The Salem Witch Trials: A Brief History

Salem Witch trials – Massachusetts, – Eighty-four years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, when the United States of America was still the United Colonies of America, a series of hearings occurred that came to be known as the Salem Witch Trials. By the time the trials were over, 19 people had been hanged, 5 died in prison (including an infant), and 1 was pressed to death. All of the accused were innocent.

Massachusetts Bay Colony 1692In 1692, the government of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was a theocracy, a form of government in which a deity is considered the supreme civil ruler, with the deity’s laws being interpreted by the religious authorities.

The official religion practiced in the colony was a very strict, repressive form of Christianity known as Puritanism. Believing in and practicing anything other than Puritanism was considered a capital offense, punishable by death. Among other things, the Puritans believed that active demonic forces existed, just waiting to possess them, and that witches were in league with those demons.

At this time, there was a lot of tension between the two parts of Salem – Salem Town (the coastal area known today as Salem) and Salem Village (known today as Danvers). There was an intense rivalry between the two leading families and their supporters; the Porters were connected to the wealthy port of Salem Town, while the Putnams were farmers of Salem Village. Grazing rights, property lines, and church privileges were always being disputed. In addition, England’s recent war with France had brought refugees to Salem Village, straining the community’s resources.

Finally, Salem Village’s very first ordained minister, Reverend Samuel Parris, had become a controversial figure due to his extreme rigidity. He regularly punished his parishioners publicly for the smallest infractions. The villagers believed that all of this conflict and bickering was the work of the Devil.

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The incident that started it all happened in January of 1692. Reverend Parris’ 9-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, and his 11-year-old niece, Abigail Williams, began acting strangely. They would scream, throw things around the room, make odd noises, crawl under furniture, and contort their bodies, insisting that they were being pinched and poked with pins.

The girls would have these “fits” wherever they happened to be, including the obligatory 3-hour sermons every Wednesday and Sunday. The family doctor, William Griggs, couldn’t find evidence of any physical illness, and suggested witchcraft as a possible cause. Soon after, Dr. Griggs’ own grandniece and adopted daughter, Elizabeth Hubbard (age 17), began to exhibit the same symptoms. Twelve-year-old Ann Putnam, Jr., followed suit a few weeks later. What happened next would not only change Salem forever, but America as well.

In June 1692, the first convicted witch, Bridget Bishop, was hanged. Eighteen others followed Bishop to Salem’s Gallows Hill in the next few months. By September 1692, the hysteria had begun to abate and public opinion turned against the trials. Governor William Phips dissolved the special court that had been established to hear the witchcraft cases, and the trials came to an end in May 1693.

The Factors That Led to the Salem Witch Trials

There are a number of factors that contributed to the start of the Salem witch trials. One factor was the Puritan belief in the supernatural. The Puritans believed that the devil was real and that he was constantly trying to tempt people into sin. They also believed that witches were in league with the devil and could use their powers to harm others.

Another factor that contributed to the trials was the social and economic tensions in Salem Village at the time. The village was experiencing a period of rapid change, and many people were feeling anxious and insecure. The witch trials provided a way for people to express their fears and frustrations.

Finally, the witch trials were also influenced by the political climate in Massachusetts at the time. The colony was in the midst of a power struggle between two factions, and the witch trials were used by both sides to attack their opponents.

The Salem witch trials were a dark chapter in American history. They were a reminder of the dangers of fear, superstition, and intolerance.