Witch Trials
Additional information on the Salem Witch Trials
Intolerance leads to hysteria...
Salem Witchcraft: Holdings from Various Archives by Benjamin Ray
The Carey Document: On The Trail of a Salem Death Warrant by Bryan F. Le Beau
North American Witches and Witch Trials by I. Marc Carlson
Notable Women Ancestors: Witches by Sam Casey This site includes links to biographies of many women accused of witchcraft, including:
- A superb, well-documented biography by Sam Casey of Susanna North Martin, executed for witchcraft in 1692, with links to transcriptions of the warrant for her arrest, her indictment, and depositions of John Pressey, John & Mary Pressey, and Bernard Peach; Jarvis Ring & Joseph Ring (2); John Kimball, John Allen, Joseph Knight & Elizabeth Clark; Robert Downer, Mary Andrews, Moses Pike, Thomas Putnam, Sam Parris, Nathaniel Ingersoll, Abigial Williams & Ann Putnam, Jr.; William Brown, Elizabeth Hubbard, Mercy Lewis, Sarah Vibber, John Atkinson & Sarah Atkinson.
- Elizabeth Jackson Howe, by Cynthia (Frazier) Abbott
- Rebecca Nurse, by Dana A. Wildes
- Sarah Wild(e), by Rhonda Little
Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe and America by Jeffrey Merrick and Richard M. Golden
National Geographic's Salem Witchcraft Hysteria
National Geographic's Salem Witch Hysteria Ask an Expert by Richard Trask
Joan's Witch Directory - The European Witch Trials by Joan Pontius
The Salem Witchcraft Trials by Doug Lindner
Danvers Archival Center: Witchcraft in Salem Village
Witchcraft Accusations Feb. 29-Mar.31, 1692 by Ben Ray
Witchcraft Accusations: Feb. 29-Mar. 31, 1692 by Benjamin Ray
Goody Cole and Jonathan Moulton by John Putnam Demos
Cases of Conscience concerning evil SPIRITS Personating Men, Witchcrafts, infallible Proofs of Guilt in such as are accused with that Crime. by Increase Mather
The Malleus Maleficarum by Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger
The Salem Witchcraft Trials Live Cabin Chat
The Salem Witchcraft Trials Forum Frigate
Witch City -- Our Review by Peg Aloi
Salem Witch Trials 1692: A Chronology of Events
Witches-Salem by Joan Pontius
A Super Huge Time Line of Witch Trial History by Joan Pontius
Putting the Pieces Together... The Puzzle of Salem by Eric Miller
Historia: Salem in 1692 by Chris Schlect Summary of the events.
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692
Robert Calef, 1700, Opposer of Witch Trials
FAQs About the Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials Discussion Questions
Examination of a Witch by T. E. Matteson
The Peabody-Essex Museum, in Salem, MA
Medieval Sourcebook: Witchcraft Documents [15th Century]
- Innocent VIII: BULL Summis desiderantes, Dec. 5th, 1484
- Johannes Nider, the ANT HILL, circa 1437, Nider, Formicarius, ed. of Augsburg, ca. 1476Lib. V. cap. 3
- Extracts from THE HAMMER OF WITCHES [Malleus maleficarum], 1486
Groton In The Witchcraft Times by Samuel A. Green, M.D., Groton, Mass. 1883
Recovered documents give a glimpse of 17th-century colonial trials
Rediscovering America: The Salem Witch Trials
Books about the Salem Witchcraft Trials, specifically for young readers
Books about the Salem Witchcraft Trials
Research Guide To Some Materials on Witchcraft at the Connecticut State Library
Biography of Rebecca Nurse by Allan Gilbertson
A Problem of Authority by T.E. Wilder
Days of Judgment: The Salem Witch Trials of 1692
The Brewers' Witch WWWBoard -- The Taproom
E! Online - Fact Sheet - Three Sovereigns for Sarah (1985)
A Time Line of Witch Trial History by Joan Pontius
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions: Joan's Witch Directory by Joan Pontius
The Witch and the Devil in Art by Joan Pontius
The Witches' League for Public Awareness
Witches of Salem: The Horror and the Hope
The Crucible: Activity 2: Letter of Persuasion/Tribute to the Accused by Don Mayfield
Lycos Community Guide: Salem Witch Trials
The History Channel's History on Trial: The Salem Witch Trials
The Associated Daughters of Early American Witches
Mary's Notable Women Ancestors
Witch trial history, folklore, and more
Petition Put Up by Mr. Sewall on the Fast Day, January 14, 1697
Giles Corey of Salem, Massachusetts by L. David Roper
Primary Source Microfilm: Witchcraft in Europe and America
Dance with the Devil by Roxy Surf
The Salem Witch Trials Page by Tim Sutter
Chronology of Events Relating to the Salem Witchcraft Trials
A Village Possessed: A True Story of Witchcraft
Revenge in the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria: The Putnam Family and George Burroughs by Anastasia Karson
The History of Witchcraft by Dr. Whitney Leeson, Roanoke College
Cory Family Society: Giles Cory and the Salem Witch Craft Trials
Confessions of a Harvard-Trained Witch Hunter: An Analysis of Judge Samuel Sewall's Confession of his Role in the Salem Witch Trials by G. Joseph Gatis
The Crucible and the Classroom: An Examination of Arthur Miller's Technique of Dealing with the Devil by George M. Ella
A Sketch of Bridget Bishop by Mai-Linh Gonzales Westwood
Teacher Serve from the National Humanities Center: Divining America: 17th and 18th Centuries A variety of essays on early American history, with particular emphasis on the role religion played in the daily lives of the people:
- Native American Religion in Early America, by Christine Leigh Heyrman
- Puritanism and Predestination, by Christine Leigh Heyrman
- Witchcraft in Salem Village: Intersections of Religion and Society, by Christine Leigh Heyrman
- The Middle Colonies as the Birthplace of American Religious Pluralism, by Patricia U. Bonomi
- The Church of England in Early America, Christine Leigh Heyrman
- Religion, Women, and the Family in Early America, by Christine Leigh Heyrman
Petition of 10 Persons of Ipswich
The Salem Witchcraft Trials 1692
Map of Andover, MA, in 1692 by Research on North Andover Center by Forbes Rockwell & Carl R. Smith. Research on other areas by Gratia Mahony. Map drawn by James S. Batchelder.
The Salem Witch Trials were among the last outbreaks of persecution for accused witches, but it was also one of the darkest times in American history. The episode began when a few young girls were caught playing with a crystal ball. In an attempt to escape punishment, they claimed to have been bothered by a witch. With almost an insane fervor, authorities—acting rashly—proceeded to seek out and punish the witch responsible for tormenting the girls.
The town's newly arrived minister, Samuel Parris, not only did nothing to easy people's fears, but in fact helped to fuel them by telling people witches were everywhere and no one could be trusted. Neighbor accused neighbor and many profited personally from the confiscation of property. The need for retribution against any suspected witch eventually deteriorated to the point where "spectral evidence" was accepted. Spectral evidence involved witnesses being allowed to testify in court that a spirit had told them about someone being a witch.
By the time this tragedy closed nineteen people had been hanged as suspected witches and over 150 more had been imprisoned for varying lengths of time. Most of those imprisoned or killed were on the fringes of society or members of families that Samuel Parris considered to be trouble-makers.
Back to Pilgrims: Imported Intolerance
Timeline: 672-1500 | Timeline: 1501-1650 | Timeline: 1651-Today
