salem witch trials summary essay

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Salem Witch Trials

By: History.com Editors

Updated: September 29, 2023 | Original: November 4, 2011

The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. As a wave of hysteria spread throughout colonial Massachusetts, a special court convened in Salem to hear the cases; the first convicted witch, Bridget Bishop, was hanged that June. Eighteen others followed Bishop to Salem’s Gallows Hill, while some 150 more men, women and children were accused over the next several months. 

By September 1692, the hysteria had begun to abate and public opinion turned against the trials. Though the Massachusetts General Court later annulled guilty verdicts against accused witches and granted indemnities to their families, bitterness lingered in the community, and the painful legacy of the Salem witch trials would endure for centuries.

What Caused the Salem Witch Trials?: Context & Origins

Belief in the supernatural—and specifically in the devil’s practice of giving certain humans (witches) the power to harm others in return for their loyalty—had emerged in Europe as early as the 14th century, and was widespread in colonial New England . In addition, the harsh realities of life in the rural Puritan community of Salem Village (present-day Danvers, Massachusetts ) at the time included the after-effects of a British war with France in the American colonies in 1689, a recent smallpox epidemic, fears of attacks from neighboring Native American tribes and a longstanding rivalry with the more affluent community of Salem Town (present-day Salem). 

Amid these simmering tensions, the Salem witch trials would be fueled by residents’ suspicions of and resentment toward their neighbors, as well as their fear of outsiders.

Did you know? In an effort to explain by scientific means the strange afflictions suffered by those "bewitched" Salem residents in 1692, a study published in Science magazine in 1976 cited the fungus ergot (found in rye, wheat and other cereals), which toxicologists say can cause symptoms such as delusions, vomiting and muscle spasms.

In January 1692, 9-year-old Elizabeth (Betty) Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams (the daughter and niece of Samuel Parris, minister of Salem Village) began having fits, including violent contortions and uncontrollable outbursts of screaming. After a local doctor, William Griggs, diagnosed bewitchment, other young girls in the community began to exhibit similar symptoms, including Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Elizabeth Hubbard, Mary Walcott and Mary Warren.

In late February, arrest warrants were issued for the Parris’ Caribbean slave, Tituba, along with two other women—the homeless beggar Sarah Good and the poor, elderly Sarah Osborn—whom the girls accused of bewitching them.

Salem Witch Trial Victims: How the Hysteria Spread

The three accused witches were brought before the magistrates Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne and questioned, even as their accusers appeared in the courtroom in a grand display of spasms, contortions, screaming and writhing. Though Good and Osborn denied their guilt, Tituba confessed. Likely seeking to save herself from certain conviction by acting as an informer, she claimed there were other witches acting alongside her in service of the devil against the Puritans.

As hysteria spread through the community and beyond into the rest of Massachusetts, a number of others were accused, including Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse—both regarded as upstanding members of church and community—and the four-year-old daughter of Sarah Good.

Like Tituba, several accused “witches” confessed and named still others, and the trials soon began to overwhelm the local justice system. In May 1692, the newly appointed governor of Massachusetts, William Phips, ordered the establishment of a special Court of Oyer (to hear) and Terminer (to decide) on witchcraft cases for Suffolk, Essex and Middlesex counties.

Presided over by judges including Hathorne, Samuel Sewall and William Stoughton, the court handed down its first conviction, against Bridget Bishop, on June 2; she was hanged eight days later on what would become known as Gallows Hill in Salem Town. Five more people were hanged that July; five in August and eight more in September. In addition, seven other accused witches died in jail, while the elderly Giles Corey (Martha’s husband) was pressed to death by stones after he refused to enter a plea at his arraignment.

Salem Witch Trials: Conclusion and Legacy

Though the respected minister Cotton Mather had warned of the dubious value of spectral evidence (or testimony about dreams and visions), his concerns went largely unheeded during the Salem witch trials. Increase Mather, president of Harvard College (and Cotton’s father) later joined his son in urging that the standards of evidence for witchcraft must be equal to those for any other crime, concluding that “It would better that ten suspected witches may escape than one innocent person be condemned.” 

Amid waning public support for the trials, Governor Phips dissolved the Court of Oyer and Terminer in October and mandated that its successor disregard spectral evidence. Trials continued with dwindling intensity until early 1693, and by that May Phips had pardoned and released all those in prison on witchcraft charges.

In January 1697, the Massachusetts General Court declared a day of fasting for the tragedy of the Salem witch trials; the court later deemed the trials unlawful, and the leading justice Samuel Sewall publicly apologized for his role in the process. The damage to the community lingered, however, even after Massachusetts Colony passed legislation restoring the good names of the condemned and providing financial restitution to their heirs in 1711. 

Indeed, the vivid and painful legacy of the Salem witch trials endured well into the 20th century, when Arthur Miller dramatized the events of 1692 in his play “The Crucible” (1953), using them as an allegory for the anti-Communist “witch hunts” led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. A memorial to the victims of the Salem witch trials was dedicated on August 5, 1992 by author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

HISTORY Vault: Salem Witch Trials

Experts dissect the facts—and the enduring mysteries—surrounding the courtroom trials of suspected witches in Salem Village, Massachusetts in 1692.

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Salem Witch Trials — the Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692

February 1692–May 1693

The Salem Witch Trials are a series of well-known investigations, court proceedings, and prosecutions that took place in Salem, Massachusetts over the course of 1692 and 1693.

This illustration by Howard Pyle depicts one of the accusers pointing at the accused and saying, “There is a flock of yellow birds around her head.” It is an example of the spectral evidence that was permitted at the trials. Image Source: New York Public Library Digital Collections .

Salem Witch Trials Summary

The Salem Witch Trials took place in colonial Massachusetts in 1692 and 1693 when people living in and around the town of Salem, Massachusetts were accused of practicing witchcraft or dealing with the Devil. The accusations were initially made by two young girls in the early part of the year.

By May, William Phips had been named Governor of Massachusetts and a new charter had been implemented. Initially, Phips responded to the accusations by setting up a special court — the Court of Oyer and Terminer — to hear the cases and to determine the fate of the accused.

Unfortunately, the court was controversial because they allowed “spectral” evidence — visions of ghosts, demons, and the Devil — to be entered into the proceedings. It seemed to fuel the hysteria, which was likely elevated by King William’s War, which was going on in New England at the same time.

By the fall, 19 men and women had been convicted and hanged, and another was pressed to death . Another man died from having heavy stones placed on him. Somewhere between 150 and 200 were in prison or had spent time in prison.

Governor Phips ended the special court in October after accusations were made against well-respected members of the community. In January 1693, the trials resumed, but under the Supreme Court of Judicature. Spectral evidence was not allowed, and most of the accused were found innocent of the witchcraft charges and released.

A handful of the people accused of witchcraft were convicted, but Governor Phips intervened in May 1693 and agreed to release them as long as they paid a fine. By the time the proceedings ended, it was the largest outbreak of witchcraft in Colonial America .

Salem Witch Trials Facts

Facts about the accusers in the salem witch trials.

Two young girls, Elizabeth Paris and Abigail Williams started to act in a strange manner, which included making strange noises and hiding from their parents and other adults.

Elizabeth Paris, known as Betty, was 9 years old. Her father was the Reverend Samuel Paris.

Abigail Williams was 11 years old. Reverend Paris was her uncle.

More young girls in Salem Village started to show similar symptoms, including 12-year-old Anne Putnam and 17-year-old Elizabeth Hubbard.

Facts About the Accused in the Salem Witch Trials

The first people accused of witchcraft were Tituba, an enslaved woman, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne.

Dorothy Good was the youngest person to be accused of witchcraft. She was 4 years old.

Facts About the Role and Testimony of Tituba in the Salem Witch Trials

Tituba is believed to be an enslaved woman from Central America, possibly from Barbados.

She lived in the home of Reverend Paris and had been taken to Massachusetts by Paris in 1680.

Tituba confessed to using witchcraft.

She testified that four women, including Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good, along with a man, had told her to hurt the children.

Her testimony convinced the people of Salem Village that witchcraft was rampant in the town.

Facts About People Convicted and Executed During the Salem Witch Trials

The first person to be executed was Bridget Bishop.

Over the course of the Salem Witch Trials, 19 people were hanged at Proctor’s Ledge, near Gallows Hill.

Another one of the accused, Giles Corey, refused to enter a plea before the court and was ordered to be pressed to death. He was laid down on the ground and had heavy boards placed on top of him. Then heavy rocks were set on the boards until he was crushed by the weight.

The charges against all victims of the Salem Witch Trials were eventually cleared.

The Special Court

The Court of Oyer and Terminer was the special court ordered to oversee the trials, as ordered by Governor William Phips.

Salem Witch Trials Significance

The Salem Witch Trials were important because they showed how quickly accusations and hysteria could spread through Colonial America. At the time, the Witch Trials also threatened the authority and stability of the new charter and government of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, while King William’s War raged across New England and Acadia .

Salem Witch Trials APUSH — Notes and Study Guide

Use the following links and videos to study the Salem Witch Trials, King Willilam’s War, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony for the AP US History Exam. Also, be sure to look at our Guide to the AP US History Exam .

Salem Witch Trials APUSH Definition

The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions that occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. The trials were a dark chapter in American history, characterized by mass hysteria and accusations of witchcraft. Numerous individuals, predominantly women, were accused of practicing witchcraft, leading to the execution of 20 people — 13 women and 7 men. The trials were fueled by social, religious, and political factors, partially driven by King William’s War, resulting in tragic consequences for the victims and their families.

Salem Witch Trials Video for APUSH Notes

This video from the Daily Bellringer provides a detailed look at the Salem Witch Trials.

Salem Witch Trials APUSH Terms and Definitions

William Phips — William Phips was the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Salem Witch Trials. He played a significant role in bringing an end to the trials by dissolving the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which was responsible for the majority of the convictions. Phips was concerned about the growing public skepticism and criticism surrounding the trials, prompting him to take decisive action and promote a more rational approach to handling alleged witches. He was also worried about the public perception the trials had, during a time of war.

Court of Oyer and Terminer — The Court of Oyer and Terminer was a special court established in 1692 to handle the cases of alleged witches in Salem and surrounding areas. The court was led by several judges, including William Stoughton, and it operated under a unique legal process that allowed spectral evidence, or testimonies of dreams and visions, to be admitted as valid evidence. This, along with other factors, contributed to a biased and unjust environment during the trials.

William Stoughton — William Stoughton was a prominent judge and the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. He presided over the Court of Oyer and Terminer during the Salem Witch Trials. He played a pivotal role in the harsh convictions and sentencing of numerous accused individuals. His unwavering support for spectral evidence and his lack of leniency exacerbated the severity of the trials’ outcomes. After Phips dismissed the cases, Stoughton worked to have him removed as Governor.

Samuel Paris — Reverend Samuel Paris was the minister of Salem Village and one of the central figures in the initial events that sparked the witch trials. He was the father of Elizabeth Paris and the uncle of Abigail Williams, two young girls who experienced mysterious fits and claimed to be afflicted by witchcraft. His role as a religious authority and his support for the accusations fueled the hysteria, contributing to the escalation of the trials.

Elizabeth Paris — Elizabeth Paris was the nine-year-old daughter of Samuel Paris and one of the first accusers in the Salem Witch Trials. With her cousin Abigail Williams, she exhibited peculiar behaviors, including seizures and strange utterances, which were attributed to witchcraft. Their accusations against various individuals, especially Tituba, were instrumental in initiating the investigations and subsequent arrests.

Abigail Williams — Abigail Williams, the eleven-year-old cousin of Elizabeth Paris, was another crucial accuser during the Salem Witch Trials. Like her cousin, she displayed symptoms of bewitchment and was among the first to accuse others, leading to a chain reaction of allegations.

Anne Putnam — Anne Putnam was a teenage girl from Salem Village who actively participated in the trials as an accuser. She made numerous accusations against various individuals, contributing to the mounting hysteria. Her motivations for involvement remain a topic of historical debate, with some suggesting that personal grievances and religious fervor influenced her actions.

Tituba — Tituba was an enslaved woman from the Caribbean who worked in the household of Reverend Samuel Paris. She became one of the first individuals accused of practicing witchcraft after Elizabeth and Abigail accused her of bewitching them. Tituba’s origin and cultural differences contributed to her status as an outsider in Salem, making her an easy target for accusations. Under pressure, she confessed to being a witch and provided testimonies that increased the intensity of the trials.

Bridget Bishop — Bridget Bishop was the first person to be tried and executed during the Salem Witch Trials. She was known for her unconventional lifestyle and had been accused of witchcraft once before.

John Proctor — John Proctor was a respected farmer in Salem Village and one of the central figures in Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible,” which was based on the events of the witch trials. Proctor was accused of witchcraft after he spoke out against the proceedings, expressing skepticism about the legitimacy of the trials. His refusal to falsely confess and his unwavering integrity ultimately led to his tragic execution.

Giles Corey — Giles Corey was an elderly farmer who became entangled in the witch trials when his wife, Martha Corey, was accused of witchcraft. In a notable act of protest against the unjust proceedings, Corey refused to enter a plea in court, leading to a brutal form of punishment known as pressing. Corey died during the punishment.

King William’s War — King William’s War was a conflict between England and France that occurred from 1689 to 1697, overlapping with the time of the Salem Witch Trials. The war was part of a larger conflict known as the Nine Years’ War or the War of the Grand Alliance. Its impact on the region, including heightened tensions and security concerns, likely contributed to the climate of fear and paranoia in Salem, potentially influencing the outbreak of the witch trials.

Salem Witch Trials — Primary and Secondary Sources

• The Witchcraft Delusion of 1692 by Thomas Hutchinson , William Frederick Poole, and Richard Frothingham
• The Wonders of the Invisible World : Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England by Cotton Mather
• Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men, Witchcrafts, Infallible Proofs of Guilt in Such as are Accused with the Crime  by Increase Mather
• Written by Randal Rust

A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials

One town’s strange journey from paranoia to pardon

Jess Blumberg

The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between early 1692 and mid-1693. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft—the devil’s magic —and 20 were executed.

In 1711, colonial authorities pardoned some of the accused and compensated their families. But it was only in July 2022 that Elizabeth Johnson Jr. , the last convicted Salem “witch” whose name had yet to be cleared , was officially exonerated .

Since the 17th century, the story of the trials has become synonymous with paranoia and injustice . Fueled by xenophobia , religious extremism and long-brewing social tensions , the witch hunt continues to beguile the popular imagination more than 300 years later.

Tensions in Salem

In the medieval and early modern eras, many religions, including Christianity , taught that the devil could give people known as witches the power to harm others in return for their loyalty. A “ witchcraft craze ” rippled through Europe from the 1300s to the end of the 1600s. Tens of thousands of supposed witches —mostly women—were executed. Though the Salem trials took place just as the European craze was winding down, local circumstances explain their onset.

