Ducking stool was a form of punishment in England and the American Colonies from the 1600’s to the early 1800’s. The ducking stool was a chair fastened to the end of a long plank extended from the bank of a pond or stream. The victim of the punishment was tied securely to the chair and ducked (plunged) into the water several times. Most victims were women who were viewed by the community as a nuisance, or who were accused of witchcraft or other offenses.
