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Witch Trials

Additional information on the Salem Witch Trials

An accused witch at trial

Intolerance leads to hysteria...

Salem Witchcraft: Holdings from Various Archives by Benjamin Ray

Mayflower and Early Families

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:

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

Rebecca Nurse Homestead

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

Ann Putnam, Jr.

Putting the Pieces Together... The Puzzle of Salem by Eric Miller

Historia: Salem in 1692 by Chris Schlect Summary of the events.

What about witches?

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

Salem Witch Trials Memorial

The Peabody-Essex Museum, in Salem, MA

The Salem Witch Museum

Medieval Sourcebook: Witchcraft Documents [15th Century]

Groton In The Witchcraft Times by Samuel A. Green, M.D., Groton, Mass. 1883

Mary Bradbury's Trial

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

Salem Wax Museum

A Problem of Authority by T.E. Wilder

Days of Judgment: The Salem Witch Trials of 1692

The Brewers' Witch WWWBoard -- The Taproom

Petition of Mary Esty

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

Witch Dungeon Museum

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

Witchcraft in Andover

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

A Salem Story on Hog Island

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

Salem Witch 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:

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.

Andover Historical Society

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.