The Salem Witch Trials: A Dark Time In American History

The Salem Witch Trials of 1690s was an extremely dark time in American history. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria. The events that led to this hysteria caused the people of Salem to be deeply affected by this terrible time in our history. With that in mind, the outcome of these trials caused people to be killed even if they were innocent. Historians believe that this time in our history was immensely unfair and no one had a fair trial. According to the (historyofmassachusetts.org) The Salem Witch Trials were a series of witchcraft cases brought before local magistrates in a settlement called Salem which was a part of the Massachusetts Bay colony in the 17th century. Never before
this time in history, were people accused for witchcraft as much as they were during this era. The events of these trials caused people to be taken abruptly from their home, separated from their family, and immediately thrown in jail. Many people believe that the main event that led up to these trials was when 9 year old Elizabeth (Betty) Parris and 11 year old Abigail Williams began having fits, including violent contortions and uncontrollable outbursts of screaming. After a local doctor, William Griggs, diagnosed bewitchment, other young girls in the community began to exhibit similar symptoms, including Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Elizabeth Hubbard, Mary Walcott and Mary Warren. In late February, arrest warrents were issued for the Parris’ Caribbean slave, Tituba, along with two other women–the homeless beggar Sarah Good and the poor, elderly Sarah Osborn–whom the girls accused of bewitching them.