Week Seven: Explore the Basque Witch Trial Documents

Readings

For this week we are reading a collection of transcribed and translated trial records from the Basque witch hunt of 1608-1614. These trial records were transcribed and translated by Dr. Lu Ann Homza. I am grateful for her generosity in sharing these documents with our class.

“The Child Witches of Olague” available here (password on blackboard): Readings (Password Protected)

Preparation

As you’re reading these trials, don’t forget to think about the questions we developed. We’ll use them to frame our discussion first in our small groups and then as a whole class. These questions are available here:

Primary Source Discussion

Chatboard Discussion Group

We’ll start our discussion of this week’s reading, “The Child Witches of Olague”, on the chatboard. Below is a list of chatboard discussion leaders for this week. If you are signed up, please post 1-2 questions in your group’s channel. These questions can ask about your group’s thoughts regarding the whole book or specific aspects of it, relate to sources or specific arguments, highlight themes… it is up to you! Just make sure they are open ended (not questions that would elicit a yes/no answer) as the idea is to get your group chatting with one another.

Questions should be posted by Monday evening. For the rest of the group members, please respond before class on Thursday.