themselves a warlock but that’s mostly those who wrongly think they’re reclaiming the word or want to seem edgy.

  91. @oliviam8980

    November 3, 2024 at 5:37 pm

    Very charismatic, I’m glad this one was longer than normal.

  92. @nardo218

    November 3, 2024 at 6:16 pm

    I mean …. there are witches. We exist. Wicca is a federally recognized religion.

  93. @leeboy26

    November 3, 2024 at 6:45 pm

    Sounds like Heinrich Kramer needed to get laid more.

  94. @montegrifo

    November 3, 2024 at 6:51 pm

    Quite scary how she speaks of terrible things with such enthusiasm …

  95. @BZAKether

    November 3, 2024 at 7:07 pm

    I absolutely loved this video. it is not only interesting and illustrative, but somehow I think I have fell in love with Dr. Brock. Thanks for the vid!

  96. @nance1111

    November 3, 2024 at 7:12 pm

    This is so good! Mikki Brock is fantastic. Bring her back.

  97. @ArchLingAdvNolan

    November 3, 2024 at 7:14 pm

    Their beer was tainted with ergot… food poisoning, not tripping like LSD. Food poisoning while on LSD.

  98. @awasteofwords

    November 3, 2024 at 7:54 pm

    You forgot to list the current transgender panic.

  99. @jeffreyreyes-espinal5700

    November 3, 2024 at 8:20 pm

    This came at such a good time 😏

  100. @elizabethbennet4791

    November 4, 2024 at 1:04 pm

    why wre women so hated

  101. @elizabethbennet4791

    November 4, 2024 at 1:09 pm

    true story, i had an almost professor in college who just delivered his thesis the last week of his course on northern european witch hunts of the middle ages

  102. @elizabethbennet4791

    November 4, 2024 at 1:11 pm

    pan/satyr= devil

  103. @elizabethbennet4791

    November 4, 2024 at 1:17 pm

    omg men are such misogynists theyre so kookoo

  104. @vanillanoxfleuret

    November 4, 2024 at 1:18 pm

    This expert is so charming and likeable!

  105. @samanthas8756

    November 4, 2024 at 1:28 pm

    Giles refused to enter plea because if he did his children would lose all rights to his property! If he was found guilty, which he almost certainly would have even if he plead not guilty, the church would take control of his assets and property, leaving his children with nothing.

  106. @BeauYarbrough

    November 4, 2024 at 1:38 pm

    Probably the best Wired Tech Support video yet. Simply fantastic.

  107. @TheWheelBry

    November 4, 2024 at 1:41 pm

    In England, women who practiced as midwives were often accused of witchcraft.
    Theres a really good book called The Familiars by Stacey Hall which is about a midwife during the Pendle Witch Trials.
    Stacey Hall bases all her stories on real people in history and includes facts about them at the end.

  108. @mtaylor7171

    November 4, 2024 at 1:51 pm

    It’s my understanding that ‘thou shall not suffer a witch to live’ was added into the King James Bible

  109. @kerrypond6791

    November 4, 2024 at 2:14 pm

    I enjoyed this so.much. informative and fascinating

  110. @Bloodified

    November 4, 2024 at 2:45 pm

    Maybe less happiness and smiles when talking about torture? Lmao

  111. @amyfalls

    November 4, 2024 at 3:29 pm

    can we have an episode for Mermaids, Fairies, and Dragons pls?

  112. @redsquirrel7572

    November 4, 2024 at 4:05 pm

    9:37 Couldn’t agree more, The VVitch is THE best movie for showing how terrifying witches actually were to Puritans.

  113. @DustSeeker163

    November 4, 2024 at 4:38 pm

    Excellent videoooooooo

  114. @ccb2139

    November 4, 2024 at 5:33 pm

    thank you for all the information, i have a question, the trail to Joan of Arch could be consider a witchcraft?