In 1689, English monarchs William and Mary started a war with France in the American colonies. Known as King William’s War to colonists, the conflict ravaged regions of upstate New York, Nova Scotia and Quebec, sending refugees into the county of Essex—and, specifically, Salem Village—in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. (Salem Village is present-day Danvers, Massachusetts; colonial Salem Town became what’s now Salem.)

The displaced people placed a strain on Salem’s resources, aggravating the existing rivalry between families with ties to the wealth of the port of Salem and those who still depended on agriculture. Controversy also brewed over the Reverend Samuel Parris , who became Salem Village’s first ordained minister in 1689 and quickly gained a reputation for his rigid ways and greedy nature. The Puritan villagers believed all the quarreling was the work of the devil.

In January 1692, Parris’ daughter Elizabeth (or Betty), age 9, and niece Abigail Williams, age 11, started having “fits.” They screamed, threw things, uttered peculiar sounds and contorted themselves into strange positions. A local doctor blamed the supernatural . Another girl, 12-year-old Ann Putnam Jr., experienced similar episodes. On February 29, under pressure from magistrates Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne, colonial officials who tried local cases, the girls blamed three women for afflicting them: Tituba , a Caribbean woman enslaved by the Parris family; Sarah Good , a homeless beggar; and Sarah Osborne , an elderly impoverished woman.

The witch hunt begins

All three women were brought before the local magistrates and interrogated for several days, starting on March 1, 1692. Osborne claimed innocence, as did Good. But Tituba confessed , “The devil came to me and bid me serve him.” She described elaborate images of black dogs, red cats, yellow birds and a “tall man with white hair” who wanted her to sign his book. She admitted that she’d signed the book and claimed there were several other witches looking to destroy the Puritans.

With the seeds of paranoia planted, a stream of accusations followed over the next few months. Charges against Martha Corey , a loyal member of the church in Salem Village, greatly concerned the community; if she could be a witch, then anyone could. Magistrates even questioned Good’s 4-year-old daughter, Dorothy , whose timid answers were construed as a confession. The questioning got more serious in April, when the colony’s deputy governor, Thomas Danforth, and his assistants attended the hearings. Dozens of people from Salem and other Massachusetts villages were brought in for questioning .

On May 27, 1692, Governor William Phips ordered the establishment of a Special Court of Oyer (to hear) and Terminer (to decide) for Suffolk, Essex and Middlesex counties. The first accused witch brought in front of the special court was Bridget Bishop , an older woman known for her gossipy habits and promiscuity. When asked if she committed witchcraft, Bishop responded , “I am as innocent as the child unborn.” The defense must not have been convincing, because she was found guilty and, on June 10, became the first person hanged on what was later called Gallows Hill .

Just a few days after the court was established, respected minister Cotton Mather wrote a letter imploring the court not to allow spectral evidence —testimony about dreams and visions. The court largely ignored this request, sentencing the hangings of five people in July, five more in August and eight in September. On October 3, following in his son Cotton’s footsteps, Increase Mather , then-president of Harvard, denounced the use of spectral evidence: “It were better that ten suspected witches should escape than one innocent person be condemned.”

Phips, in response to these pleas and his own wife’s questioning as a suspected witch, prohibited further arrests and released many accused witches. He dissolved the Court of Oyer and Terminer on October 29, replacing it with a Superior Court of Judicature , which disallowed spectral evidence and condemned just 3 out of 56 defendants.

By May 1693, Phips had pardoned all those imprisoned on witchcraft charges. But the damage was already done. Nineteen men and women had been hanged on Gallows Hill. Giles Corey , Martha’s 71-year-old husband, was pressed to death in September 1692 with heavy stones after refusing to submit himself to a trial. At least five of the accused died in jail. Even animals fell victim to the mass hysteria, with colonists in Andover and Salem Village killing two dogs believed to be linked to the devil.

Restoring good names

In the years following the trials and executions, some involved, like judge Samuel Sewall and accuser Ann Putnam , publicly confessed error and guilt. On January 14, 1697, Massachusetts’ General Court ordered a day of fasting and soul-searching over the tragedy of Salem. In 1702, the court declared the trials unlawful. And in 1711, the colony passed a bill restoring the rights and good names of many of the accused, as well as granting a total of £600 in restitution to their heirs. But it wasn’t until 1957—more than 250 years later—that Massachusetts formally apologized for the events of 1692. Johnson, the accused woman exonerated in July 2022, was left out of the 1957 resolution for reasons unknown but received an official pardon after a successful lobbying campaign by a class of eighth-grade civics students.

In the 20th century, artists and scientists alike continued to be fascinated by the Salem witch trials. Playwright Arthur Miller resurrected the tale with his 1953 play The Crucible , using the trials as an allegory for the anti-communist McCarthyism then sweeping the country. Scholars offered up competing explanations for the strange behavior that occurred in Salem, with scientists seeking a medical cause for the accusers’ afflictions and historians more often grounding their theories in the community’s tense sociopolitical environment .

An early hypothesis now viewed as “fringe, especially in historical circles ,” according to Vox , posited that the accusers suffered from ergotism , a condition caused by eating foods contaminated with the fungus ergot. Symptoms include muscle spasms, vomiting, delusions and hallucinations. Other theories emphasize a “combination of church politics, family feuds and hysterical children, all of which unfolded in a vacuum of political authority,” as Encyclopedia Britannica notes. Ultimately, the causes of the witch hunt remain subject to much debate .

In August 1992, to mark the 300th anniversary of the trials, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel dedicated the Witch Trials Memorial in Salem. Also in Salem, the Peabody Essex Museum , which houses the original court documents , mounted an exhibition reckoning with and reclaiming the tragedy in late 2021 and early 2022. Finally, the town’s most-visited attraction, the Salem Witch Museum , attests to the public’s enduring enthrallment with the 17th-century hysteria.

Editor’s Note, October 24, 2022: This article has been updated to reflect the latest research on the Salem witch trials.

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The Salem Witch Trials of 1692

The salem witch trials are a defining example of intolerance and injustice in american history..

This extraordinary series of events that began in 1692 led to the deaths of 25 innocent women, men and children. The crisis in Salem, Massachusetts took place partly because the community lived under an ominous cloud of suspicion. A remarkable set of conflicts and tensions converged, sparking fear and setting the stage for the most widespread and lethal outbreak of witchcraft accusations in North America.

Centuries after this storied crisis, the personal tragedies and grievous wrongs of the witch trials continue to provoke reflection, reckoning and a search for meaning. Today, the city of Salem attracts more than 1 million tourists per year, many of whom are seeking to learn more about these events. The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) holds one of the world’s most important collections of objects and architecture related to the Salem Witch Trials. From 1980 to 2023, PEM’s Phillips Library was the temporary repository of the state’s Supreme Judicial Court collection of witch trial documents. These legal records, which were returned to the Judicial Archives following the expansion and modernization of the Massachusetts State Archives facility, are available to researchers around the world on our website thanks to a comprehensive digitization project. Through exhibitions, research, publishing and public programming, PEM is committed to telling the story of the Salem Witch Trials in ways that honor the victims and amplify the teachings of wrongful persecution that remain relevant to today.

The Salem Witch Trials Walk

This self-guided audio tour takes you inside the galleries and outside the museum to learn more about the infamous events of 1692. PEM curators and experts share a behind-the-scenes perspective of some of the most compelling stories in Salem in this one-hour tour. Included with museum admission.

History and Origins of the Salem Witch Trials

English colonial settlers arrived in 1626 at Naumkeag, a traditional Native American fishing site, to establish a Massachusetts Bay Colony outpost. Most were Puritans who sought to “purify” the Church of England from Roman Catholic religious practices and build a utopian society. The settlers renamed the place Salem, after Jerusalem, meaning “city of peace.”

Over successive decades, waves of colonists arrived, changing the power dynamics in governance, land ownership and religion. By the 1670s, tensions between rural Salem Village (now Danvers) and the prosperous Salem Town flared. Arguments multiplied when Salem Village formed its own church and appointed a controversial minister. Changes to the colony’s charter and leadership, skirmishes with French colonists and their Indigenous allies, a smallpox epidemic and extreme weather all heightened concerns.

In January 1692, several young girls in Salem Village reported that unseen agents or forces were afflicting them. The minister suspected witchcraft. In the 17th century, a witch was understood as a person who agreed to serve the devil in opposition to the Christian church. On February 29, four men and four girls traveled to Salem Town to make complaints against three women. The next day, interrogations began.

Notable Figures of the Witch Trials: The Accused and the Accusers

Bridget bishop.

Historical research reveals a picture of Bridget Bishop (1632–1692) as a witty and independent, though quarrelsome, resident of Salem. Widowed twice, she was married to a sawyer (or woodcutter) named Edward Bishop. Attorney General Thomas Newton decided to put Bridget Bishop on trial first, perhaps looking for a strong case to set the tone for subsequent hearings. Accused and acquitted of witchcraft 12 years earlier, she may have been an easy target by association. Multiple accusers claimed Bishop’s specter was responsible for damages and afflictions. Their testimonies were the result of longstanding suspicions or misattributed gossip about Sarah Bishop, a different person entirely. No witchcraft allegedly perpetrated by Bridget Bishop was ever proven by the required testimony of two witnesses. Instead, the court relied on the spectral evidence claimed by the accusers, the only ones who could “see” the invisible world of demons. Tragically, this injustice against Bishop set the pattern for the remainder of the trials.

What little is known about Tituba is through her involvement in the witch trials. Documents refer to her as “Indian,” but it is likely that she was from an Indigenous Arawak community in present-day Venezuela. Reverend Samuel Parris enslaved Tituba and brought her to Boston and then Salem Village when he returned North from Barbados in 1680. Parris’s daughter Betty and her cousin Abigail Williams identified Tituba as the perpetrator of their January and February afflictions, the first accusations of 1692. Tituba’s testimony on March 1–2 confirmed for locals that a witchcraft conspiracy existed. In addition to confessing — undoubtedly under pressure — she accused Sarah Osburn and Sarah Good and said there were seven more witches, quickly widening the scope of the crisis. The court left Tituba to languish in prison until May 1693, when a grand jury rejected the charges brought against her. Shortly after, an enslaver, whose name is not known, paid her jail debts and released her to their ownership. The remainder of her life is a mystery.

George Jacobs Sr.

George Jacobs Sr. (1620–1692) was born in London and was living in the Salem colony by 1649. As a country farmer suffering from arthritis, he used two canes to walk. He did not attend church regularly and had a reputation for a violent temper and defiant spirit. His reputation and disability — along with his son’s friendship with the Porter family, enemies of the powerful Putnam family — made Jacobs an easy target for early accusers. His granddaughter Margaret, who confessed to the charge of witchcraft, accused him. Then, Mercy Lewis, a servant of Thomas Putnam, testified that Jacobs “did torture me and beat me with a stick which he had in his hand … coming sometimes with two sticks in his hands to afflict me.” His son and wife also contributed. In August, the court sentenced him to death.

The Towne Sisters

Rebecca Nurse (about 1621–1692), Mary Esty (about 1634–1692) and Sarah Cloyce (about 1641–1703) were sisters from the Towne family of Topsfield, Massachusetts. All three women were married, with large extended families. Elderly Rebecca, a respected member of the church, was nearly deaf, which may have prevented her from defending herself fully in court. Dozens petitioned the court on her behalf.

At first, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, but the judges asked them to reconsider. In a dramatic reversal, Rebecca was found guilty, condemned and hanged. Mary put before the court two of the most eloquent, heartfelt petitions of the entire episode. The surviving documents call for fair trials, expose the flaws of the existing court and propose methods of getting to the truth behind the accusations. But they did not help her avoid execution. It is unknown how Sarah escaped the fate of her sisters. After months in prison, she was cleared. Sarah, her husband, and many members of the extended Towne family were among the first English colonists to settle in Framingham.

The Corey Family

Giles and Martha Corey both faced accusations by multiple people. In March, Giles testified against Martha claiming that she bewitched him and his farm animals. In September, when Giles refused to participate in his own trial, the court ordered him to be pressed under stones in order to extract a plea. He remained silent and died under the weight in the only death by pressing in Massachusetts history. Martha and seven other victims were hanged days later.

The Putnam Family

The Putnams, a well-established Puritan family, owned much of the land in Salem Village and supported the Reverend Samuel Parris. They were deeply involved in the search for witches, accusing and testifying against many members of their community and extended family.

Jonathan Corwin

Jonathan Corwin (1640–1718) was a merchant and political figure who held various positions, including serving as magistrate during the 1692 pretrial examinations. Corwin lived in the house now known as the Witch House on the corner of Essex and Summer streets. Corwin remained on the bench until October 1692, when the governor officially disbanded the special court of oyer and terminer (meaning “to hear and determine”) that was convened for the witch trials. We do not know much about how Corwin felt about the trials because he spoke little during the examinations and never made any public statements. However, he never apologized for his role in the trials. His brother-in-law John Hathorne served as magistrate, and one of Corwin’s children was listed as “afflicted” in Tituba’s examination in March. His mother-in-law Margaret Thacher was accused of witchcraft, but the charges against her were ignored and no arrest warrant was issued.

Samuel Sewall

Born in England, Samuel Sewall (1652–1730) and his family emigrated to Newbury, Massachusetts, in the 1660s. A Harvard graduate, Sewall initially trained to become a clergyman. He later pursued a career in business, politics and public service after marrying the daughter of a wealthy Boston merchant. His wife’s first cousin was the Reverend Samuel Parris, and he derived significant income from real estate holdings. Sewall was one of nine judges appointed by Governor Sir William Phips to serve on the court in Salem to “hear and determine” accusations of witchcraft. These judges were respected, educated and affluent members of the community, but none had formal legal training.

While fulfilling his role as judge, Sewall took part in proceedings that sent 19 innocent people to their deaths. In the aftermath of the trials, Sewall’s troubled conscience led to a change of heart, and in January 1697, he made a public confession of guilt, remorse and repentance for the part he played in the trials and apologized for his role in the proceedings. For the rest of his life, Sewall regularly observed a day of fasting as evidence of ongoing contrition. Sewall continued his judicial career for many years, culminating in 1718 with his appointment as Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature. Sewall is also remembered for publishing the first anti-slavery tract in America in 1700.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials are a defining example of intolerance and injustice in American history. Centuries later, the witch trials continue to capture the public imagination.

Explore the FAQs below to learn more about the tragic events of 1692.

What are the Salem Witch Trials?

This series of trials, prosecutions and executions of innocent people accused of practicing witchcraft took place in Colonial Massachusetts. Salem’s witch trials are a defining example of intolerance and injustice in American history.

When were the Salem Witch Trials?

The Salem Witch Trials took place from the summer of 1692 through the fall of 1693.

What role did gender play in the Salem Witch Trials?

