The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials began in 1692. There were 141 people were arrested, and of those, 19 were hanged and one was
crushed to death. What caused such hysteria to sweep through a town, causing such fanatical stories? Was it boredom or
jealously? What would cause people to turn on their own, to believe them to be witches, possessed by the devil?

Sadly, of all those involved in condemning 20 people to death, Samuel Sewell is the only judge to come forth five years
later and publicly admit his wrongful judgements and errors. Samuel Parris was the local minister. He had a slave, Tituba,
who cared for his daughter, Betty and his 11 year old niece Abigail. Tituba passed on stories to the girls about voodoo.

For reasons that no one is sure the girls started having fits, making strange noises and contorting their bodies. Tituba was
soon suspected a witch.

Dr. William Griggs examined the girls, and could find nothing wrong, so he diagnosed bewitchment. The 17th century
Puritans believed in witchcraft as a cause of sickness and death. They also believed witches targeted children to afflict.

The first accused were the slave Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. Though the girls could have easily stopped this,
they told all sorts of strange stories, which eventually led to 19 deaths.

When the trials began, the girls fell into fits claiming the accused women were biting them, pinching them, and roaming
the room appearing as a animal or bird. After being beaten earlier and under pressure, Tituba admitted to being a witch.

She stated that a black dog had threatened her and ordered her to hurt the girls. She also said that she had ridden
through the air on a pole to witches meetings with the other two accused.

Tituba then claimed that there were more witches, about six, who were led by a tall, white haired man. All three women
were taken to a prison in Boston.

The girls were pressured to name more witches. A massive witch hunt had begun. More people were arrested and left in
prison, awaiting trials.

Another woman's own husband testified against her. Martha Corey maintained her innocence in court, even as the girls fits
of torment and anguish in court convinced the court that she was a witch.

Rebecca Nurse was soon accused. She was an outstanding member of the community. By this time, everyone was
believing what the "afflicted" girls were saying.

Perhaps the most tragic of the Salem Witch Trials, even more tragic than the deaths, was four year old Dorcas Good.
Good, although only a child was sent to prison and placed in chains.