  115. @Wetknees

    November 4, 2024 at 5:39 pm

    She liked the vvitch and that’s what I appreciate’s about her

  116. @whitefox998

    November 4, 2024 at 6:20 pm

    So, nearly 40 minutes for a series of more reasons why Christianity is evil.

  117. @austinfarrow9911

    November 4, 2024 at 7:10 pm

    Excellent episode! Thanks especially for breaking down all of the influences that lead to the Salem Witch Trials

  118. @MichaelLong-l2z

    November 4, 2024 at 7:21 pm

    People today are willing to believe Democrats are eating young children in the basement of a one story pizza parlor, that the moon landing was staged, they were abducted by aliens and other interesting ideas, why are these beliefs so far fetched?

  119. @margaritapeeva9181

    November 4, 2024 at 7:25 pm

    Great content, but to say there were many ads in this video would be an understatement. So annoying. I get it, everyone needs to make money but this was something else.

  120. @ScarabD

    November 4, 2024 at 7:26 pm

    6:57 how could they possibly believe god ‘wouldn’t’ let an innocent person die’ when there was such a high infant mortality rate? Like, what sort of ways did they come up with to justify that? Plenty of innocent people were dying all the time, did they just… assume those people actually had something wrong with them, or were all victims of actual ‘bad’ people?

  121. @Trollgernautt

    November 4, 2024 at 7:30 pm

    Half the video in and I already know everyone in the comments is asking for more of this woman, lol! Great expert!

  122. @claudiarangelpereira2661

    November 4, 2024 at 7:36 pm

    As a young historian, I feel so inspired by her. She’s so enthusiastic and explains everything so easily. This is such a great video.

  123. @victor9

    November 4, 2024 at 8:24 pm

    17:11 OMG just realized the “Harm to children” excuse is being used right now against the lgbtq+ community. WOW! Thats insane! history does repeat its self!

  124. @JMSoloBassist

    November 4, 2024 at 8:25 pm

    This is a great presentation of this information. However, it is disappointing that she fails to mention legitimate witchcraft and paganism.

  125. @MannyBrum

    November 6, 2024 at 9:37 am

    Social media is the new printing press so we can share our paranoia so everyone else in the world can stress out and oppress each other as well.

  126. @MotoManDan1

    November 6, 2024 at 10:29 am

    What’s todays equivalent of witches I wonder?

  127. @Reihanism73

    November 6, 2024 at 11:52 am

    Professor Brock, thank you so much for your detailed and easily comprehendible answers!

  128. @thebassrogue

    November 6, 2024 at 11:59 am

    The tactic is the same with minority people persecution to this day…

  129. @crkTyphoon

    November 6, 2024 at 12:20 pm

    20:40, funnily enough, although she might not have actually had six fingers, she had ten! five on each hand, would you look at that, wow

  130. @rolandscherer1574

    November 6, 2024 at 12:34 pm

    The beginning of the witch hunts in Europe also was the start of the Little Ice Age, with devastating crop failures and famine. Someone had to be to blame, and so it came to witches and their harmful wheather-spells. It was definitely better for the authorities than if they had been accused.

  131. @MrMonoyo

    November 6, 2024 at 12:39 pm

    About the Hats: During the years of the “infamous” Spanish Inquisition Jews that refused or rejected the Judeo-Christian Creed were intentionally forced to wear pointy hats on their heads as a part of their everyday attire so that other people would ‘know’ that they had rejected the ‘faith’. And they were also denoted publicly as “Maranos”, it literally means Pigs, a clear reference to Un-cleanliness or Un -Godliness.

  132. @mi3797

    November 6, 2024 at 1:12 pm

    Why is it so hard to believe that people actually believed witches were real? I mean people believe in God today, and that’s almost the same thing

  133. @Feenix102

    November 6, 2024 at 1:36 pm

    Is it true that The Hammer of Witches actually had a false Papal Bull attached to it? Apparently Kramer was give one for something and used it with this instead, which would give it a lot of legitimacy.