Most of those accused were women, just as in other witchcraft accusations around the world. The Malleus Maleficarum ( The Hammer of Witches ), an influential witchcraft and demonology manual from 1494, states: “When a woman thinks alone, she thinks evil.” The typical English settler in New England regarded the devil as real and witches as his accomplices in bringing unexpected misfortune. Women represented three quarters of those prosecuted of witchcraft in New England, with accusers most often pointing the finger at middle-aged and older women. But popular belief held that anyone could be a witch, even friends and family. In difficult times, long-held suspicions erupted into accusations and trials.

Were there actual witches in Salem?

There were no witches in 17th-century Salem. In the 17th century, a witch was understood as a person who agreed to serve the devil in opposition to the Christian church. In 1692, several young girls in Salem Village reported that unseen agents or forces afflicted them, accusing their neighbors of causing these afflictions. The accused and the murdered were innocent.

If there were no witches in Salem in 1692, then why does Salem today claim a sizable community of people who identify as witches?

The word “witch” has been reclaimed from its historical use as a tool to silence and control women. Today, the term encompasses a broad spectrum of contemporary identities and professions: tarot readers, spiritual healers, Wiccan High Priestesses, Neo-Pagans, occultists, mystics, herbalists and activists. Perhaps it is because of the lessons learned from 1692 and Salem’s attempts to confront its past that the city is a popular place for those who identify as witches.

Who died in the Salem Witch Trials?

The extraordinary series of events in 1692–1693 led to the deaths of 25 innocent women, men and children.

How did the victims die?

Most were hanged. One man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death under large stones. Some of the victims died in prison.

Where were the accused jailed?

Many of those arrested for allegedly practicing witchcraft were imprisoned in Salem’s infamous jail. Built in 1684 as part of Essex County’s judicial system, it was located on Prison Lane, known today as St. Peter’s Street at the juncture of Federal Street. Described as a two-story, twenty-foot-square wooden building, it was designed for maximum security. With iron bars on the windows and shackles to chain victims to the wall, escape was improbable. The jail’s dirt floor, lack of air circulation and inadequate sanitary facilities made for brutal conditions throughout the seasons.

Where were they hanged?

Proctor’s Ledge, a rocky outcropping at the base of Gallows Hill in Salem, was the site where 19 victims were hanged. An official dedication of a memorial at this site happened in 2016. Gallows Hill is also now the name of a residential neighborhood.

Where did witch hunts happen prior to Salem?

The Salem witchcraft crisis had European origins. During the most active period of witch hunts from 1400 to 1775, religious upheaval, warfare, political tensions and economic dislocation led to waves of persecutions and scapegoating in Europe and its colonies. Roughly 100,000 people were tried for witchcraft and 50,000 were executed. It was believed that witches threatened Christian society by drawing upon Satan’s terrible power to unleash sickness, misery and death across the land.

What was 17th-century Salem like?

English colonial settlers arrived in 1626 at Naumkeag, a Native American fishing site, to establish a Massachusetts Bay Colony outpost. Most were Puritans who sought to “purify” the Church of England from Roman Catholic religious practices. In the late 17th century, Salem’s geographic boundaries covered an area of roughly 70 square miles, including parts of several nearby communities. The area was both urban and rural and included Salem Village (now Danvers), which was home to several farming families.

Why is The Witch City also called The City of Peace?

The Puritans wanted to build a utopian society and chose the name Salem after Jerusalem, meaning “city of peace.”

What was the relationship between the British and the colonists like in 1692?

The 1692 crisis occurred about 85 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The colonists were just emerging in the spring of 1692 from a period of several years of uncertainty with the British. After rebelling against British laws, their charter had been revoked. Without political authority, the local government was chaotic and the colonists feared punishment from the crown.

Was the 1692 crisis caused by food poisoning?

Many inventive theories circulate about the Salem Witch Trials, but the crisis was not caused by poisoning from rotten bread, property disputes or an outbreak of encephalitis. The panic grew from a society threatened by nearby fighting between the British and the French over occupying Maine, as well as a malfunctioning political and judicial system in a setting rife with religious conflict and intolerance.

What was the real cause of the Salem Witch Trials?

Ongoing conflict with French colonists and their Indigenous allies to the north of Massachusetts contributed to the unease in Salem. Along with social unrest, a smallpox epidemic and the driest summers and coldest winters on record caused widespread misery. By the 1670s, tensions between rural Salem Village (now Danvers) and the prosperous Salem Town flared. Contentions multiplied when Salem Village formed its own church and appointed a controversial minister. These events and conditions laid the foundation for the most lethal and widespread outbreak of witchcraft accusations in North America. Then, in 1691, England’s King William and Queen Mary issued a charter for the colony, giving more control to the crown through appointed officials and threatening Massachusetts’ status as a Puritan colony.

How did the crisis begin?

The first claims of bewitchment occurred at the Reverend Samuel Parris’s parsonage in Salem Village, known today as Danvers, in January 1692. From February to June, the afflictions and accusations spread rapidly across much of the colony. Local constables detained suspects for examination at the behest of magistrates, who then publicly questioned the accused to determine cause for trial.

What if you were accused and survived?

Despite many courageous pleas, all of those convicted of witchcraft found their reputations and relationships shattered by the experience. Some of the victims suffered a court-sanctioned seizure of their belongings, resulting in a loss of their identity and standing in the community. Ultimately, the court’s verdicts and sentences led to the unjust execution of 19 of the more than 170 individuals accused.

How did the crisis finally end?

Few local people were willing to question the witch hunt initially because it could put them under suspicion. Opposition grew over the summer of 1692 as it became increasingly clear that the court was failing to protect innocent lives. Later that fall, several leading ministers of the colony wrote books criticizing the trials, despite a public defense by Reverend Cotton Mather and a publication ban by Governor Sir William Phips. The opposition became more vocal over time and, finally, in 1697, the Massachusetts government ordered a day of public fasting and prayers for forgiveness of the colony’s sins, including the witch trials. Belief in witches declined gradually in the 18th century as the ideas of the scientific revolution spread. The Salem trials had proved it was impossible to convict a witch without endangering innocent lives as well. Following the trials and executions, many involved, like judge Samuel Sewall, publicly confessed error and remorse. Massachusetts issued its first pardons for victims of the witch trials in 1703. Several later rounds of exonerations, occurring over hundreds of years, attempted to complete this process for all victims. Efforts to serve justice continue even today: Massachusetts exonerated Elizabeth Johnson Jr. of Andover through legislative action in 2022.

Have the lessons of the Salem Witch Trials remained an influence in Salem?

Shame over the witch trials ran so deep that it took 300 years before a memorial to the victims was constructed in Salem. Today, the community fully acknowledges the place the witch trials hold in American history and local groups strive to make amends. The volunteer community organization Voices Against Injustice (VAI) maintains the Salem Witch Trials Memorial and provides programming that connects the events of 1692 to today. The organization also presents the annual Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice, which recognizes and celebrates individuals and organizations that confront fear and injustice with courage to honor the legacy of those who did the same in 1692.

Are the accused memorialized somewhere in Salem?

Dedicated in August 1992, the Salem Witch Trials Memorial is located on Liberty Street, Salem. It was designed by Maggie Smith and James Cutler to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the trials. The memorial is maintained by the volunteer community organization Voices Against Injustice.

Are there any descendants living today?

Yes – descendents of the Salem Witch Trials victims and accusers live all over the world, and many travel to Salem to trace their ancestral roots.

What does the term “witch hunt” mean?

The term “witch hunt” has become synonymous with intolerance, injustice and the rush to judgment. The phrase has been used by politicians across the spectrum to tarnish the opposition, from rhetoric on the smallpox vaccine controversies of the 1720s to the American Revolution, abolition of slavery and fears of communist subversion.

Do witch hunts still happen?

Witch hunts occurred in Europe hundreds of years before the Salem Witch Trials. Belief in witchcraft in Early Modern England was widespread, but not universal. By the late 17th century, several English scholars and religious figures rejected the idea that witchcraft existed, a concept debated in the American colonies. The persecution of women and those perceived to be “other” still happens around the world today.

What does Salem’s month-long celebration of Halloween have to do with the Salem Witch Trials?

Known as the Witch City, Salem welcomes around 1 million tourists every year. The witch insignia can be found on the masthead of The Salem News, on Salem police cars and on the uniforms of the local high school football team. In 1982, the city of Salem planned the first Salem Haunted Happenings Festival during Halloween weekend. The festival was an effort to provide family-friendly events for guests who were interested in visiting the Witch City. Following the first festival’s success with about 50,000 guests in attendance, the annual event has continued to grow each season, drawing history buffs and Halloween enthusiasts from all over the world. Salem Haunted Happenings is a festive celebration of Halloween and fall in New England that runs annually from October 1–31. Events include a Grand Parade, the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair, Family Film Nights, costume balls, ghost tours, haunted houses, live music and chilling theatrical presentations.

How have the Salem Witch Trials inspired art throughout American history?

Puritanical Massachusetts and its rush to judgment are the backdrop for the 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter , written by Nathanial Hawthorne, descendent of witch trial judge John Hathorne. The Salem Witch Trials inspired Arthur Miller’s 1953 play The Crucible , which is a partially fictionalized story of the trials. It was an allegory for the United States government’s persecution of people accused of being communists throughout the 1940s and 1950s. The events have also inspired countless TV shows, films and even musical genres. Recently, PEM worked with contemporary artists who have ancestral ties to the tragic events in Salem. The resulting exhibition, The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming , included the work of contemporary artist Frances Denny, who has photographed a broad array of people who identify as witches today, as well as the work of British fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who was a descendent of one of the accused in Salem.

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43 Overview of the Salem Witch Trials

Various Authors

The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem witch trials of 1692 were the earliest examples of mass hysteria in the country.

Introduction

The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. The trials resulted in the executions of 20 people, 14 of them women and all but one by hanging. Five others (including two infant children) died in prison.

Twelve other women had previously been executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts and Connecticut during the 17th century. The episode is one of colonial America’s most notorious cases of mass hysteria. It has been used in political rhetoric and popular literature as a vivid cautionary tale about the dangers of isolationism, religious extremism, false accusations, and lapses in due process. What happened in colonial America was not unique, but rather an example of the much broader phenomenon of witch trials that occurred during the early modern period throughout England and France.

Puritan Beliefs and Witchcraft

Like many other Europeans, the Puritans of New England believed in the supernatural. Every event in the colonies appeared to be a sign of God’s mercy or judgment, and it was commonly believed that witches allied themselves with the Devil to carry out evil deeds or cause deliberate harm. Events such as the sickness or death of children, the loss of cattle, and other catastrophes were often blamed on the work of witches.

Women were more susceptible to suspicions of witchcraft because they were perceived, in Puritan society, to have weaker constitutions that were more likely to be inhabited by the Devil. Women healers with knowledge of herbal remedies—things that could often deemed “pagan” by Puritans—were particularly at risk of being accused of witchcraft.

Hundreds were accused of witchcraft including townspeople whose habits or appearance bothered their neighbors or who appeared threatening for any reason. Women made up the vast majority of suspects and those who were executed. Prior to 1692, there had been rumors of witchcraft in villages neighboring Salem Village and other towns. Cotton Mather, a minister of Boston’s North Church (not to be confused with the later Anglican North Church associated with Paul Revere), was a prolific publisher of pamphlets, including some that expressed his belief in witchcraft.

The Salem Trials

In Salem Village, in February 1692, Betty Parris, age 9, and her cousin Abigail Williams, age 11, began to have fits in which they screamed, threw things, uttered strange sounds, crawled under furniture, and contorted themselves into peculiar positions. A doctor could find no physical evidence of any ailment, and other young women in the village began to exhibit similar behaviors. Colonists suspected witchcraft and accusations began to spread.

The first three people accused and arrested for allegedly causing the afflictions were Sarah Good (a homeless beggar), Sarah Osborne (a woman who rarely attended church), and Tituba (an African or American Indian slave). Each of these women was a kind of outcast and exhibited many of the character traits typical of the “usual suspects” for witchcraft accusations. They were left to defend themselves.

Throughout the year, more women and some men were arrested, including citizens in good standing, and colonists began to fear that anyone could be a witch. Many of the accusers who prosecuted the suspected witches had been traumatized by the American Indian wars on the frontier and by unprecedented political and cultural changes in New England. Relying on their belief in witchcraft to help make sense of their changing world, Puritan authorities executed 20 people and caused the deaths of several others before the trials were over.

Figure 1. Map Of Salem Village, 1692

Boundless US History , Lumen Learning, CC-BY-SA

Image Credit:

Figure 1. “Map Of Salem Village, 1692,” William Upham, Wikimedia , Public Domain.

American Literature I: An Anthology of Texts From Early America the Early 20th Century Copyright © 2019 by Various Authors is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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The Salem Witch Trials

Find out what started the witch hunt of 1692.

One freezing day in January of 1692, something strange happened inside the Parris household of Salem Village, Massachusetts . As sleet and snow heaped higher outside their door, Betty Parris and her cousin Abigail began to twitch and twist their bodies into strange shapes, speaking in words that made no sense. Betty’s alarmed father, the Reverend Parris, immediately called on a doctor to examine the girls. The doctor’s diagnosis? The pair had been bewitched.

At the time, Salem Village was a small New England town populated mostly by Puritans, or religious individuals with a belief in the devil. The Puritan way of life was strict, and even small differences in behavior made people suspicious. Upon hearing about the Parris girls’ behavior, much of the Puritan community agreed that the duo had been victims of witchcraft.

When asked who had done this to them, Betty and Abigail blamed three townswomen, including Tituba, a Native American slave who worked in the Parris household. Tituba was known to have played fortune-telling games , which were strictly forbidden by the Puritans. The other two accused women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osbourne, weren’t well liked by the community either.

The three women were thrown in jail to await trial for practicing witchcraft. During the trial, Tituba confessed to having seen the devil and also stated that there was a coven, or group, of witches in the Salem Village area. Good and Osbourne insisted they were innocent. The court didn’t believe them, and found all three women guilty of practicing witchcraft. The punishment was hanging.

As the weeks passed, other young girls claimed to have been infected by witchcraft too. They accused other townspeople of torturing them, and a few of the so-called witches on trial even named others as witches.

Women were not the only ones believed to be witches—men and children were accused too. By the end of the trials in 1693, 24 people had died, some in jail but most by hanging.

THE HYSTERIA FADES

Eventually, after seeming to realize how unfair the trials were to the accused, the court refused to hear any more charges of witchcraft. All of the accused were finally pardoned in 1711.

No one’s really sure why the witch craze spread the way it did, but it brought lasting changes to the United States legal system and the way evidence and witnesses were treated. The Salem Village hangings were the last executions of accused witches in the United States.

Text adapted from the National Geographic book Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schnauzer.

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History Resources

Cotton Mather’s account of the Salem witch trials, 1693

A spotlight on a primary source by cotton mather.

