25 DISTURBING Facts About The Salem Witch Trials - YouTube the devil's army against the Puritans, probably in an effort to protect herself from certain conviction by serving as an informant. No other mode of punishment was entertained by the Salem puritans. Alexander, Mary Jane. They accused several women in their town of being witches. Witches have been the origin of many myths and legends. The witch trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. Salem Witch Trials - Events, Facts & Victims - HISTORY The Witchcraft Trials in Salem: An Account. Famous Trials. In October 1692, a girl in Andover accused a neighbors dog of trying to bewitch her. Upon interrogation, the girls named Tituba (an Indian woman enslaved by the Parris family), Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne as witches. For those who are unaware, Salem is located in Massachusetts, which, as you might remember from history class, was New Englands first established colony dating back to the arrival of the Pilgrims of the Mayflower at Plymouth in 1620. As the trials continued, accusations extended beyond Salem Village to surrounding communities. A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials - Smithsonian Magazine PDF Marc Callis, "The Aftermath of the Salem Witch Trials in Colonial Thanks for your time! The people of Salem often ate rye bread,and in wet, swampy conditions (which Salem had at the time), rye can foster a fungus called ergot. So if you celebrate Christmas and live in Massachusetts today, be happy you were born when you were! One exception was Giles Corey, who refused to stand for trialhe believed the court had already decided his fate, and he didn't want his property to be confiscated upon his verdict of being found guilty. As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure. Check out the top history lists on the internet all in one place. The Salem witch trials are considered one of Americas most noteworthy cases of mass hysteria. On August 21, 1692, aided by two Boston ministers, Philip and Mary fled for New York, forfeiting a 4,000 bond and leaving their daughter in the care of a friend. Animals in the Salem Witch Trials. History of Massachusetts Blog, February 20, 2012. https://historyofmassachusetts.org/animals-in-the-salem-witch-trials/. "Examination of a witch" by Tompkins Harrison Matteson (1853) Salem Witch Trial Research Paper .docx - 1 Gabriela He attempted to save himself by writing to clergy in Boston that mass hysteria had taken over the village, but they acted too slowly to save him: He was executed on August 19, 1692. Even some members of his congregation at the time wanted to see him dismissed from his pew in response to his aggressive prosecuting role in the episode. He was stripped naked and covered with heavy boards. A total of 25 people died because of the Salem witch trials. Bridget Bishop, a woman considered to have questionable morals, was the first to be tried and executed during the Salem witch trials. The True Legal Horror Story of the Salem Witch Trials They thought that when witches baked cakes, that they were casting a spell in it. The litany of odd behaviour also mirrored that of the children of a Boston family who in 1688 were believed to have been bewitched, a description of which had been provided by Congregational minister Cotton Mather in his book Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcraft and Possessions (1689) and which may have been known by the girls in Salem Village. Here are 42 wicked facts about the Salem witch trials. 9 Things You Might Not Know About the Salem Witch Trials, The world's largest online family history resource - Start now, New England, Salem Witches and Others Tried for Witchcraft, 1647-1697, 6 Unusual Last Names You Wont Believe Exist, The Experience of an Ancestral Home Visit, Discovering African American Heroes in My Family Tree. His vocal support for his wifewho was also accused of witchcraftand claims that the accusers were lying were among the possible reasons why suspicion fell on him as well. What Is The Historical Significance Of The Salem Witch Trials Just when did the Salem witch trials take place in the timeline of American history? Children were also accused of witchcraft. Colonial America for Kids: Salem Witch Trials - Ducksters 23 Salem Facts: Read More About The Horrifying Past Of This Town I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. Some of the families now only remembered for their connection to the trials had actually been important and well-known people before that. One of the most notorious periods of American history, the Salem witch trials of 1692 resulted in the execution by hanging of fourteen women and five men who were accused of being witches during a period of mass hysteria. Despite being known as the Salem witch trials, some of the trials actually took place in Ipswich and Andover in addition to Salem itself. In 1635, Plymouth Colony made it a crime to "form a solemn compact with the devil by way of witchcraft." As late as the 19 th century, women were persecuted for cursing butter churns, making animals sick and causing people to die. Despite the horrible and senseless loss of life and community divisions that the witch trials caused, some historians believe that the traumatic incident had a silver lining. Those people lived in quite a horrific time. The 1692 Salem witch trials are a big blot on American history. The