Witch-hunts

We are the granddaughters of the witches you weren't able to burn.

The witch-hunts of Europe and the United States have played a large part in the history and development of the witches of United Britannia and Hibernia.

History

The witch-hunts in England, Scotland, Denmark, and the United States (from about 1450 to 1750) did not involve any actual witches, as far as records show. During this time, thousands of humans were executed and witches were largely unaware of this until the early 17th century when a Librarian happened upon witch-hunting documents while visiting a human library. After this revelation, small pockets of witches had wanted to break their isolation in order to help those imprisoned, but the Council worried about the safety of actual witches and as a result, tightened the isolation laws even further.

Effects on UBH witches

The witch-hunts had a profound effect on the witches of UBH (and other witches around the world). Although witches had separated themselves from humans for many centuries prior to the witch-hunts, the witch-hunts vindicated the witches' continued isolation.
Additionally, the fixation on demons and Satan in Christianity leaked into the witches' views on evil. Although the witches did not (and still do not) believe in demons or Satan (with the exception of the miniscule amount of Nova Religio followers), former ideas of evil changed dramatically. As a result, Dark Magic, which had previously been termed Occult Magic, became synonymous with the witches' idea of evil, despite little evidence that those born with Dark Magic used it with malicious intent.
Following the ideological change, in 1692, the Magisterium outlawed Dark Magic and brutally punished those born with it or found practicing it. Until the 18th century, a baby born with Dark Magic would be executed immediately at their Arbitrium; presently, the child is merely institutionalized (although the practices surrounding this procedure are murky, at best). Those who practice Dark Magic (either the witch was born with it and it was missed, such as with Vesper Cross, or a witch born with another magic attempts it) are executed as well.