  134. @ruialmeida818

    November 6, 2024 at 1:56 pm

    The salem witch trials are only front and center in the US. Ask anyone in Europe and they will place the inquisition as the center of it – Portugal and Spain pratically made an industry of burning people (yes, a lot of men were accused of witchcraft and heresy by the church). You should read the memorial of the convent by the nobel prize winner José Saramago, as he describes a burning quite accurately.

  135. @aidanmargarson8910

    November 6, 2024 at 2:12 pm

    This just in .. watch out all you witches .. sad truth

  136. @LilFaerl

    November 6, 2024 at 2:38 pm

    Or he started it by touching the girls like so many priests before and after him have done.

  137. @LilFaerl

    November 6, 2024 at 2:49 pm

    I refuse to believe everyone believed in witches, and I don’t believe you have evidence to support it. Just as there have always been atheists.

  138. @LilFaerl

    November 6, 2024 at 2:58 pm

    Witch hunts are happening today in africa. Still evil Christians.

  139. @alexmaverick6647

    November 6, 2024 at 3:35 pm

    The Witch is one of the best horror movies made in the 21st century. Glad even the witchcraft expert loves it.

  140. @nathannorth675

    November 6, 2024 at 4:27 pm

    Best expert interview I have seen on YouTube. Knowledgeable and personable expert? Bring her back!!!

  141. @skogenhevner5677

    November 6, 2024 at 4:39 pm

    This video is mostly about repression against witches and not actual witchcraft, that’s too bad

  142. @bendystrawz2832

    November 6, 2024 at 5:04 pm

    How to avoid witch accusations? Accuse someone else 🙁

  143. @eliasdroh

    November 6, 2024 at 5:07 pm

    She was my professor in college! She’s fabulous as a teacher.

  144. @astralb.2647

    November 6, 2024 at 6:18 pm

    “Drag queens and trans people are hurting our children” is just the latest witch accusations…

    Unfortunately, we still see people killed for being accused of witchcraft in some rural African communities .

  145. @ktefccre

    November 6, 2024 at 6:22 pm

    17:00 wait a sec…. isn’t harm to children one of the loudest reasons anti lgbtb+ rights groups are saying right now? Omg. I never made the connection! Thanks!

  146. @Schander

    November 6, 2024 at 6:44 pm

    Love her energy. She single?

  147. @solreategui418

    November 6, 2024 at 7:30 pm

    This was incredible

  148. @6000countingdown

    November 6, 2024 at 7:53 pm

    I wouldn’t have mentioned this, except she says it so frequently: people are not “hung,” but “hanged.”

  149. @jack8831

    November 6, 2024 at 8:14 pm

    She’s so happy while describing tortures

  150. @Snoodlehootberry

    November 7, 2024 at 7:20 am

    If witches were so bloody powerful, why did they never find a witch launching powers at people who tried to kill them!

  151. @southilgurl2003

    November 7, 2024 at 7:58 am

    Samuel Wardwell in Salem was hung only out of greed and prejudice (for marrying above his station) – all to steal his wife Sarah’s property. Hill I will die on! Fun fact: research suggests that Samuel helped build Hawthorne’s house of seven gables. Unfortunately, Hawthorne was not on Samuel’s trial, or it might have gone differently.

  152. @avocadoalpukat

    November 7, 2024 at 8:16 am

    i love her energy omg!!! i love how enthusiastic she is talking about these stuff. please invite her again if possible❤

  153. @clarahouri

    November 7, 2024 at 8:49 am

    Omg I’m obsessed, I could watch this all day ♥️🧙🏻‍♀️

  154. @helensalamanca6494

    November 7, 2024 at 9:15 am

    Really enjoyable video, ty ❤

  155. @luizagriebeler

    November 7, 2024 at 9:45 am

    i love the expression of childlike wonder in schoolars faces when they have the opportunity to geek about their interests

  156. @sarasodre9832

    November 7, 2024 at 10:00 am

    17:49 just like they’re doing to drag queens now… guess humanity will never change💀

  157. @undefined40

    November 7, 2024 at 10:09 am

    Follow up question: why do broom sticks not require FAA certification before being sold to the public?