Salem Witch Trials were a series of trial that took place in 1692, when it was believed "witches" were casting spells on people in the village of Salem. Accessed May 6, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Phips. Proof at the Salem Witch Trials - American Bar Association From unbelievable witch swimming tests to the role of Salem smallpox in the trials, this list will bring you every crazy witch trial fact that you never knew existed! Other girls and young women began experiencing fits, among them Ann Putnam, Jr.; her mother; her cousin, Mary Walcott; and the Putnamss servant, Mercy Lewis. Unfortunately for Bishop, that allegation of witchcraft would not be her last. The Salem trials occurred late in the sequence, after the abatement of the European witch-hunt fervour, which peaked from the 1580s and 90s to the 1630s and 40s. It involved a woman by the name of Tituba, a most likely South American slave from Barbados, who was the first victim of Salems witchcraft accusations. They began in 1692, a full 73 years before the start of the American Revolution and some 40 years before George Washington was even born. Three presidents William Howard Taft, Chester Arthur, and Gerald Ford have been said to descend from one of Salems executed witches or their siblings. Far more women than men were among the accused, convicted and executed. It is easy to feel like we've long known everything there is to know about it. They were eventually assumed to be possessed. One of the people who perished in prison was only an infant. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. Omissions? When the first accusations of witchcraft began in Salem Village, they initially targeted women. Historically, women were the ones to be called witches, and unfortunately, they were also the . Here are 10 things you need to know about the notorious witch trials. According to the warrant for her apprehension, she was called for trial on March 23, 1692, under suspicion of witchcraft after being accused by Edward Putnam. Back in the 17th - century there was a great amount of stress caused by many different things in that era. Credits: Danvers Lunatic Asylum: CHRONICLES- Danvers State Hospital | Danvers Witchcraft was considered a crime against the church and the state. This database contains information on more than 200 individuals formally accused and put on trial for witchcraft in New England between 1647 and 1697, including those accused in the Salem witch trials. Were always looking for your input! Due to its association with the supernatural and the haunted, Salem is now a popular destination for Halloween festivities, which run throughout the month of October. Ergot causes hallucinations, convulsive fits, and sometimes death, and LSD derives from the substance. Millers famous play about the Salem witch trials is called The Cruciblebut what is a crucible anyway? What Were The Salem Witch Trials? Explore The Facts And History Take, Salvador Dali was a man of contradictions. Seventeenth century Salem also gave birth to stories of courageous stands for reason, hopeful births, and acts of clemency and mercy. Spooky stories abound at the Witch House in Salem, Massachusetts. Episode 44 Danvers State Mental Hospital & Salem Witch Trials: Carol checks herself in with the lunatics at the legendary Danvers asylum while Holly confesses to witchcraft on the stand in Salem, Massachusetts. Ever since those dark days ended, the trials have become synonymous with mass hysteria and scapegoating. This often led to panicked citizens pointing out their innocent neighbors, adding to the rising toll of victims. 1 Majority Of Victims Were Girls Under Age 20 The Salem witch trials have been studied for centuries, and there is still no clear consensus on what exactly happened. Twenty people were put to death in Salem for the crime of witchcraft. Here are three notable facts about the Salem witch trials: About 42-50 people died being accused of witchcraft over the course of 300 years. But the accusations didnt stop there. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. Ancestry has made a home for a piece of that history in its online collection, New England, Salem Witches and Others Tried for Witchcraft, 1647-1697. The feud was over the fact that Kazan had named communist sympathizers during his testimony to Congress. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The town of Andover in northeastern Massachusetts, not Salem Village, had the highest number of accused (42 accused in Andover versus 26 accused in Salem Village).However, it was Salem Village where the witch trials were taken to such drastic lengths. The trials came to an abrupt halt when the Governors wife was accused of witchcraft, causing him to immediately order an end to the trials. 7 Facts About The Salem Witch Trials - 7 Strange Things Despite the Salem witch trials occurring centuries ago, researchers only just found the execution site for the trials in 2016. This obviously meant that you must also be a witch. Accessed May 6, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_of_the_Salem_witch_trials. By the end of the Salem witch trials, 19 people had been hanged and 5 others had died in custody. Thomas Maule, a Quaker who found himself at odds with the Puritan community at times, was beaten and imprisoned for speaking out against the trials, despite the fact that he himself believed in witches.