Wicca is said to have been founded by Geroald Gardner in 1954, although not everyone believes this, some people believe it to be older because Margaret Murray (1863-1963) was a British Egyptologist, folklorist and anthropologist. She is also considered by many to be the grandmother of modern Wicca, because her books influenced modern Wicca so heavily. In 1921, “Murray published his book, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe (1921). In his book, Murray argued that witchcraft was the universal, organized, per-Christian religion of Europe. This ancient religion survived throughout Europe until the early modern age. Murray based his argument on examining documents from medieval and Renaissance witch trials. Murray believed that ancient witches worshiped a horned God, who the Christians of the Inquisition claimed was their Satan. This is why witches were accused of Satan worship. He called the ancient religion the Dianic Cult, because the female form of this God was Diana, the Queen of the Witches. However, the male deity dominated the religion. The Murray witch cult came from a British race of little people, now known as the Fairies. The witch cult celebrated eight festivals (Sabbat) and minor events (Esbat) each year. They organized themselves into small congregations of 13 people." In ancient times people were burned due to the fact that in ancient times spells and rituals were used and they were kitchen witches and shamans who healed people. It all began in “1692 after a group of young girls from the village of Salem, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft,” but due to these girls not wanting to get into trouble, they lied. Why were they called witches too... middle of paper......eligions/paganism/subdivisions/wicca.shtmlUniversal Life Church Ministry, General information on the Wiccan rite, Universal Life Church Ministry, http://www .ulc .org/training-education/guide-to-divinity/religious-ceremonies/28-wiccan-rites/137-wiccan-rites-of-passage/contender ministries, History and Wicca background, unknown, http:// contenderministries.org/wicca/history.phpMystic Blessings, The History of Wicca and Witchcraft, Mystic Blessing, http://mystic-blessings.tripod.com/id22.htmlGeroald Gardner, Articles, Morgan Davis, http://geraldgardner.com /essays.phpFaithology, overview of wicca, Sarah Sorge, http://www.faithology.com/wicca/overview?religion=wiccaayrshirewica, The history of Wicca, ayrshirewica, http://ayrshirewica.wordpress.com/lessons/brief- storia-of-wicca/ historical channel, Trials of Salem Witch Trials, History Channel, http://www.history.com/topics/salem-witch-trials