  158. @mrrolandlawrence

    November 7, 2024 at 11:38 am

    20:00 another reason for the “witches cat” is during the many plagues in England, women who kept cats lived when the many in a village would die. The reason was that cats are good at eating rats that had the plague fleas. Clever christians quickly concluded it was obviously witchcraft.

  159. @bigboldsoul

    November 7, 2024 at 11:45 am

    Loved this video!

  160. @paulacuarental

    November 7, 2024 at 1:17 pm

    I would give ANYTHING for a class about witches stealing guys ps and demonic trees and whatnot T.T It sounds SOOO interesting :’)

  161. @abnurtharn2927

    November 7, 2024 at 1:22 pm

    I know a witch that had a familliar called Brown Jenkin.

  162. @LeilaAMMartin

    November 7, 2024 at 1:29 pm

    The soundtrack ruined the VVitch for me. They used a lot of dramatic music early on that the storytelling hadn’t earned yet.

    Also this is one of the best “[Thing] Support” videos yet!

  163. @ShaunLevett

    November 7, 2024 at 2:06 pm

    Never heard an American say “shite” before 😂

  164. @ESC_907

    November 7, 2024 at 2:17 pm

    Spoken like a true witch…

  165. @zigzoggy

    November 7, 2024 at 2:26 pm

    Us looking back on the belief of witchcraft as crazy, is how I believe future generations will look back on the belief of God/religion. People believed in witchcraft because they didn’t have an understanding of the world around them, and the same goes for why people believe in God. The more we understand the world around us with scientific explanation, the less people are likely to believe in God.

  166. @yohanrives3752

    November 7, 2024 at 2:55 pm

    About brooms, there’s a word in old norse for witch that actually means hedge rider…

    • @halflifeger4179

      November 7, 2024 at 5:55 pm

      Same for German,

  167. @AndreaBritophotomundo

    November 7, 2024 at 3:24 pm

    I need more! She’s amazing!

  168. @carriel3054

    November 7, 2024 at 4:01 pm

    Nov 6, 2024. I’ve never wished for witchcraft to be real as hard as I do today.

  169. @kalladragoone5847

    November 7, 2024 at 4:56 pm

    I really wish I could take her course! Fascinating person!

  170. @reedjasonf

    November 7, 2024 at 5:02 pm

    Pretty sure the past tense of “hang” is not “hung” but they were “hanged”. When someone is “hung” it means something different entirely. 😅

  171. @logresmentotum7065

    November 7, 2024 at 5:45 pm

    This Lady has a phenomenal mind. Nice.

  172. @gruggelina

    November 7, 2024 at 6:00 pm

    Remember they never burned witches – they burned women.

  173. @aidahhh

    November 7, 2024 at 7:00 pm

    I love this woman!

  174. @johnrea8173

    November 7, 2024 at 7:04 pm

    I love how the moral panic is a tactic still used to this day…

  175. @ElstonGunnII

    November 8, 2024 at 9:31 am

    ‘The Witch’ is the only film that has made me want to go to church after seeing it, incredible but terrifying experience

  176. @Mr.sister.G

    November 8, 2024 at 10:53 am

    I can’t really understand why there isn’t a single reference to Spain and Spanish practices, as that was the birth place of Inquisition…

  177. @Andreas-ov2fv

    November 8, 2024 at 10:56 am

    This person just added twice as much energy to my day than the Red Bull I just drank. Great find!

