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The secret history of witches | BBC Ideas

BBC Ideas

25K views 3 years ago

Warm-up Questions

When you hear the word “witch,” what images or stories come to mind?
What do you think a “secret history” of witches might reveal that stereotypes do not?
Why do you think the BBC would make a short video about the history of witches today?

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The secret history of witches | BBC Ideas

Stereotypes and the historical background (00:00 – 01:38)

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1. According to the video, what is “behind” the modern stereotype of witches?

A secret religious movement supported by the church
Mostly fictional stories invented in the 20th century
A tradition of harmless village entertainment
A long, dark history of torture and persecution

2. What time period strongly shaped many ideas about witches in the video?

The 18th and 19th centuries
The early 21st century
The 12th and 13th centuries
The 16th and 17th centuries

3. In England, how were witches usually executed (according to the video)?

Exiled
Hanged
Drowned
Burned at the stake

The secret history of witches | BBC Ideas

Matthew Hopkins’ methods and who was targeted (01:38 – 03:36)

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1. What was the “sleep deprivation” described in the video designed to do?

Break suspects into confessing
Protect suspects from their familiars
Prove suspects could not cast spells
Help suspects remember details clearly

2. In the swimming test, what did people believe would happen to an innocent person?

They would turn the water black
They would immediately confess
They would float
They would sink

3. According to the video, why were some women particularly vulnerable to accusations?

They were usually wealthy landowners
They lacked protection in a patriarchal society
They were often traveling alone between villages
They were trained in medicine by universities

The secret history of witches | BBC Ideas

Opposition, outcomes, and modern echoes (03:36 – 04:42)

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1. About how many people were ultimately condemned during the Hopkins witch-hunt?

About 20
About 50
About 250
About 100

2. What does the video say social media fuels?

Less fear and uncertainty in society
More careful thinking about complex problems
Better legal processes and more acquittals
Conspiracy theories and the public shaming of others

3. What is the video’s final message about witch-hunts today?

They are alive and well (as a mentality), even if the context differs
They survive only in rural communities
They are completely impossible in modern societies
They are mostly harmless traditions

The secret history of witches | BBC Ideas

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1. What is the main purpose of the video?

To teach viewers how to identify “real” witches
To give a travel guide to East Anglia
To prove that magic and spells were scientifically real in 17th-century England
To explain how historical witch-hunts worked and why they happened, and to connect them to modern society

2. Which broader cause is repeatedly linked to witch accusations in the video?

High levels of education and scientific thinking
Fear, hardship, and the need to explain misfortune
A lack of religious belief in society
Strong economic growth and political stability

3. What modern pattern does the video compare to historical witch-hunts?

People scapegoating vulnerable groups and accepting simple answers to complex problems
People refusing to use technology
People becoming more tolerant through social media
People ignoring all rumors and conspiracies

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

The secret history of witches | BBC Ideas

Why do you think people in the 16th and 17th centuries found it believable that witches could cause disasters?
Do you agree that “witch-hunt mentality” exists today? What examples can you think of (online or offline)?
How can communities respond to fear and uncertainty without blaming vulnerable people?
What responsibilities do social media users have when they see accusations, rumors, or public shaming?