The Salem witch trials of 1692 were a series of hearings and prosecutions in colonial Massachusetts where more than 200 people were accused of witchcraft, resulting in 30 convictions and 19 executions by hanging, with others dying in jail or under torture
How the Salem Witch Trials Happened
Initial events and accusations:
The trials began in February 1692 in Salem Village (now Danvers), when two
young girls, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, started exhibiting strange
fits and behaviors such as screaming, convulsing, and claiming to be pinched
and pricked. A local doctor found no physical cause, leading to suspicions of
witchcraft. The first accused were three women—Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and
Tituba—who were blamed for afflicting the girls
. Social and political context:
The trials were fueled by a mix of religious extremism, local rivalries
(notably between the Putnam and Porter families), social tensions, fear of
Native American attacks, and recent smallpox epidemics. The Puritan belief
system strongly held that the devil was active in the world and that witches
were his followers using harmful magic. This created a fertile ground for
paranoia and accusations
. Legal proceedings:
A special court called the Court of Oyer and Terminer was established in Salem
Town in June 1692 to hear the witchcraft cases. This court accepted "spectral
evidence"—testimony based on dreams and visions—which heavily influenced
convictions. The first person executed was Bridget Bishop in June 1692,
followed by others over the next months. The court was disbanded in October
1692 by Governor William Phips due to growing doubts about the evidence and
pressure from petitions and prominent citizens, including the governor’s wife
. End of the trials:
After the Court of Oyer and Terminer was dissolved, a new Superior Court of
Judicature took over in 1693, which did not allow spectral evidence. Most
remaining accused were acquitted or pardoned, effectively ending the trials.
Over time, apologies were issued, and compensation was paid to victims'
families. The trials have since become a symbol of mass hysteria, injustice,
and the dangers of extremism and fear-driven persecution
Summary
- The trials started with young girls' mysterious fits and accusations against marginalized women.
- Religious beliefs, local feuds, and social stresses amplified fears of witchcraft.
- A special court accepted dubious evidence leading to convictions and executions.
- Public and elite skepticism eventually ended the trials and led to pardons.
- The Salem witch trials remain a cautionary tale about paranoia and injustice