  178. @jasonellis4330

    November 8, 2024 at 10:59 am

    That first question was in present tense. Yes, we can be witches

  179. @emmajoy4388

    November 8, 2024 at 11:22 am

    “The imagined threat of harm to children forms the backbone for many moral panics.” Well, good thing we got over that

  180. @johnrcoben

    November 8, 2024 at 12:56 pm

    The Salem witch trials spurred a lot of debate and people changed laws so that bad evidence couldn’t be admitted in court. Afterwards the residents were so ashamed they changed the name of the town. That’s why it’s so famous, it was a changing point to a more rational outlook.

  181. @elisha6198

    November 8, 2024 at 1:30 pm

    Great video, the enthusiasm is the best part!

    Nicole Rudolph has some very interesting videos about the history of witches too, her last one about witches shoes goes quite deep into why we depict witches the way we do

  182. @AaronMarso

    November 8, 2024 at 1:39 pm

    we live in an amazing time, where a witch can teach us about history

  183. @JamesIIIPearson

    November 8, 2024 at 1:42 pm

    you forgot the most recent use of “harm to children” to activate people… covid

  184. @mike0110ful

    November 8, 2024 at 2:58 pm

    “Theres not enough LSD bread is a phrase I wasn’t hoping to hear twice todah

  185. @sophieisyerin

    November 8, 2024 at 4:37 pm

    we need part 2!!!

  186. @dice4592

    November 8, 2024 at 4:41 pm

    well some of this is reminding me of recent events

  187. @wtm5907

    November 8, 2024 at 4:47 pm

    Love the trace to panics of the 20th century — this offers an awful lot of explanation to present-day transphobia.

  188. @Reylandson

    November 8, 2024 at 4:49 pm

    She needs to have an Youtube channel because I’d watch her peel an orange

  189. @EckCop

    November 8, 2024 at 5:12 pm

    Definite witch. Fooling no one.

  190. @michelerich1590

    November 8, 2024 at 5:13 pm

    are you related to paula poundstone. thumbnail looked just like her

  191. @StarQueenEstrella

    November 8, 2024 at 5:30 pm

    21:02 I’d assume this is also an inversion as well of the traditional norm of keeping a dog as a pet, although I don’t know if the practice of domesticating animals (let alone cats or dogs) was a thing yet in Europe nor the American colonies by then.

  192. @Omnilatent

    November 8, 2024 at 6:07 pm

    We’re not talking about the origins of this in antisemitism while seeing that obviously antisemitic picture at 8:25? 😶

    Edit: Glad it got adressed at 17:26, 18:28, 21:18 and 34:50

  193. @robinbeisel702

    November 8, 2024 at 6:14 pm

    I have my MBA and this makes me want to go back to college just to take your classes! Really fascinating

  194. @caitlinwhatthefrick2361

    November 8, 2024 at 6:25 pm

    Probably a lot of autistic girls and women were told they were witches due to being “caught” stimming

  195. @edwincaballero8564

    November 8, 2024 at 6:45 pm

    I took a witchcraft class in university and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My professor was very enthusiatic like her, and tbvh she looked like a witch herself, which made the class even better

  196. @mattsmith6321

    November 8, 2024 at 6:50 pm

    I’m hot for teacher!!!

  197. @collyernicholasjohn

    November 8, 2024 at 7:07 pm

    24:42 Young girls seem to experience social contagion more than other cohort – contemporary demonic possession in Argentina, anorexia, bulimia, gender woo-woo

  198. @jessereeves3120

    November 8, 2024 at 8:18 pm

    The “perceived” witch practices were “inverse” of Christianity, only because these were practices that Christians were already conducting due to plague, famine etc. The real boogeymen was just man himself.

  199. @sanglay95

    November 8, 2024 at 8:20 pm

    She’s a woman but she know too much. WITCH!!😂

  200. @reznovvazileski3193

    November 9, 2024 at 7:51 am

    Is this young Suzie Dent?

  201. @nickjonasdicc

    November 9, 2024 at 7:57 am

    Yall watch too much Agatha

  202. @StarQueenEstrella

    November 9, 2024 at 10:14 am

    Everyone’s thinking it, I’ll just say it: she’s cute.