Cotton Mather, a prolific author and well-known preacher, wrote this account in 1693, a year after the trials ended. Mather and his fellow New Englanders believed that God directly intervened in the establishment of the colonies and that the New World was formerly the Devil’s territory. Cotton Mather’s account of the witch trials reinforced colonial New Englanders’ view of themselves as a chosen generation of men.

The Salem witch scare had complex social roots beyond the community’s religious convictions. It drew upon preexisting rivalries and disputes within the rapidly growing Massachusetts port town: between urban and rural residents; between wealthier commercial merchants and subsistence-oriented farmers; between Congregationalists and other religious denominations—Anglicans, Baptists, and Quakers; and between American Indians and Englishmen on the frontier. The witch trials offer a window into the anxieties and social tensions that accompanied New England’s increasing integration into the Atlantic economy.

A transcribed excerpt is available.

Wherefore The devil is now making one Attempt more upon us; an Attempt more Difficult, more Surprizing, more snarl’d with unintelligible Circumstances than any that we have hitherto Encountered; an Attempt so Critical, that if we get well through, we shall soon Enjoy Halcyon Days, with all the Vultures of Hell Trodden under our Feet. He has wanted his Incarnate Legions to Persecute us, as the People of God have in the other Hemisphere been Persecuted: he has therefore drawn forth his more spiritual ones to make an attacque upon us. We have been advised by some Credible Christians yet alive, that a Malefactor, accused of Witchcraft as well as Murder, and Executed in this place more than Forty Years ago, did then give Notice of, An Horrible PLOT & against the Country by WITCHCRAFT, and a Foundation of WITCHCRAFT then laid, which if it were not seasonably discovered, would probably Blow up, and pull down all the Churches in the Country.  And we have now with Horror seen the Discovery of such a WITCHCRAFT!

Questions for Discussion

Read the document introduction and transcript and apply your knowledge of American history in order to answer these questions.

• The events in Salem and other towns in New England took place in a region of isolated villages and towns. What part might this physical separation have played in turning neighbors against one another and stoking fears of demons?
• According to Cotton Mather, what are the immediate and long-term goals of the Devil?
• We now know that some of the accused were pre-teens. Why might their age make them particularly susceptible to accusations of strange behavior?
• Describe a relatively recent historical event that resembles the situation that unfolded in Salem.

*** Beyond Arthur Miller’s The Crucible , numerous dramatic presentations offer insights into irrational human fear. For example, “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” an episode of Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone series, may provide students and teachers an opportunity to examine the phenomenon of mass hysteria.

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What Caused the Salem Witch Trials?

Looking into the underlying causes of the Salem Witch Trials in the 17th century.

In February 1692, the Massachusetts Bay Colony town of Salem Village found itself at the center of a notorious case of mass hysteria: eight young women accused their neighbors of witchcraft. Trials ensued and, when the episode concluded in May 1693, fourteen women, five men, and two dogs had been executed for their supposed supernatural crimes.

The Salem witch trials occupy a unique place in our collective history. The mystery around the hysteria and miscarriage of justice continue to inspire new critiques, most recently with the recent release of The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Pulitzer Prize-winning Stacy Schiff.

But what caused the mass hysteria, false accusations, and lapses in due process? Scholars have attempted to answer these questions with a variety of economic and physiological theories.

The economic theories of the Salem events tend to be two-fold: the first attributes the witchcraft trials to an economic downturn caused by a “little ice age” that lasted from 1550-1800; the second cites socioeconomic issues in Salem itself.

Emily Oster posits that the “little ice age” caused economic deterioration and food shortages that led to anti-witch fervor in communities in both the United States and Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Temperatures began to drop at the beginning of the fourteenth century, with the coldest periods occurring from 1680 to 1730. The economic hardships and slowdown of population growth could have caused widespread scapegoating which, during this period, manifested itself as persecution of so-called witches, due to the widely accepted belief that “witches existed, were capable of causing physical harm to others and could control natural forces.”

Salem Village, where the witchcraft accusations began, was an agrarian, poorer counterpart to the neighboring Salem Town, which was populated by wealthy merchants. According to the oft-cited book  Salem Possessed by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum, Salem Village was being torn apart by two opposing groups–largely agrarian townsfolk to the west and more business-minded villagers to the east, closer to the Town. “What was going on was not simply a personal quarrel, an economic dispute, or even a struggle for power, but a mortal conflict involving the very nature of the community itself. The fundamental issue was not who was to control the Village, but what its essential character was to be.” In a retrospective look at their book for a 2008 William and Mary Quarterly Forum , Boyer and Nissenbaum explain that as tensions between the two groups unfolded, “they followed deeply etched factional fault lines that, in turn, were influenced by anxieties and by differing levels of engagement with and access to the political and commercial opportunities unfolding in Salem Town.” As a result of increasing hostility, western villagers accused eastern neighbors of witchcraft.

But some critics including Benjamin C. Ray have called Boyer and Nissenbaum’s socio-economic theory into question . For one thing –the map they were using has been called into question. He writes: “A review of the court records shows that the Boyer and Nissenbaum map is, in fact, highly interpretive and considerably incomplete.” Ray goes on:

Contrary to Boyer and Nissenbaum’s conclusions in Salem Possessed, geo graphic analysis of the accusations in the village shows there was no significant villagewide east-west division between accusers and accused in 1692. Nor was there an east-west divide between households of different economic status.

On the other hand, the physiological theories for the mass hysteria and witchcraft accusations include both fungus poisoning and undiagnosed encephalitis.

Linnda Caporael argues that the girls suffered from convulsive ergotism, a condition caused by ergot, a type of fungus, found in rye and other grains. It produces hallucinatory, LSD-like effects in the afflicted and can cause victims to suffer from vertigo, crawling sensations on the skin, extremity tingling, headaches, hallucinations, and seizure-like muscle contractions. Rye was the most prevalent grain grown in the Massachusetts area at the time, and the damp climate and long storage period could have led to an ergot infestation of the grains.

One of the more controversial theories states that the girls suffered from an outbreak of encephalitis lethargica , an inflammation of the brain spread by insects and birds. Symptoms include fever, headaches, lethargy, double vision, abnormal eye movements, neck rigidity, behavioral changes, and tremors.  In her 1999 book, A Fever in Salem , Laurie Winn Carlson argues that in the winter of 1691 and spring of 1692, some of the accusers exhibited these symptoms, and that a doctor had been called in to treat the girls. He couldn’t find an underlying physical cause, and therefore concluded that they suffered from possession by witchcraft, a common diagnoses of unseen conditions at the time.

The controversies surrounding the accusations, trials, and executions in Salem, 1692, continue to fascinate historians and we continue to ask why, in a society that should have known better, did this happen? Economic and physiological causes aside, the Salem witchcraft trials continue to act as a parable of caution against extremism in judicial processes.

Editor’s note: This post was edited to clarify that Salem Village was where the accusations began, not where the trials took place.

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Home — Essay Samples — History — History of the United States — Salem Witch Trials

Essays on Salem Witch Trials

Salem witch trials essay topics and outline examples, essay title 1: the salem witch trials: an examination of mass hysteria and its consequences.

Thesis Statement: The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a tragic chapter in American history characterized by mass hysteria, social dynamics, and the persecution of innocent individuals, and this essay explores the factors that led to the witch trials and their enduring legacy.

• Introduction
• The Historical Context of Puritan New England
• The Outbreak of Accusations and the Role of Fear
• The Trials and Executions
• Analysis of Social and Psychological Factors
• The Legacy of the Salem Witch Trials

Essay Title 2: The Accused and the Accusers: Uncovering Motivations and Identities in the Salem Witch Trials

Thesis Statement: A closer examination of the accused witches and their accusers in the Salem Witch Trials reveals a complex interplay of personal grievances, social dynamics, and religious fervor that contributed to the tragedy.

• The Accused: Their Backgrounds and Vulnerabilities
• The Accusers: Motivations and Social Positions
• The Legal Proceedings and the Role of Spectral Evidence
• Repercussions on the Accused and the Accusers

Essay Title 3: Lessons from Salem: Examining the Salem Witch Trials in Historical Context

Thesis Statement: The Salem Witch Trials serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power, religious extremism, and the need for a fair and just legal system, and this essay explores the enduring relevance of the trials in contemporary society.

• Comparing the Salem Witch Trials to Other Historical Witch Hunts
• Exploring the Role of Religion and Superstition
• Lessons for Modern Justice Systems and Civil Liberties
• Preserving the Memory and Lessons of the Salem Witch Trials

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May 1692 - October 1692

United States

The Salem witchcraft trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions that took place in colonial Massachusetts, specifically in the town of Salem, between 1692 and 1693. These trials were a dark chapter in American history, characterized by the mass hysteria and persecution of individuals accused of practicing witchcraft. The trials were sparked by the strange and unexplained behavior of several young girls, who claimed to be afflicted by witches. This led to a frenzy of accusations and trials, where numerous people, primarily women, were accused of consorting with the Devil and practicing witchcraft. During the trials, the accused individuals faced unfair and biased proceedings, often based on hearsay, spectral evidence, and superstitions. Many innocent people were wrongly convicted and subjected to harsh punishments, including imprisonment and even execution.

The Salem witch trials occurred in the late 17th century in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which was a Puritan society deeply rooted in religious beliefs and strict social hierarchies. The trials took place against the backdrop of a tense and uncertain period, marked by political, social, and religious upheaval. In the years leading up to the trials, the colony faced challenges such as territorial disputes, conflicts with Native American tribes, and economic instability. Additionally, the Puritan community was grappling with the concept of witchcraft, influenced by prevailing beliefs in Europe at the time. The prevailing religious ideology, which emphasized a strict interpretation of Christianity, fostered a climate of fear and suspicion. The Puritans believed that witchcraft was a serious offense and that the Devil could infiltrate their community. This mindset, combined with existing social tensions and personal rivalries, created fertile ground for the accusations and subsequent trials.

Reverend Samuel Parris: Parris was the minister of Salem Village and the father of one of the afflicted girls. His sermons and strict religious teachings contributed to the atmosphere of fear and suspicion. Tituba: Tituba was a slave belonging to Reverend Parris. She was the first person accused of witchcraft and her supposed confessions fueled the hysteria surrounding the trials. Cotton Mather: Mather was a prominent Puritan minister and writer who played a role in shaping public opinion during the trials. Although initially supportive, he later expressed doubts about the fairness of the proceedings. Judge William Stoughton: Stoughton was the chief justice of the special court established to hear the witchcraft cases. He was known for his strong belief in witchcraft and his harsh and biased approach to the trials. Rebecca Nurse: Nurse was an elderly woman known for her piety and respected standing in the community. Despite her innocence, she was accused and ultimately executed as a witch.

The Salem witch trials, although a localized event in colonial America, have had a lasting influence on history. Here are some ways in which they have made an impact: Legal Reforms: The trials revealed the dangers of unchecked religious fervor and the flaws of the legal system at the time. This prompted reforms in evidence standards and legal procedures, ensuring fairer trials in the future. Religious Freedom: The trials highlighted the dangers of religious intolerance and the need for the separation of church and state. They contributed to the growing idea of religious freedom and the recognition of individual rights. Public Consciousness: The Salem witch trials serve as a cautionary tale about the consequences of mass hysteria, false accusations, and the power of fear. They continue to raise awareness about the dangers of scapegoating and the importance of critical thinking. Cultural Impact: The trials have become an enduring symbol of injustice and persecution. They have inspired numerous works of literature, art, and media, ensuring their place in popular culture and keeping the memory alive.

"The Crucible" by Arthur Miller: This renowned play, first performed in 1953, uses the trials as an allegory for McCarthyism and the Red Scare in the United States during the 1950s. It depicts the hysteria, false accusations, and the devastating consequences of mass paranoia. "The Witch" (2015): This horror film, set in the 17th century, portrays a family dealing with supernatural forces and suspicion of witchcraft. While not a direct adaptation of the Salem witch trials, it captures the atmosphere and fear prevalent during that time. "Salem" (2014-2017): This television series explores the trials within a supernatural context, depicting witches, magic, and historical figures. It weaves a fictional narrative with elements inspired by the events of the Salem witch trials. "I, Tituba: Black Witch of Salem" by Maryse Condé: This novel offers a fictionalized account from the perspective of Tituba, an enslaved woman accused of witchcraft during the trials. It examines the intersection of race, gender, and power dynamics in the context of the trials.

1. The trials resulted in the execution of 20 people, 14 of whom were women, and the imprisonment of many others. 2. The initial accusations began when young girls in Salem Village claimed to be afflicted by witchcraft. 3. The first person to be accused and executed was Bridget Bishop on June 10, 1692. 4. The trials were fueled by religious and social tensions, as well as economic disputes within the community. 5. The court relied heavily on spectral evidence, which was testimony of the accused appearing in the form of a specter or ghost. 6. The infamous Salem witch trials ended abruptly when Governor William Phips ordered the trials to stop in October 1692. 7. The aftermath of the trials led to a sense of shame and guilt within the community, with efforts made to compensate the families of the victims.

The topic of the Salem witch trials is important to write an essay about due to its profound historical significance and the valuable lessons it teaches us about human behavior, justice, and the dangers of mass hysteria. The trials serve as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the devastating consequences that can arise when fear, prejudice, and the suspension of rational judgment take hold. By examining the Salem witch trials, we gain insight into the complex social, religious, and political dynamics of colonial America. We explore the role of religion in shaping beliefs and attitudes, the power dynamics within communities, and the impact of external influences on society. Furthermore, the trials raise important questions about justice and the legal system. They highlight the importance of due process, the presumption of innocence, and the dangers of relying on unreliable evidence. The events of Salem also shed light on the long-lasting psychological, emotional, and social effects on both the accused and the accusers.

1. Baker, E. A. (2007). The devil of great island: Witchcraft and conflict in early New England. Palgrave Macmillan. 2. Boyer, P., & Nissenbaum, S. (1974). Salem possessed: The social origins of witchcraft. Harvard University Press. 3. Carlson, L. (2010). A fever in Salem: A new interpretation of the New England witch trials. Ivan R. Dee. 4. Demos, J. (1982). Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the culture of early New England. Oxford University Press. 5. Hoffer, P. C. (1997). The Salem witchcraft trials: A legal history. University Press of Kansas. 6. Karlsen, C. F. (1989). The devil in the shape of a woman: Witchcraft in colonial New England. W.W. Norton & Company. 7. Norton, M. B. (2003). In the devil's snare: The Salem witchcraft crisis of 1692. Vintage. 8. Reis, E. (1997). Damned women: Sinners and witches in Puritan New England. Cornell University Press. 9. Rosenthal, B. (2009). Salem story: Reading the witch trials of 1692. Cambridge University Press. 10. Upham, C. W. (1980). Salem witchcraft: With an account of Salem Village and a history of opinions on witchcraft and kindred subjects. Colonial Society of Massachusetts.

