--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1255, a five-year-old boy was found…" description: "\"“In 1255, a five-year-old boy was found dead in a well in Lincoln, England. Many historians today believe that young Hugh accidentally fell into the we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbd/phyllis-goldstein-7858_1255-year_in-1255-a-five-year-old-boy-was-found-de_307881.jpg" --- # In 1255, a five-year-old boy was found dead in a well in… ![“In 1255, a five-year-old boy was found dead in a well in Lincoln, England. Many historians today believe that young Hugh accidentally fell into the well. But in 1255, Christians in Lincoln were absolutely certain that “the Jews” had murdered him and had then thrown his body into the” quote by Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbd/phyllis-goldstein-7858_1255-year_in-1255-a-five-year-old-boy-was-found-de_307881.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbd/phyllis-goldstein-7858_1255-year_in-1255-a-five-year-old-boy-was-found-de_307881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbd/phyllis-goldstein-7858_1255-year_in-1255-a-five-year-old-boy-was-found-de_307881.jpg) > ““In 1255, a five-year-old boy was found dead in a well in Lincoln, England. Many historians today believe that young Hugh accidentally fell into the well. But in 1255, Christians in Lincoln were absolutely certain that “the Jews” had murdered him and had then thrown his body into the”” [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A medieval tragedy was misattributed to a scapegoat, reflecting how fear can distort truth. **In simple terms:** Fear can cause false blame. Key Takeaway Question evidence before accusing. Themes history prejudice justice Mood somber reflective Type historical cautionary When to use this quote - legal investigations - community conflicts - education on bias Key Concepts scapegoating mass hysteria historical bias Questions to Reflect On - How does fear influence our judgments? - What safeguards prevent scapegoating? A Different Perspective Historical records may be incomplete, leading to misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“As accusations spread, so did the false belief that Jews routinely engaged in the practice of ritual murder. An accusation made repeatedly tends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/as-accusations-spread-so-did-the-false-belief-that-jews-routinely/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“I first heard of antisemitism only later, when my father told me how Oswald Mosley had fomented riots in the thirties by marching his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/i-first-heard-of-antisemitism-only-later-when-my-father-told-me-how/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“Antisemitism did not begin in Germany, or anywhere else, in 1918; Jews had been regarded as dangerous outsiders for centuries, and anti-Jewish feeling usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/antisemitism-did-not-begin-in-germany-or-anywhere-else-in-1918-jews/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“When one group defeated another, the newly conquered people were expected to accept the gods of the victor. 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The aim was to humiliate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/still-by-the-end-of-the-thirteenth-century-most-european-jews-were/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“In 1929, Einstein, who had once lived in Switzerland, wrote: When I came to Germany fifteen years ago I discovered for the first time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/in-1929-einstein-who-had-once-lived-in-switzerland-wrote-when-i-came/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) ## More by Phyllis Goldstein > [“As accusations spread, so did the false belief that Jews routinely engaged in the practice of ritual murder. 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