Basics of Scottish History Quiz: The Witch-Hunt

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Witch-hunting scarred much of Europe throughout the early modern period, claiming the lives of thousands of innocent people, especially women. Scotland was particularly badly impacted, experiencing, proportionally, one of the largest and most intensive hunts, especially in the 17th century.

But how much do you know about the Scottish witch-hunt? This quiz will test you on everything from magical lore to the mechanics of witch-trials, forcing you in the process to distinguish between historical reality and the layers of myth and misunderstanding that have adhered themselves to the topic of witchcraft. Are you an expert on Scotland's witch-hunt? Or will you show yourself up as completely clueless. There's only one way to find out...

Created by: Dr Allan Kennedy of Centre for Scottish Culture
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  1. In which year was the Witchcraft Act passed by the Scottish Parliament, officially making witchcraft a crime?
  2. In total, approximately how many people are thought to have been accused of witchcraft in Scotland?
  3. In which town was an alleged group of witches uncovered in 1590, leading to the first large-scale Scottish witch-trials?
  4. What was the name of the witch-hunting manual written by King James VI, and published in 1597?
  5. What was the name of the woman who infamously adopted the male alias 'John Dickson' in order to work as a witch-pricker in and around Moray during the mid-17th century?
  6. According to the confession of Helen Guthrie (1661), what did the 'witches' of Forfar allegedly make a pie out of during one of their communal meetings (sabbats)?
  7. Isobel Gowdie, whose witchcraft confessions from 1662 are among the most complex and elaborate every produced in Scotland, came from which northern settlement?
  8. Sometimes called the 'great' witch-hunt, when was the last large-scale bout of witch-prosecution in Scotland?
  9. What was the name of the young woman whose accusations of demonic possession led to a number of witch-trials and executions in Paisley in 1697?
  10. Where, in one of the very few known 'witch'-lynchings in Scotland, was Janet Proudfoot murdered by an angry mob in 1705?
  11. The killing of Janet Horne at Dornoch, generally held as the last witchcraft execution in Scotland, took place in which year?
  12. Which institution was typically responsible for granting the judicial commissions usually needed before a witch-trial could take place?
  13. In which year was the Witchcraft Act repealed, officially bringing the age of witch-hunting to an end?
  14. What is generally agreed to have been the most common form of (illegal) torture used to elicit confessions from accused witches in Scotland?
  15. In Scottish witchcraft narratives, what colour is most typically used in descriptions of Satan?
  16. What was the name of the accused witch whose face was digitally reconstructed by researchers at the University of Dundee in 2017?
  17. True or False: People found guilty of witchcraft in Scotland were typically executed by being burned alive.
  18. True or False: Some Scottish 'witches' claimed to be able to fly.
  19. True or False: Approximately 85% of those accused of witchcraft in Scotland were women.
  20. True or False: Most women accused of witchcraft in Scotland were healers and/or midwives.

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