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Understanding the Salem Witch Trials

Engraving of a witchcraft trial at Salem Village. The central figure in this 1876 illustration of the courtroom is usually identified as Mary Walcott.

Wikimedia Commons

Salem, Massachusetts in 1691 was the home of a Puritan community with a strict moral code. In addition to the difficulties of farming in a harsh climate with rough terrain, Salem faced economic and political unrest. In this community, a group of girls accused an Indian slave named Tituba of witchcraft. Tituba confessed under pressure from court officials, and her confession ignited a hunt for witches that left 19 men and women hanged, one man pressed to death, and over 150 more people in prison awaiting a trial. In this lesson, students will explore the characteristics of the Puritan community in Salem, learn about the Salem Witchcraft Trials, and try to understand how and why this event occurred.

Guiding Questions

What was life like in Puritan New England?

What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?

To what extent do the historic records show that the accused were innocent until proven guilty?

Learning Objectives

Describe cultural practices of the majority in Puritan New England.

Create a timeline of the events of the Salem Witch Trials.

Analyze multiple interpretations of the Salem Witch Trials. 

Construct a position on whether the trials were justified. 

Lesson Plan Details

Salem, Massachusetts in the late 1600s faced a number of serious challenges to a peaceful social fabric. Salem was divided into a prosperous town and a farming village. The villagers, in turn, were split into factions that fiercely debated whether to seek ecclesiastical and political independence from the town. In 1689 the villagers won the right to establish their own church and chose the Reverend Samuel Parris, a former merchant, as their minister. His rigid ways and seemingly boundless demands for compensation increased the already present friction. Many villagers vowed to drive Parris out, and they stopped contributing to his salary in October 1691.

These local concerns only compounded the severe social stresses that had already been affecting New England for two decades. A 1675 conflict with the Indians known as King Philip's War had resulted in more deaths relative to the size of the population than any other war in American history. A decade later, in 1685, King James II's government revoked the Massachusetts charter. A new royally-appointed governor, Sir Edmund Andros, sought to unite New England, New York, and New Jersey into a single Dominion of New England. He tried to abolish elected colonial assemblies, restrict town meetings, and impose direct control over militia appointments, and permitted the first public celebration of Christmas in Massachusetts, a celebration of which Puritans strongly disapproved. After William III replaced James II as King of England in 1689, Andros's government was overthrown, but Massachusetts was required to eliminate religious qualifications for voting and to extend religious toleration to sects such as the Quakers. The late seventeenth century also saw a increase in the number of black slaves in New England, which further unsettled the existing social order.

In February 1692, Betty Parris, Reverend Parris's daughter, as well as her friends Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam, became ill with symptoms that doctors could not diagnose, including fits and delirium. Dr. Griggs, who attended to the "afflicted" girls, suggested that they might be bewitched. Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Mary Warren later claimed affliction as well.

Prodded by Parris and others, the girls named their tormentors: Sarah Good, a poor woman; Sarah Osbourn, an elderly woman; and Tituba, a slave who had told them stories involving Vudou beliefs. The women were tried for witchcraft - Good and Osbourn claimed innocence, and Tituba confessed. Tituba's detailed confession included a claim that there were several undiscovered witches who wanted to destroy the community. This caused a witch-hunting rampage: 19 men and women were hanged, one man was pressed to death, and over 150 more people were imprisoned, awaiting trial.

On September 22, 1692, the last eight alleged witches were hanged. On October 8, 1692, Governor Phipps ordered that spectral evidence (when someone claimed to witness a person's spirit in a separate location from that same person's physical body) could no longer be admitted in witchcraft trials. On October 29, 1692 Phipps prohibited further arrests and released many accused witches. The remaining alleged witches were pardoned by May 1693. The hangings of witches in 1692 were the last such hangings in America.

For more information, see the following EDSITEment-reviewed websites:

• Digital History: The Salem Witch Scare
• Tituba Biography

NCSS. D1.1.6-8. Explain how a question represents key ideas in the field.

NCSS.D2.His.1.6-8. Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.

NCSS.D2.His.2.6-8. Classify series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity.

NCSS.D2.His.3.6-8. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.

NCSS.D2.His.4.6-8. Analyze multiple factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.

NCSS.D2.His.5.6-8. Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time.

• Review the lesson plan. Locate and bookmark suggested materials and other useful websites. Download and print out documents you will use and duplicate copies as necessary for student viewing.
• Students can access the primary source materials and some of the activity materials via the EDSITEment LaunchPad .
• Familiarize yourself with the Salem Witch Trials. For an overview, consult Digital History . For more detailed information, consult Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive .
• If you plan to have students create pictures, or if you want to use larger sized paper for your students' timelines, be sure to have those materials handy.
• Though each reading activity provides questions for discussion for the readings, teachers may wish to spend a few minutes with students asking introductory questions to help distill what they have read.

Activity 1. Life in Puritan New England

Separate the class into four groups, and assign each group one section of the EDSITEment Study Activity under the label Understanding Puritan New England . Offer them the following instructions, and suggest that they distribute the reading evenly and return to discuss the questions after 10–15 minutes of reading. Instructors might also consider assigning this reading the night before as homework.

Instructions for students: Just as the society around us shapes the way we think and act, so did it shape the people of Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s. Look at the websites listed below, and, on a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions about life in Puritan New England. Note that many of the websites contain interactive images. Click on the images to open them, and mouse-over the image to discover more about it.

The Puritans

The Puritan Idea of the Covenant

• New Groups: A Great Migration
• Working: "To 1 day work at my house"
• Beliefs: A City upon a Hill
• What values that we now consider 'American' were contributed by the Puritans?
• In the 1920s, how did people remember the Puritans? Define the word 'caricature' and explain how it relates to the Puritans.
• To what extent did Puritans condemn alcohol consumption, artistic beauty, and poetry?
• What did the Puritans believe was the primary purpose of government?
• What did the Puritans think about the separation of church and state?
• What is a 'separatist'? Were the Puritans 'separatists'? If not, describe their philosophy regarding the Church of England.
• What is a 'covenant'? Explain the function of 'covenants' in the way the Puritans saw the world.
• Did Puritans believe in tightly knit communities and families, or did they value families that were dispersed?
• Describe some reasons why Puritans came to America from Europe.
• What were some of the strategies New England colonists used to deal with the labor shortage?
• Describe some of the religious beliefs of the Puritans.
• Gender Roles: Beliefs and Gender Roles
• Education: Print and Protestantism
• Customs: Possessions Reveal Social Standing
• Getting Things: Importing Status
• Child Life: Fleeting Mortality
• Look up the word 'Patriarchal' in the dictionary. Define what it means, in your own words.
• What were some of the responsibilities of men in the 1700s in Colonial New England? What were some of the responsibilities of women?
• Explain how the story of Adam and Eve was used to perpetuate prevailing ideas about men and women.
• Were schools important in New England? Did people know how to read?
• Were there as many schools in other parts of America as there were in New England?
• Did wealthy people tend to spend a lot of money? What are some of the things you think they would buy?
• What does 'conspicuous consumption' mean?
• Why did so many children die at young ages in colonial New England?

Group Three

• The Land 1680–1720
• Agriculture: Agriculture and Community
• Public Space: The Meeting House
• According to your reading, what did most Europeans think of the North American Landscape?
• What were some early colonial industries?
• What was the center of public and religious life in New England?
• Describe the common field system.
• What were some results of European fences, mills, grass, and livestock being brought to New England?
• Explain how a mill worked.
• What were the criteria that a committee would use to "seat" the meetinghouse?
• Who was allowed to vote? What did they vote on?

Ask students to explore the EDSITEment-reviewed websites using the Study Activity and questions as guides. Once they have answered all of the questions, ask students to prepare a summary of what they learned to present to the class. Have everyone contribute to the overall discussion about Puritan values (the same question begins each list), and then have students present their information to the class. This should be no more than a few sentences highlighting the key concepts of the aspect of Puritan life that they researched.

Activity 2. What is a Puritan? Case Studies

Ask students to access the following websites and answer the questions listed below. This can be done individually or with partners, and can also be given as a homework assignment. Ask students to read slowly and carefully, looking up words they do not understand and writing them down in their notebook.

John Dane's Narrative

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6214

Read the first five paragraphs of John Dane's Narrative, until you reach the following passage: "Then said my mother, " go where you will, God he will find you out ." This word, the point of it, stuck in my breast; and afterwards God struck it home to its head."

• What does John Dane's piece about morality tell you about Puritan life?
• Define 'Providence' and explain John Dane's beliefs about Providence.
• In the third paragraph of John Dane's narrative, he relates a story about his upbringing. In a paragraph, explain your reaction to his story. How is this different or similar to your own interactions with your parents?
• Choose one paragraph in John Dane's narrative and summarize it in your own words.

Finally, write the following names on slips of paper, and have students draw them from a hat. A convenient PDF with all the names is available for you to print out.

Bridget Bishop; Rev. George Burroughs; Giles Cory; Mary Easty; Sarah Good; Rebecca Nurse; John Proctor; Ann Pudeator; Samuel Wardwell; Sarah Osbourne; William Stoughton; John Hathorne; Samuel Sewall; Francis Dane; Cotton Mather; Sarah Churchill; Elizabeth Hubbard; Mercy Lewis; Elizabeth Parris; Ann Putnam, Jr.; Mary Warren; Mary Wallcott; Abigail Williams; Tituba; Philip English; George Jacobs, Sr., Susannah Martin; Sir William Phips; Samuel Parris.

Ask students to do the following as a homework assignment:

Find your assigned person on the website ' Important Persons in the Salem Court Records ' and write five sentences about him or her answering some of these questions, or similar questions that you come up with on your own:

• How old was the person?
• What was the person's occupation?
• What do we know about the person's family?
• Why do people think this person was accused of witchcraft and/or accused others of witchcraft?
• What is most remembered in about this person in current popular culture, if anything?
• Was this person wealthy or poor?
• Where did this person live?

Activity 3. The Salem Witch Trials

Introduce the trials by asking students:

• What do you think of when you hear the word witch?

If time allows, have students read Words About the Word 'Witch' , available via the EDSITEment-reviewed Digital History website. Otherwise, you might use the website to guide your students' discussion of the term.

As a way to draw together the earlier work on Puritan beliefs and the more specific instance of the Salem Witch Trials, introduce to students the description of Witchcraft available at the EDSITEment-reviewed website History Matters. You might ask students questions like: Who was the head of a Puritan household? What was thought of women who stood out? What cues suggested signs of witchcraft? How do these cues fit within the Puritan worldview that you researched earlier?

At this point, students should begin to reconstruct the history of "What Happened in Salem?" They should begin with their individual person that they researched (see Activity 2). Make sure students follow their individual's role, no matter how small or large, as best they can throughout the process. In combination with this Chronology via the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive , have students separate into groups of four to create a timeline of the Salem Witch Trials. Events on the timeline should each have one sentence attached to them, to assure that students read information about the events, rather than just finding them on the Chronology. The students can illustrate their timelines if there is time for them to do so.

If some groups of students finish earlier than others, ask these students to access this petition for bail from accused witches . Ask students to click on the document and to try to read it. What was it like reading this kind of document? What was the document about? What were some of the reasons that the accused witches cite for why they should be allowed to leave the prison? You might consider recommending both the NARA Primary Document Analysis Worksheet (PDF) and How to Read Old Documents (from American Centuries) to help students figure out the petition.

As students are completing the timeline or reading the primary source document, post signs on your walls - on one side of the classroom, post the words "I agree" and on the other side, post the words "I don't agree". Read a series of controversial statements, listed below, and have students stand somewhere between the "I agree" and "I disagree". They don't have to agree or disagree, they can stand in the middle, or closer to one side than the other, wherever on the spectrum they fit. After each statement is read and students are standing in their spots based on levels of agreement, conduct a conversation from those places, so students can physically see where they are. Students may change physical positions if they change their minds based on discussion. If students move, they should be asked what convinced them to change their mind.

Feel free to add to or alter this list of statements:

• There is nothing about the Puritan way of life that I wish was a part of my life.
• The law is always right.
• Nothing like the Salem Witch Trials happens nowadays.
• People who are accused of crimes are usually bad people.
• The 'afflicted' girls who made the witchcraft accusations were bad people.
• You should never confess to something of which you are not guilty.
• It was just a coincidence that most of the alleged witches were female.
• There is a clear, easy explanation for why the Salem Witch Trials happened.
• The trials happened because of the 'afflicted girls', and not because of other, larger social forces.
• It is silly to believe in witches.

Some of these questions might be best asked of the historical people the students have been tracking since Activity 2. Have the students role-play their historical person, answering some of the questions as the student might think their historical person would respond. Make sure the students explain their rationale behind their decisions.

Activity 4. Causes of the "Hysteria"

Use the Salem Witch Trials as an opportunity to explore the concept of the multiplicity of explanations and causes there can be for one event. Ask students to brainstorm a list of reasons why they think the Salem Witch Trials might have happened, which you can then write on the board. Ask them to support their reasons based on evidence they've learned in their study of the event. Add some of these Causes for the Outbreak of Witchcraft Hysteria in Salem , available via the EDSITEment reviewed Digital History website, to their list. Discuss the possibility that there was more than one cause of this event. Ask students to identify other historical events to which there were many causes. To extend this lesson, you can ask your students to write a short essay underlining some of the causes of the Salem Witchcraft hysteria.

• What kind of evidence was used during these trials?
• Were the accused innocent until proven guilty?
• Think about the vocabulary used in these court cases. Who makes reference to the Bible - the accused, the judges, the accusers, everyone? When do they reference the Bible? Why do you think they make these references?
• What were the punishments for witchcraft? Were they appropriate punishments?
• Who were the witnesses, if any? What did they add to the court proceedings? Was their testimony useful? Does it seem to have been taken into account by the judge? To which witnesses, or which testimonies, is more attention paid?
• What pressures did the accusers face? The judges?
• What kinds of things were the 'witches' accused of causing to happen?
• Have students write a story, letter, or diary entry from the perspective of one of the afflicted. The writing should involve some or all of the following: personal feelings of the historical figure, description of 'fits' and other sensations experienced by the 'afflicted', an accusation, a court trial or recollections from a court trial, remorse. If students prefer, they may write a story, letter, or diary entry from the perspective of one of the accused, or from a judge or other court official. Again, the writing should be relevant to the historical event. Use these stories as an insight into the depth of understanding students have about the experience of the Salem Witch Trials. Students should either orally present their work or provide a written essay justifying the choices they made in their entry. What historical evidence supports their viewpoint?
• As a possible introductory activity before examining life in Puritan New England (in Activity 1), have your students analyze their own belief systems so that they can better see the similarities and differences between their culture and that of Salem at this time. Ask your students to write down what they know about the religion to which they ascribe, or the rules that they have to follow as a result of being a part of their particular cultural heritage or society. This may be a good take-home activity, in which parents can also be involved. See attached sample worksheet: What are the Cultures that Shape You?
• If you wish to enter the realm of historical fiction, a younger audience (ages 9–11) might appreciate The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. A more mature audience might appreciate The Crucible by Arthur Miller, or even The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. EDSITEment has a lesson plan on The Crucible, Dramatizing History in Arthur Miller's The Crucible .