  203. @chloebradley-almond5911

    November 9, 2024 at 10:17 am

    They accused a women in Colne in a legal court of being a witch in the 1950s in England

  204. @greensleevez

    November 9, 2024 at 11:04 am

    first, stolen ‘”members,” then “accusations made willy-nilly.” I see what you did there… 😉

  205. @Atom.Storm.

    November 9, 2024 at 11:30 am

    How the heck can someone think the VaVitch was bad? That movie is perfect.

  206. @BrianaKemp-e2p

    November 9, 2024 at 11:49 am

    “she made it impossible for me to churn my butter” im howling

  207. @jt4351

    November 9, 2024 at 12:20 pm

    I love her response to the idea of poisoning. It is definitely easier for the modern brain to hold on to psychedelics than acknowledge the wide range of thought. Think about the pandemic and TikTok. I’m sure this all would’ve sounded just as trippy to the witch folks back then.

  208. @ryannestrife1003

    November 9, 2024 at 1:02 pm

    I wonder if the whole age of witches/witch scare could be considered one of the first recorded social contagions

  209. @AndreVillanueva-oz5mh

    November 9, 2024 at 1:09 pm

    I guess it was Agatha all allong then

  210. @selinozkan577

    November 9, 2024 at 2:07 pm

    Why is the nose antisemitic?

  211. @hungariangiraffe6361

    November 9, 2024 at 2:27 pm

    I love the part between 17:20 and 17:59, because as a bisexual person, that is exactly what I see in our very modern society. People still use this method.

  212. @Randomonity

    November 9, 2024 at 4:00 pm

    If anybody was watching the audio off or relies on the subtitles, when she is discussing ergot around 26:00, she is referring to “poisoned rye”, not “poison dry”

  213. @ania5038

    November 9, 2024 at 4:12 pm

    This is so interesting. Now I regret not taking witchcraft in university which everyone took for an easy A lol

  214. @krlost4405

    November 9, 2024 at 4:21 pm

    Accusing them of “killing babies” as a way to dehumanize them. 4 centuries later, they are still witch hunting but in essence is the same kind of backward thinking and surprise, surprise, the church behind.

  215. @גלעדסוירזנסקי

    November 9, 2024 at 4:33 pm

    As a man I find it funny that we are supposed to be the “Rational” ones because one moment we could be rational but 5 seconds later we could be like: what would happen if I lit a firework inside my house? And that’s why women live longer 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

  216. @RonnieBoy1981

    November 9, 2024 at 4:49 pm

    I agree! “The Witch” was a great movie.

  217. @gdsign8976

    November 9, 2024 at 5:13 pm

    fear is a method of controling poeple. In todays society, whenever we have elections the fear of Homosexuals, Immigrants and other type of scapegoating comes up. We dont vote out of love but fear.

  218. @benadrylthundercrotch7144

    November 9, 2024 at 5:14 pm

    Witch hunters really were the OG man-o-sphere twitter incels.

  219. @llukelara

    November 9, 2024 at 5:18 pm

    Please bring this woman back.

  220. @shinee_onew

    November 9, 2024 at 6:10 pm

    This is good

  221. @elci

    November 9, 2024 at 6:26 pm

    HANGED. A portrait is hung, a person is hanged. How are “experts” still making this error?

  222. @lockekosta9014

    November 9, 2024 at 7:54 pm

    Bring her back to talk more about modern day witch hunting and labeling please!

  223. @tylerd8609

    November 9, 2024 at 8:02 pm

    She has such a nice smile, yall are so good at picking these people. That’s crazy.

    There should be a “WIRED employee answers questions” or whatever about wired. But yes i love her she’s great and happy! 🥹

  224. @loren.laluna

    November 9, 2024 at 8:25 pm

    This was great! Thank you 🤍

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