Recommended Websites

• Digital History: The Puritans
• Digital History: The Puritan Idea of the Covenant
• Words About the Word 'Witch'
• Causes for the Outbreak of Witchcraft Hysteria in Salem
• Important Persons in the Salem Court Records
• Native American Indians 1680–1720
• Place in Time: Land and People
• Points of Contact: Sharing and Adapting
• Struggle for Freedom: "Run-away from his Master"
• Working: "Servant for Life"
• "Black Yankees": Slavery in New England
• Newcomers 1680–1720
• John Dane Battle's Life's Temptations
• petition for bail from accused witches

Materials & Media

Understanding the salem witch trials: worksheet 1, understanding the salem witch trials: worksheet 2, related on edsitement, salem witch trials: understanding the hysteria, arthur miller’s the crucible : witch hunting for the classroom, harrowing halloween: spooky, supernatural, and suspenseful, dramatizing history in arthur miller's the crucible.

83 Salem Witch Trials Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best salem witch trials topic ideas & essay examples, ⭐ good research topics about salem witch trials, 👍 simple & easy salem witch trials essay titles, ❓ salem witch trials research questions.

• The Salem Witch Trials History Salem is a village in Massachusetts, which is a state in the New England region, in the North East of the United States of America.
• Salem Witch Trials and the Enlightenment Cultural Shift However, the further change in the attitude to the processes and their reconsideration indicated the strong impact of Enlightenment ideas and their spread over the region.
• The Salem Witch Trials: A Time of Fear The outbreak began with the sudden and rather unusual illness of the daughter and niece of the local Reverend Samuel Parris.
• Salem Witchcraft Hysteria: Crime Against Women In the “Was the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria a Product of Women’s Search for Power?” Kyle Koehler and Laurie Winn Carlson present the “pro” and “cons” arguments for this claim.
• Witch Trials. Salem Possessed by Boyer and Nissenbaum Let us recall that the greater part of the complaints during the trials came from the Salem Village and the greater part of the accused came from Salem Town and the pattern of economic and […]
• Salem Witch Trials: Differeenses From in Europe Witch trials in the new colonies of America were not a unique phenomenon in world history but the events of 1692 in Salem Massachusetts differed in scope and circumstances from in Europe, the origin of […]
• The Salem Witch Trials in American History Blame ranges from the devil initially to puritan ministers encouraging the witch mania to bring support for the Church, and to the ideology of Puritanism itself, a strong belief that everything strange is the work […]
• The Grave Injustices of the Salem Witchcraft Trials These thoughts enforced the belief in the existence of witchcraft in New England. The people of New England were in the middle of a war with the Indians.
• Witchcraft Accusations, Trials, and Hysteria in Border Regions and Rural Areas in Western Europe To a great extent, this phenomenon can be attributed to the following factors: 1) official recognition of witchcraft and the activities of religious zealots who inspired the persecution of many people; 2) the stereotypes and […]
• Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials As much as these trials can be referred to as the Salem trials, initial hearings were conducted in a number of towns in 1692.
• Through Women’s Eyes: Salem Witch Trial The accusers took advantage of the ignorance of the people to make them believe that it was indeed supernatural causes which made the town of Salem suffer.
• Salem Witch Trials Causes The writers explain that the problem began in the year 1691 and was marked by the behaviour of some girls in the same village who were involved in fortune telling.
• Salem Witch Trials and Civil Rights Movement
• The Infamous Salem Witch Trials
• Behavior, Expectation, and Witch-Hunting During the Salem Witch Trials
• Origins, Consequences, and Legacy of the Salem Witch Trials
• The History, Causes, and Effects of the Salem Witch Trials
• Reasons for Salem Witch Trials
• Salem Witch Trials and Innocent People
• Witchcraft and the Salem Witch Trials
• Discrimination and the Salem Witch Trials
• The Facts and Fictions of the Salem Witch Trials
• The Salem Witch Trials of Colonial History
• Religion, Social Norms, and the Salem Witch Trials
• The Psychic Crisis Theory of the Salem Witch Trials
• Salem Witch Trials and Religious Superstition
• Historical References From the Salem Witch Trials
• Mass Hysteria During the Salem Witch Trials
• The Salem Witch Trials on Society and Religious Belief
• Witchcraft and the Puritan Lifestyle in Salem During the Late 1600s in the Salem Witch Trials, a Book by Lori Lee Wilson
• Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism in America
• Factors That Influence the Salem Witch Trials
• Salem Witch Trials and the Great Tragedy
• Elizabeth Proctor and the Salem Witch Trials
• Hygiene During the Salem Witch Trials
• Cause, Effect, and Importance of the Salem Witch Trials
• Persecution and the Salem Witch Trials
• Individuals Who Played Different Roles in the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts
• Salem Witch Trials and Modern Satanic Trials
• McCarthyism and the Salem Witch Trials
• Puritanism and Salem Witch Trials
• Salem Witch Trials and Convulsive Ergotism
• The Events and History of Salem Witch Trials
• Anthropological and Sociological Effects of Puritanism and the 1692 Salem Witch Trials
• Primary Sources for the Salem Witch Trials
• The Salem Witch Trials and the Women Victims
• Puritan Literature and the Salem Witch Trials
• Belonging: Salem Witch Trials and Society
• The Factors That Influenced Salem Witch Trials
• Horror During the Salem Witch Trials
• Crucible: Salem Witch Trials and American Society
• Salem Witch Trials and Forbidden Knowledge Witch
• What Social Problem Did the Salem Witch Trials and Executions Solve?
• Why and How Did the Salem Witch Trials Happen?
• What Effect Did the Salem Witch Trials Have on American Literature?
• Was Abigail Williams Solely Responsible for the Salem Witch Trials?
• What Do the Salem Witch Trials Reveal About Gender and Power in the 17th Century in the US?
• How Did the Puritans Affect the Trials of the Salem Witch?
• What Was Ann Putnum’s Point of View About the Salem Witch Trials?
• Were Salem Witch Trials a Peculiar Aberrant Moment in an Age of Superstition or Were They Something Else?
• What Part Did Gender Roles Play During the Salem Witch Trials?
• How Did the Salem Witch Trials Impact Modern Culture?
• What Impact Did the Puritan’s Religious and Social Culture Have on the Proceedings of the Salem Witch Trials?
• Were the Salem Witch Trials Spurred by Food Poisoning?
• What Were the Causes and Effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
• How Do the Salem Witch Trials Relate to the Changes Occurring During the Late 17th Century in Colonial British America?
• What Caused the Salem Witch Trials Hysteria?
• How Did the Salem Witch Trials Go Down?
• What Happened During the Salem Witch Trials?
• How Were McCarthyism and the Salem Witch Trials Related?
• What Was the Significance of the Salem Witch Trials?
• Is the Movie ‘the Crucible’ Historically Accurate to the Salem Witch Trials of 1693?
• How Were Elizabeth Proctor and Sarah Cloyce Arrested During the Salem Witch Trials?
• What Were the Underlying Causes of the Persecution of People During the Salem Witch Trials?
• Do the Salem Witch Trials Which Occurred in 1662 and 1663 Have an Explanation Other Than Superstition and Religion?
• How the Salem Witch Trials Affected How We View Witches Today?
• What Was the Best Way to Avoid Trial and Execution for Witchcraft During the Salem Witch Trials?
• Are Witch Trials Legitimate Today? Was It Legal in the Period of the Salem Witch Trials?
• What Were the Events That Led to the Salem Witch Trials?
• Had the Puritan Religion Itself Been the Real Culprit in the Salem Witch Trials?
• How Does the Author Laurie Winn Carlson Speak About the Salem Witch Trials?
• What Did the Leaders of Salem Have to Gain Through the Exposure of So-Called Witches?
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1. IvyPanda . "83 Salem Witch Trials Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." September 27, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/salem-witch-trials-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "83 Salem Witch Trials Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." September 27, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/salem-witch-trials-essay-topics/.

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The Salem Witch Trials Essay

In the British colony, Massachusetts, witchcraft hysteria broke out between February 1692 and May 1693, resulting in the execution of twenty people and the jailing of 342 people. The Salem Witch Trials began after young girls in Salem claimed to be possessed by the Devil and started holding local women of Salem accountable of witchcraft. The effects the Salem Witch Trials had on the colony were separation of the church and the state and mass hysteria. In the 17th century, witchcraft was a serious crime, and convicted witches could be put to death.

The following will discuss what the Salem Witch trials were, what happened during the time frame, and how it shaped Salem Village after it ended. The Salem Witch Trials were a chain of hearings and prosecutions of people held accountable for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. When a group of young girls began to display bizarre behaviors such as seizures, screaming, and trans-like states without physical symptoms of illness, the villagers of Salem believed it was the work of the Devil.

The girls blamed the way they were acting on witchcraft, and also named three women who cast spells on them: Tituba, a slave who told the girls witchcraft stories, Sarah Good, A beggar, and Sarah Osborne, an old lady who only went to church occasionally. Not just women were accused of witchcraft, men were also accused. For example, on April 11th, 1692 John Proctor was the first man arrested and held accountable for witchcraft. Although it was known as the Salem Witch Trials, several counties, such as Andover, were involved.

The Puritan lifestyle was very strict, and the slightest change in behavior, missing church for instance, a rose suspicion. People were so caught up with the idea of witches and witchcraft, when they had little knowledge of misfortunes, like sickness or death, they blamed supernatural forces. The disasters were believed to be upon them through supernatural forces, like witchcraft. The powerful beliefs of witchcraft and witches were brought by the English to America; it was part of their belief system and culture, which was passed from generation to generation and responsible for the Salem Witch Trials.

In the small Salem Village, the villagers were quick to blame witchcraft when Reverend Parris’ and several other girls were affected by seizures and lapses into unconsciousness, especially when they learned the girls had been messing with fortunetelling with Tituba. Only Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne were accused at first, but shortly after the witch hunt grew until some of Salem’s most prominent citizens stood accused. Historians believe that the causes of the witch trials had to deal with social and economical animosity behind the accusations, but mostly mass hysteria was the main culprit.

The accusations were not considered unusual because witchcraft beliefs were very strong in this time period. Witches were regular people whose pride, envy, or greed apparently led them to make a pact with the Devil. The people held accountable for witchcraft were claimed to use supernatural powers to torment their neighbors by causing illness, destroying property, or possessing the victim’s body and mind. The fear of witchcraft in the village of Salem overrode doubts about the young girls’ credibility and led local judges to put aside normal procedural safeguards. Judges ignored the law’s ban on “spectral evidence”.

Spectral evidence is a spirit resembling the accused had been seen harming a victim. The number of witchcraft accusations rose to 342 witches sitting in jail. More than half of the girls accusing people of witchcraft were between the ages of eleven to twenty most were servants in other family households. The fear of witchcraft broke ties between families and friends. For example, a minister’s own granddaughter had him condemned. During this time 50 people were able to save themselves by giving false confessions, the twenty others whom refused to confess were executed.

Governor William Phips forbid any more imprisonments of witchcraft in October 1692. Shortly after he suspended all the trials in 1693, he pardoned all the convicted people of witchcraft. This ended the Salem Witch Trials in May 1693. How did the Salem Witch Trials affect Salem and America? In January 1697, Massachusetts’ General Court announced a day of fasting specifically for the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials. The Court deemed the trails unlawful and illegitimate. The ending of the Salem Witch Trials created a good closure in the community. In 1957, the last witches’ names were cleared.

The people e had realized their mistakes of accusations and made a memorial honoring the deaths of the people accused of witchcraft in 1992. The impact of hysteria is still amongst us today and has not gone away. The Salem Witch Trials have become the focus in many books such as crucible by Arthur Miller. The Salem Witch Trials split apart families, and made life difficult for the accused. Daily chores, like harvesting, were neglected during the Salem Witch Trials. The colonist of Salem, Massachusetts felt ashamed and remorseful about the witch trials.

Colonist began to suffer many misfortunes, and thought God was punishing them for their mistake. Out of all the accusers in the Salem Witch Trials only one girl apologized. Ann Putnam Jr. apologized in 1706 for her part in the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Trials is a very memorable event in Salem, Massachusetts in the 17th century and also had a very strong impact on American History. Throughout the Salem Witch Trials, hundreds were accuse and most were hung. Friends and families were turned against each other. In this essay | discussed, what the Salem trials were, what happened during the Salem Trials, and how it affected Salem.

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The Salem Witch Trials: A legal bibliography

The law of the Salem Witch Trials is a fascinating mix of biblical passages and colonial statutes.  According to Mark Podvia (see Timeline , PDF), the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony adopted the following statute in 1641:  “If any man or woman be a WITCH, that is, hath or consulteth with a familiar spirit, they shall be put to death. Exod . 22. 18. Levit . 20. 27. Deut . 18. 10. 11.”  The statute encompasses passages from the Bible written circa 700 B.C. Exodus states:  “Thou shall not suffer a witch to live.” Leviticus prescribes the punishment.  Witches and wizards “shall surely be put to death:  they shall stone them with stones:   their blood shall be upon them.”  And Deuteronomy states:  “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.  Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.”

In Salem, the accusers and alleged victims came from a small group of girls aged nine to 19, including Betty Parris and Abigail Williams.  In January 1692, Betty and Abigail had strange fits. Rumors spread through the village attributing the fits to the devil and the work of his evil hands.  The accusers claimed the witchcraft came mostly from women, with the notable exception of four-year old Dorcas Good.

The colony created the Court of Oyer and Terminer especially for the witchcraft trials.  The law did not then use the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” – if you made it to trial, the law presumed guilt.  If the colony imprisoned you, you had to pay for your stay.  Courts relied on three kinds of evidence:  1) confession, 2) testimony of two eyewitnesses to acts of witchcraft, or  3) spectral evidence (when the afflicted girls were having their fits, they would interact with an unseen assailant – the apparition of the witch tormenting them).  According to Wendel Craker, no court ever convicted an accused of witchcraft on the basis of spectral evidence alone, but other forms of evidence were needed to corroborate the charge of witchcraft. Courts allowed “causal relationship” evidence, for example, to prove that the accused possessed or controlled an afflicted girl.  Prior conflicts, bad acts by the accused, possession of materials used in spells, greater than average strength, and witch’s marks also counted as evidence of witchcraft.  If the accused was female, a jury of women examined her body for “witch’s marks” which supposedly showed that a familiar had bitten or fed on the accused.  Other evidence included the “touching test” (afficted girls tortured by fits became calm after touching the accused).  Courts could not base convictions on confessions obtained through torture unless the accused reaffirmed the confession afterward, but if the accused recanted the confession, authorities usually tortured the accused further to obtain the confession again.  If you recited the Lord’s Prayer, you were not a witch.   The colony did not burn witches, it hanged them.

The Salem Witch Trials divided the community.  Neighbor testified against neighbor.  Children against parents.  Husband against wife.  Children died in prisons.  Familes were destroyed.  Churches removed from their congregations some of the persons accused of witchcraft.  After the Court of Oyer and Terminer was dissolved, the Superior Court of Judicature took over the witchcraft cases.  They disallowed spectral evidence.  Most accusations of witchcraft then resulted in acquittals.  An essay by Increase Mather, a prominent minister, may have helped stop the witch trials craze in Salem.

Researching the Salem Witch Trials is easier than it used to be.  Most of the primary source materials (statutes, transcripts of court records, contemporary accounts) are available electronically.  Useful databases include HeinOnline Legal Classics Library (see  Trials for Witchcraft before the Special Court of Oyer and Terminer, Salem, Massachusetts, 1692 ;   The Salem Witchcraft  (Clair, Henry St., 1840); and “ Witch Trials ,”  1 Curious Cases and Amusing Actions at Law including Some Trials of Witches in the Seventeenth Century (1916) ), HeinOnline World Trials Library, HeinOnline Law Journal Library (also JSTOR, America:  History & Life, Google Scholar, and the LexisNexis and Westlaw journal databases),  Gale Encyclopedia of American Law (“ Salem Witch Trials “), Google Books, Hathi Trust, and the Internet Archive.  For books and articles on the Salem Witch Trials and witchcraft and the law generally, Library of Congress subject headings include:

• Trials (Witchcraft) — History
• Trials (Witchcraft) — Massachusetts — Salem
• Witch hunting — Massachusetts — Salem
• Witchcraft — Massachusetts — Salem — History — 17th century
• Witchcraft — New England
• Witches — Crimes against

• Salem Witch Trials:  Documentary Archive & Transcription Project (University of Virginia)(includes online searchable text of the transcription of court records as published in Boyer/Nissenbaum’s The Salem Witchcraft Papers , revised 2011, and e-versions of contemporary books)
• Famous American Trials:  Salem Witch Trials, 1692 (Prof. Douglas O. Linder, University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School)

Bibliography

Adams, Gretchen A. The Specter of Salem:  Remembering the Witch Trials in Nineteenth-Century America (University of Chicago Press, BF1576.A33 2008).

Boyer, Paul & Stephen Nissenbaum, eds. The Salem Witchcraft Papers:  Verbatim Transcripts of the Legal Documents of the Salem Witchcraft Outbreak of 1692  (Da Capo Press, XXKFM2478.8.W5S240 1977 )( digital edition , revised and augmented, 2011).  3v.

___________________________. Salem Possessed:  The Social Origins of Witchcraf t (Harvard University Press, BF1576.B79 1974 ).  See especially pages 1-59.

___________________________, eds. Salem Village Witchcraft:  A Documentary Record of Local Conflict in Colonial New England  (Wadsworth Pub. Co., KA653.B75 1972 LawAnxS ).

Brown, David C.  “The Case of Giles Corey.” EIHC ( Essex Institute Historical Collections , F72.E7E81 ) 121 (1985): 282-299.

___________.  “ The Forfeitures of Salem, 1692 .” The William and Mary Quarterly 50 (1993): 85-111.

Burns, William E. Witch Hunts in Europe and America:  An Encyclopedia (Greenwood Press, BF1584.E9B87 2003 ).  Includes a Chronology (1307-1793), “Salem Witch Trials” at pages 257-261, and a bibliography at pages 333-347.

Burr, George Lincoln. Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases, 1648-1706 (Barnes & Noble, BF1573.B6901 1963 ).

Calef, Robert. More Wonders of the Invisible World (1700).

Craker, Wendel D.  “Spectral Evidence, Non-Spectral Acts of Witchcraft, and Confession at Salem in 1692. ” Historical Journal 40 (1997):  331-358.

Demos, John. Entertaining Satan:  Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England (Oxford University Press, BF1576.D38 1982 ).

Francis, Richard. Judge Sewall’s Apology:  The Salem Witch Trials and the Forming of the American Conscience (Fourth Estate, F67.S525 2005 ).

Godbeer, Richard. The Salem Witch Hunt:  A Brief History with Documents (Bedford/St. Martin’s, XXKFM2478.8.W5G63 2011 ).

Hansen, Chadwick. Witchcraft at Salem (G. Braziller, BF1576.H25 1969 ).

Hill, Frances. The Salem Witch Trials Reader (Da Capo Press, BF1576.H55 2000 ).

Hoffer, Peter Charles. The Salem Witchcraft Trials:  A Legal History (University Press of Kansas, XXKFM2478.8.W5H645 1997 )(Landmark Law Cases & American Society).

______________. The Devil’s Disciples:  Makers of the Salem Witchcraft Trials (Johns Hopkins University Press, XXKFM2478.8.W5H646 1996 ).

Karlsen, Carol F. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman:  Witchcraft in Colonial New England (Norton, BF1576.K370 1987 ).

Le Beau, Bryan F. The Story of the Salem Witch Trials:  “We Walked in Clouds and We Could Not See Our Way” (Prentice Hall, 2d ed., XXKFM2478.8.W5L43 2010 )(DLL has 1998).

Levin, David. What Happened in Salem? (2d ed.  Harcourt, Brace & Co. BF1575.L40 1960 ) (Documents Pertaining to the Seventeenth-Century Witchcraft Trials).  Compiles trial evidence documents, contemporary comments, and legal redress.

Mather, Cotton. The Wonders of the Invisible World:  Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New England, and Of Several Remarkable Curiosities Therein Occurring (1693) .

Mather, Increase. Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men, Witchcrafts, Infallible Proofs of Guilt in Such As Are Accused with That Crime  (1693).

Nevins, Winfield S. Witchcraft in Salem Village in 1692 (North Shore Pub. Co., BF1576.N5 1892 ).

Norton, Mary Beth. In the Devil’s Snare:  The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692  ( BF1575.N67 2002 )(legal analysis, with appendixes).

Powers, Edwin. Crime and Punishment in Early Massachusetts, 1620-1692  A Documentary History (Beacon Press, KB4537.P39C8 1966 LawAnxN ).

Rosenthal, Bernard ed. Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt (Cambridge University Press, XXKFM2478.8.W5R43 2009 )(includes Richard B. Trask, “Legal Procedures Used During the Salem Witch Trials and a Brief History of the Published Versions of the Records” at pages 44-63).

Ross, Lawrence J., Mark W. Podvia, & Karen Wahl. The Law of the Salem Witch Trials .  American Association of Law Library, Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, July 23, 2012 (AALL2go – password needed to access .mp3 and program handout).

Starkey, Marion. The Devil in Massachusetts:  A Modern Inquiry into the Salem Witch Trials (A.A. Knopf, XXKFM2478.8.W5S73 1949 ).

Upham, Charles W. Salem Witchcraft:  with an Account of Salem Village and a History of Witchcraft and Opinions on Kindred Subjects   (Wiggin & Lunt, 1867).  2v.

Weisman, Richard. Witchcraft, Magic, and Religion in 17th-Century Massachusetts (The University of Massachusetts Press, XXKFM2478.8.W5W4440 1984 ).  Includes a chapter on “The Crime of Witchcraft in Massachusetts Bay  Historical Background and Pattern of Prosecution.”  Appendixes includes lists of legal actions against witchcraft prior to the Salem prosecutions, Massachusetts Bay witchcraft defamation suits, persons accused of witchcraft in Salem, confessors, allegations of ordinary witchcrafts by case, afflicted persons.

Young, Martha M.  “ The Salem Witch Trials 300 Years Later:  How Far Has the American Legal System Come?  How Much Further Does It Need to Go? ”   Tulane Law Review 64 (1989): 235-258.

General Resources

Mackay, Christopher S., trans. & ed.   The Hammer of Witches:  A Complete Translation of the Malleus Maleficarum (authored by Heinrich Institoris & Jacobus Sprenger in 1487 – Dominican friars, who were both Inquistors and professors of theology at the University of Cologne)(Cambridge University Press, BF1569.M33 2009 ).  This medieval text ( Der Hexenhammer in German) prescribes judicial procedures in cases of alleged witchcraft.  In question-and-answer format.  The judge should appoint as an advocate for the accused “an upright person who is not suspected of being fussy about legal niceties” as opposed to appointing “a litigious, evil-spirited person who could easily be corrupted by money” (p. 530).

“Judgment of a Witch.” The Fugger News-Letters 259-262 (The Bodley Head, Ltd., 1924).  Also reprinted in The Portable Renaissance Reader .

Pagel, Scott B. The Literature of Witchcraft Trials:  Books & Manuscripts from the Jacob Burns Law Library (University of Texas at Austin, BF1566.P243 2008 ) (Tarlton Law Library, Legal History Series, No. 9).

Witchcraft and the Law:  A Selected Bibliography of Recent Publications (Christine Corcos, LSU Law)(includes mostly pre-2000 works).

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Salem Witch Trials: Primary Sources

The primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials offer a wealth of information on these infamous trials.

These sources include official court records as well as several books, diaries and letters written by the various people involved in the trials.

Many of these primary sources were published in the latter half of 1692, while the trials were still going on.

Hoping to stop further arrests and to calm the hysteria, Governor Phips banned the publication of all books regarding the Salem Witch Trials in late October of 1692, as he explained in a letter to William Blathwayt of the Privy Council:

“I have also put a stop to the printing of any discourses one way or another, that may increase the needless disputes of people upon this occasion, because I saw a likelihood of kindling an inextinguishable flame if I should admit any public and open contests.”

Many historians have pointed out that this ban is essentially the first government cover up in American history and was designed to stifle the growing opposition to the trials because it was a threat to the government of the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

The majority of these primary sources were critical of the trials and made strong arguments against how the trials were conducted.

In order to defend its actions, the Massachusetts government asked Boston minister Cotton Mather to write a book about the trials in which he justified the trials and the way they were conducted.

Mather’s book was published in late October of 1692, after the ban had taken affect but included a disclaimer explaining that the book was authorized by the colonial government.

Even though the ban was in effect, it couldn’t stop the circulation of some unpublished letters criticizing the trials and the ban was eventually broken with the publications of various books by people who were either involved in or had witnessed the events of the trials.

The following is a list of primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials:

(Disclaimer: This article contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

♦ A Brief and True Narrative of Some Remarkable Passages Relating to Sundry Persons Afflicted by Witchcraft, at Salem Village by Deodat Lawson

Published in 1692, this 10-page narrative by Deodat Lawson is about Lawson’s personal observations of the events at Salem in the spring of 1692.

Lawson had a personal interest in Salem because he had been the minister at Salem Village from 1687 to 1688 but was denied the position of full minister after several parishioners objected to his permanent tenure as a result of ongoing disputes between the parishioners.

The narrative was written after Lawson had been invited to Salem to serve as a guest preacher for the sabbath service on March 20, 1692 and his sermon was interrupted several times by some of the afflicted girls in attendance.

Since this type of behavior was so unusual for young children in Puritan society, Lawson decided to dig deeper into the events at Salem village and, as a result, wrote what became the first eyewitness account of the Salem Witch Trials.

After spending a month in Salem, Parris returned to Boston where the manuscript was published by Boston publisher Benjamin Harris and “sold at his shop, over-against the Old-Meeting-House.,1692.”

In 1704, Lawson wrote another account of the Salem Witch Trials, a sermon titled “Christ’s Fidelity the only Shield against Satan’s Malignity,” aka “Witchcraft in Salem,” which was published in London in 1704.

♦ Robert Pike Letter to Judge Jonathan Corwin

On August 9, 1692, Robert Pike, the Massachusetts Bay councilor and Salisbury magistrate, wrote a personal letter to Judge Corwin expressing his concerns with the admission of spectral evidence in the trials.

In the letter, Pike argues that spectral evidence is unreliable because these alleged visions and apparitions are “more commonly false and delusive than real, and cannot be known when they are real and when feigned.”

Pike goes on to argue that spectral evidence is considered unreliable evidence for three specific reasons:

1. Apparitions and visions are sometimes caused by delusion. 2. The devil himself can appear in the shape of a person without their knowledge. 3. Even if an apparition was real, it is impossible to know whether it is real or a delusion.

Pike also points out how illogical it is that these accused witches would plead innocent but then incriminate themselves by using witchcraft openly in the courtroom, as the accusers stated they were doing, and suggests that the accusers were delusional or possibly possessed.

It is not known what Corwin thought of the letter since there is no record of a reply or response.

Although Pike previously supported the testimony of several accusers against Salisbury native Susannah Martin, he eventually came out against the Salem Witch Trials and also signed an affidavit in defense of another accused Salisbury woman, Mary Bradbury, who was his son’s mother-in-law.

Pike’s letter to Corwin was later republished in a number of books, such as Salem Witchcraft by Charles W. Upham and The New Puritan: New England Two Hundred Years Ago by James Shephard Pike.

♦ Thomas Brattle’s Letter to an Unnamed Clergyman

On October 8, 1692, Thomas Brattle, a Boston merchant, wrote a letter to an unnamed English clergyman in which he criticized the Salem Witch Trials.

In the letter, Brattle criticizes the methods in which the accused are examined, points out the unreliablity of confessions from the accused, denounces the use of spectral evidence and criticizes the practice of relying on the “afflicted girls” for information on suspected witches.

Brattle supports his argument against spectral evidence by stating that it is actually the work of the devil:

“I think it will appear evident to any one, that the Devil’s information is the fundamental testimony that is gone upon in the apprehending of the aforesaid people…Liberty was evermore accounted the great priviledge of an Englishman; but certainly, if the Devil will be heard against us, and his testimony taken, to the seizing and apprehending us, our liberty vanishes, and we are fools if we boast our liberty.”

Brattle also argues that consulting with the afflicted girls for information on their alleged supernatural knowledge is absurd:

“It is true, I know no reason why these afflicted may not be consulted as well as any other, if so be that it was only their natural and ordinary knowledge that was had recourse to: but it is not on this notion that these afflicted children are sought onto; but as they have a supernatural knowledge; a knowledge which they obtain by their holding correspondence with spectres and evill spirits, as they themselves grant. This consulting of these afflicted children, as abovesaid, seems to me to be a very grosse evill, a real abomination, not fitt to be known in N.E.”

The letter circulated widely in Boston at the time and continues to be studied due to its reasoned and secular arguments against the trials.

The letter was later published in a number of books, such as Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases 1648-1706 by George Lincoln Burr and What Happened in Salem: Documents Pertaining to the 17th Century Witchcraft Trials by David Levin.

♦ Some Miscellany Observations on Our Present Debates Regarding Witchcraft in a Dialogue Between S & B by P.E. And J.A.

Published in mid-October of 1692, this 16-page book by Samuel Willard criticizes the use of spectral evidence in the Salem Witch Trials.

The book is structured as a debate between “S and B,” which stands for Salem and Boston, with Willard’s views being represented by Boston.

While both sides agree that witches exist, Boston argues that the accused witches should only be convicted if sufficient evidence is found while Salem argues that spectral evidence is sufficient.

Boston goes on to argue that spectral evidence is insufficient because the afflicted girls are possessed, not bewitched, but Salem argues that they were indeed bewitched because they display the “seven signs of one bewitched.”

Boston then counters that this argument is tricky because it is possible to be both bewitched and possessed at the same time:

“I dispute not that ; though I find force to be very confused in this point : but supposing them bewitched, they may be possessed too: and it is an ordinary thing for a possession to be introduced by a bewitching, as there are many instances in history do confirm.”

The book was published under assumed names to protect Willard from being prosecuted. The initials “P.E. And J.A.” are the initials of Philip English and John Alden who were two accused witches who had fled Salem.

The book was also listed as having been published in Philadelphia when it was actually published in Boston as another way to avoid prosecution.

The book is located in the records of the Massachusetts Historical Society and is also available on the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project website.

♦ The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England by Cotton Mather

Published in October of 1692, this book by Boston minister Cotton Mather discusses a number of witchcraft cases in New England during the 17th century, including the Salem Witch Trials.

The book is considered both a justification for and an official defense of the verdicts in the Salem Witch Trials.

In the book, Mather states that New England is under attack by the Devil and argues these instances of witchcraft are proof of that claim.

Mather goes on to explain that a witch who had been executed 40 years prior had warned the Massachusetts Bay Colony of a “horrible plot against the country by witchcraft” which Mather states finally seems to have been uncovered in Salem, the first settlement of the colony:

“And we have now with horror seen the discovery of such witchcraft! An army of devils is horribly broke in upon the place which is the center, and after a sort, the first-born of our English settlements.”

The book contains descriptions of the six most notorious cases of witchcraft: George Burrough, Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth Howe, Martha Carrier and a witchcraft case in England against Rose Cullender and Amy Duny.

Although Mather wasn’t directly involved in the Salem Witch Trials, he gave the judges advice on what is considered acceptable evidence of witchcraft by the church, attended some of the executions and even intervened in one of the executions after Reverend George Burroughs recited the Lord’s Prayer perfectly upon the ladder and dissent began to grow in the crowd.

After Burroughs was pushed off the ladder and hanged, Mather reassured the crowd that Burroughs wasn’t an ordained minister and that he was in fact guilty, which seemed to appease them and allowed the remaining executions that day to continue.

Some historians argue that the book doesn’t reflect how Mather really felt about the trials since his personal letters and diaries reflect a much more cautious view of spectral evidence and of the trials in general.

Robert Calef points out, in his own book More Wonders of the Invisible World, that Mather’s language in the book shows that the work was actually more propaganda than it was a historical account and that Mather wrote it as he did solely to please the government officials who had appointed him to write it:

“Martin is called one of the most impudent, scurrilous, wicked creatures in the world; in his account of Martha Carrier, he is pleased to call her a rampant hag, & c. These expressions, as they manifest that he wrote more like an advocate than an historian, so also that those that were his employers were not mistaken in their choice of him for that work…” Calef (276).

The Wonders of the Invisible World was the first official book ever written on the Salem Witch Trials and was only published because it was officially authorized and commissioned by the Massachusetts colonial government.

♦ More Wonders of the Invisible World by Robert Calef

Written in 1697 and published in 1700, this book by Boston cloth merchant Robert Calef denounces the Salem Witch Trials and Cotton Mather’s role in it.

The book was written as a response to Cotton Mather’s book Wonders of the Invisible World and contains evidence not presented in the trials, such as the juror’s apologies and some of the accuser’s confessions of lying.

The book also criticizes the use of spectral evidence and criticizes Puritans for their “unscriptual” belief in witches, arguing that the Bible makes no mention of witchcraft and therefore gives no basis for the existence of witches’ pacts with the devil.

Calef then concludes the book by stating that Mather’s actions were “highly criminal” and his beliefs in witches and witchcraft made him “guilty of of sacrilege in the highest nature…”

The book consists of five parts: Part 1: Cotton Mather’s account of Margaret Rule from the fall of 1693; Part 2: Letters to Mather and his reply relating to witchcraft; Part 3: The conflict between the Salem village residents and Samuel Parris; Part IV: Letters discussing whether the recent opinions about witchcraft are orthodox; Part V: a short history of the Salem Witch Trials written by Cotton Mather.

Calef wrote the book after a visit to Salem in the spring and summer of 1692, during which he witnessed and described many of the events of the trials, such as some of the executions.

In fact, Calef’s description of the execution site was one of many sources that later helped researchers identify Proctor’s Ledge as the site of the hangings in 2016.

The book was printed in London in 1700 and then later reprinted in Salem in 1823.

♦ Cause of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits by Increase Mather

Published around November or December of 1692, but postdated to 1693 to comply with Phip’s ban, this book by Increase Mather criticizes the court’s use of spectral evidence and other evidence, such as the touch test.

In the book, Mather argued that specters could take the shape of innocent people and therefore rendered spectral evidence invalid. Mather referenced scriptures from the Bible and historical stories to illustrate his point:

“Argu I. There are several scriptures from which we may infer the possibility of what is affirmed. I. We find that the devil by the instigation of the witch at Endor appeared in the likeness of the prophet Samuel…But that is was a demon represent Samuel has been evidenced by learned and orthodox writers: especially (e) Peter Martyr, (f) Balduinus, (t) Lavater, and our incomparable John Rainolde…And that evil angels have sometimes appeared in the likeness of of living absent persons is a thing abundantly confirmed in history…Paulus and Palladius did both of them profess to Austin, that one in his shape had divers times, and in divers places appeared them (k) Thyreus; mentions several apparitions of absent living persons, which happened in his time…Nevertheless, it is evident from another scripture, viz, that in, 2 Cor 11. 14. For Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light. He seems to be what he is not, and makes others seem to be what they are not…Third scripture to our purpose is that, in Re: 12 10 where the devil is called the accuser of the brethren…”

Mather also argues that another cause of these visions and specters is that the afflicted persons might be possessed by evil spirits.

Overall, Mather’s main problem with the use of this spectral evidence is the religious consequences of it:

“To take away the life of any one; meerly because a spectre or devil, in a bewitched or possessed person does accuse them, will bring the guilt of the innocent blood on the land.”

Mather finished writing the book on October 3, 1692 and sent it to Governor Phips and presented a summary of the book to the assembly of ministers in Boston for their approval.

The manuscript circulated widely in Boston before it was finally published. Before its publication, Mather added a postscript that strongly supported the use of confessions as evidence, stating:

“More than one or two of those now in prison, have freely and credibly acknowledged their communion and and familiarity with the spirits of darkness.”

♦ Truth Held Forth & Maintained by Thomas Maule

Published in 1695, this 260 pamphlet by Salem shopkeeper Thomas Maule criticizes the Puritan leaders of Massachusetts Bay for their treatment of Quakers and for their mismanagement of the Salem Witch Trials.

In the pamphlet, Maule criticizes the use of spectral evidence in the trials, argues that many of the accused witch’s confessions were forced and states that God would adversely judge the prosecutors of the Salem Witch Trials.

On December 14, 1695, Sheriff George Corwin arrested Maule for printing the pamphlet “without license of authority”, and seized the 31 copies in his possession. Corwin then took Maule to the Salem jail and then burned the confiscated copies (Hildeburn 305.)

On December 16, 1695, Maule was brought before the council for printing the book but refused to answer any questions. The remaining copies were ordered to be burned.

Maule was finally tried in 1696 and acquitted of all charges.

♦ A Modest Enquiry Into the Nature of Witchcraft by John Hale

Written in 1697 and published posthumously in 1702, this book by John Hale, who was the pastor of the Church of Christ in Beverly, Mass, is a critique of the Salem Witch Trials.

The book discusses various witchcraft cases in New England from 1648 to 1692 and includes the events that led up to the Salem Witch Trials, many of which Hale witnessed firsthand.

Some of the events described in the book include how some of the “afflicted girls” dabbled in folk magic and fortune-telling techniques shortly before they became ill, what the afflicted girls symptoms were, how Tituba baked a “witch cake” with the help of a neighbor to identify who was bewitching the girls, how Tituba’s confession prompted officials to examine more suspects and also includes brief mentions of other accused Salem witches.

Hale concludes the book by stating that it was Satan, not witches, who hurt and tormented the afflicted girls.

Hale first became involved in the Salem Witch Trials when, on March 11, 1692, he was asked by Reverend Samuel Parris to observe the afflicted girls symptoms in order to determined what was wrong with them.

Hale later attended many of the court cases, often prayed with the accused and supported the work of the court but ultimately reconsidered his support when his wife, Sarah Noyes Hale, was herself accused of the crime on November 14, 1692.

♦ Court Records

The court records from the Salem Witch Trials include examinations of the accused witches, depositions, testimonies, petitions, formal examinations, arrest warrants and death warrants.

These court records are available on the website of the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project and were also published in a book, titled The Salem Witchcraft Papers which was edited by Paul S. Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum.

♦ The Cotton Mather Papers

Reverend Cotton Mather was a prolific writer and kept a diary from 1681-1724, wrote and published numerous sermons, and wrote many letters.

Mather’s collection of papers include a number of letters and diary entries related to the Salem Witch Trials, such as his many letters to the judges of the trials, his letters to the other ministers involved in the trials and his letters to his grandfather, John Cotton.

Some of Mather’s letters were later published in a multi-volume book, titled The Mather Papers and his diary was published in a book, titled Diary of Cotton Mather, 1681-1724 , along with many of his letters.

Mather’s letters to the Salem judges and to his grandfather are also available on the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project website.

Mather’s entire collection of papers are also located in the records of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

♦ Samuel Parris’ Sermons

Reverend Samuel Parris, pastor of the Salem Village church, delivered a series of sermons between 1689 and the autumn of 1692 related to the Salem Witch Trials.

Some historians have accused Parris of causing the Salem Witch Trials by preaching many frightening and foreboding sermons that may have possibly caused panic among his anxious and stressed parishioners.

For example, in his March 27, 1692 sermon, Parris preached that the Devil had infiltrated the church:

“Our Lord Jesus Christ knows how many Devils there are in his Church, & who they are…. What is meant here by Devils. One of you is a Devil. And by Devil is ordinarily meant any wicked Angel or Spirit: Sometimes it is put for the Prince or head of the evil Spirits, or fallen Angels. Sometimes it is used for vile & wicked persons, the worst of such, who for their villany & impiety do most resemble Devils & wicked Spirits.”

Parris’ sermons are in his manuscript sermon notebook, located in the records of the Connecticut Historical Society, and were also published in a book, titled The Sermon Notebook of Samuel Parris, 1689-1694 , which was edited by James F. Cooper and Kenneth P. Minkema.

♦ Salem Village Church Record Books

Like many churches, the Salem Village church kept records of the events at the church and the people involved. The records were written by the pastor of the church at the time.

Samuel Parris served as the pastor from 1689 to 1696 and wrote all of the records from that time period. He was replaced by Joseph Green, who wrote all of the records from 1697 to 1753 during the aftermath of the Salem Witch Trials.

The records describe events such as Mary Sibley’s confession to the congregation that she had instructed Tituba to bake what was later described as a “witch cake” in order to find out who was bewitching the afflicted girls.

Parris’ records also mention the absence of many of the dissenting parishioners during and after the trials, the excommunication of Martha Corey after her conviction of witchcraft and the efforts by some of the parishioners to remove Parris from his position due to his involvement in the trials.

Green’s records mention the failed attempt to revoke Martha Corey’s excommunication in 1702, Ann Putnam’s confession in 1706 to being “made an instrument for ye accuseing of severall persons of a grievous crime” during the trials and the successful attempt to revoke Martha Corey’s excommunication in 1707.

The Salem Village Church record books are in the Danvers Archival Center, First Church Collection, in Danvers, Mass and were also published in a book, titled Salem-Village Witchcraft which was edited by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum.

♦ Diary of Samuel Sewall

Samuel Sewall was one of the judges of the court of Oyer and Terminer, which was a special court set up to hear the Salem Witch Trials cases.

Sewall kept a diary, from 1672 to 1729, in which he described many of the events of the trials, such as Giles Corey’s death, the confession of Dorcas Hoar, the dismissal of the Court of Oyer and Terminer, his meetings the following year with some of the surviving accused witches, and his public apology for his role in the trials.

All 11 volumes of Sewall’s diaries are located in the records of the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston, Massachusetts and were also later published in a multi-volume book, titled the Diary of Samuel Sewall.

Selected excerpts of Sewall’s diaries related specifically to the Salem Witch Trials, from volume five of his diary, are available on the website of the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project.

For more info on this topic, check out the following articles on Salem Witch Trials secondary sources , the best Salem Witch Trials books and Salem Witch Trials websites .

Sources: Calef, Robert. More Wonders of the Invisible World. Salem: Cushing and Appleton, 1823. Hildeburn, Charles R. “Printing in New York in the Seventeenth Century.” The American Historical Magazine , Vol 3, The Americana Society, 1908. 304-305. Rosenthal, Bernard. Salem Story: Reading the Witch Trials of 1692. Cambridge University Press, 1993. Hill, Frances. The Salem Witch Trials Reader. DaCapo Press, 2000. Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases, 1648-1706. Edited by George Lincoln Burr, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1914. Ray, Benjamin C. Satan and Salem: The Witch-Hunt Crisis of 1692. University of Virginia Press, 2015. Miller, Jon. “Deodat Lawson, ‘Witchcraft in Salem’ (1704).” Jon Miller , www.jonmiller.org/materials/2006/05/deodat_lawson_w.html Goss, David K. Documents of the Salem Witch Trials . ABC-CLIO, 2018. “Samuel Sewall Diaries, 1672-1729.” Massachusetts Historical Society, www.masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fa0243 “17th Century Documents & Books.” Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project, University of Virginia, salem.lib.virginia.edu/17docs.html “Deodat Lawson: A Brief and True Narrative.” History Department , Hanover College, history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/212law.html “A Guide to the On-Line Primary Sources of the Salem Witch Trials.” 17th Century Colonial New England, www.17thc.us/primarysources/

2 thoughts on “ Salem Witch Trials: Primary Sources ”

This is a really good cite. Great from NHD thank you.

Thank you! As a descendant of Mary (TOWNE) ESTEY, I have a verify, verify, verify approach to family history and primary sources are always part of the quest.

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