The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. The trials resulted in the executions of twenty people, fourteen of them women, and the imprisonment of over 150 others. The trials began when two young girls, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, began exhibiting strange behavior. They claimed to be possessed by witches and accused several women in the community of bewitching them. The accusations quickly spread, and soon dozens of people were accused of witchcraft. The trials were conducted by a special court, the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which was created to handle the increasing number of witchcraft cases.

Understanding the Salem Witch Trials

Engraving of a witchcraft trial at Salem Village. The central figure in this 1876 illustration of the courtroom is usually identified as Mary Walcott.

Salem, Massachusetts in 1691 was the home of a Puritan community with a strict moral code. In addition to the difficulties of farming in a harsh climate with rough terrain, Salem faced economic and political unrest. In this community, a group of girls accused an Indian slave named Tituba of witchcraft. Tituba confessed under pressure from court officials, and her confession ignited a hunt for witches that left 19 men and women hanged, one man pressed to death, and over 150 more people in prison awaiting a trial. In this lesson, students will explore the characteristics of the Puritan community in Salem, learn about the Salem Witchcraft Trials, and try to understand how and why this event occurred.

Guiding Questions

What was life like in Puritan New England?

What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?

To what extent do the historic records show that the accused were innocent until proven guilty?

Learning Objectives

Describe cultural practices of the majority in Puritan New England.

Create a timeline of the events of the Salem Witch Trials.

Analyze multiple interpretations of the Salem Witch Trials.

Construct a position on whether the trials were justified.

A More Perfect Union

History & Social Studies

Lesson Plan Details

Salem, Massachusetts in the late 1600s faced a number of serious challenges to a peaceful social fabric. Salem was divided into a prosperous town and a farming village. The villagers, in turn, were split into factions that fiercely debated whether to seek ecclesiastical and political independence from the town. In 1689 the villagers won the right to establish their own church and chose the Reverend Samuel Parris, a former merchant, as their minister. His rigid ways and seemingly boundless demands for compensation increased the already present friction. Many villagers vowed to drive Parris out, and they stopped contributing to his salary in October 1691.

These local concerns only compounded the severe social stresses that had already been affecting New England for two decades. A 1675 conflict with the Indians known as King Philip's War had resulted in more deaths relative to the size of the population than any other war in American history. A decade later, in 1685, King James II's government revoked the Massachusetts charter. A new royally-appointed governor, Sir Edmund Andros, sought to unite New England, New York, and New Jersey into a single Dominion of New England. He tried to abolish elected colonial assemblies, restrict town meetings, and impose direct control over militia appointments, and permitted the first public celebration of Christmas in Massachusetts, a celebration of which Puritans strongly disapproved. After William III replaced James II as King of England in 1689, Andros's government was overthrown, but Massachusetts was required to eliminate religious qualifications for voting and to extend religious toleration to sects such as the Quakers. The late seventeenth century also saw a increase in the number of black slaves in New England, which further unsettled the existing social order.

In February 1692, Betty Parris, Reverend Parris's daughter, as well as her friends Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam, became ill with symptoms that doctors could not diagnose, including fits and delirium. Dr. Griggs, who attended to the "afflicted" girls, suggested that they might be bewitched. Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Mary Warren later claimed affliction as well.

Prodded by Parris and others, the girls named their tormentors: Sarah Good, a poor woman; Sarah Osbourn, an elderly woman; and Tituba, a slave who had told them stories involving Vudou beliefs. The women were tried for witchcraft - Good and Osbourn claimed innocence, and Tituba confessed. Tituba's detailed confession included a claim that there were several undiscovered witches who wanted to destroy the community. This caused a witch-hunting rampage: 19 men and women were hanged, one man was pressed to death, and over 150 more people were imprisoned, awaiting trial.

On September 22, 1692, the last eight alleged witches were hanged. On October 8, 1692, Governor Phipps ordered that spectral evidence (when someone claimed to witness a person's spirit in a separate location from that same person's physical body) could no longer be admitted in witchcraft trials. On October 29, 1692 Phipps prohibited further arrests and released many accused witches. The remaining alleged witches were pardoned by May 1693. The hangings of witches in 1692 were the last such hangings in America.

For more information, see the following EDSITEment-reviewed websites:

• Digital History: The Salem Witch Scare
• Witchcraft in Salem Village
  • Overview
  • Tituba Biography
  Content Standards

  NCSS. D1.1.6-8. Explain how a question represents key ideas in the field.

  NCSS.D2.His.1.6-8. Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.

  NCSS.D2.His.2.6-8. Classify series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity.

  NCSS.D2.His.3.6-8. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.

  NCSS.D2.His.4.6-8. Analyze multiple factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.

  NCSS.D2.His.5.6-8. Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time.

  Preparation
  • Review the lesson plan. Locate and bookmark suggested materials and other useful websites. Download and print out documents you will use and duplicate copies as necessary for student viewing.
  • Students can access the primary source materials and some of the activity materials via the EDSITEment LaunchPad.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Salem Witch Trials. For an overview, consult Digital History. For more detailed information, consult Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive.
  • If you plan to have students create pictures, or if you want to use larger sized paper for your students' timelines, be sure to have those materials handy.
  • Though each reading activity provides questions for discussion for the readings, teachers may wish to spend a few minutes with students asking introductory questions to help distill what they have read.
  Lesson Activities

  The trials were conducted by a special court, the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which was created to handle the increasing number of witchcraft cases. The court relied heavily on spectral evidence, which was testimony from witnesses who claimed to have seen the accused person's spirit tormenting or harassing the accuser. This type of evidence was highly subjective and impossible to disprove, leading to many false accusations and unjust convictions.

  Activity 1. Life in Puritan New England

  Separate the class into four groups, and assign each group one section of the EDSITEment Study Activity under the label Understanding Puritan New England. Offer them the following instructions, and suggest that they distribute the reading evenly and return to discuss the questions after 10–15 minutes of reading. Instructors might also consider assigning this reading the night before as homework.

  Instructions for students: Just as the society around us shapes the way we think and act, so did it shape the people of Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s. Look at the websites listed below, and, on a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions about life in Puritan New England. Note that many of the websites contain interactive images. Click on the images to open them, and mouse-over the image to discover more about it.

  Group One:

  1. What values that we now consider 'American' were contributed by the Puritans?
  2. In the 1920s, how did people remember the Puritans? Define the word 'caricature' and explain how it relates to the Puritans.
  3. To what extent did Puritans condemn alcohol consumption, artistic beauty, and poetry?
  4. What did the Puritans believe was the primary purpose of government?
  5. What did the Puritans think about the separation of church and state?
  6. What is a 'separatist'? Were the Puritans 'separatists'? If not, describe their philosophy regarding the Church of England.
  7. What is a 'covenant'? Explain the function of 'covenants' in the way the Puritans saw the world.
  8. Did Puritans believe in tightly knit communities and families, or did they value families that were dispersed?
  9. Describe some reasons why Puritans came to America from Europe.
  10. What were some of the strategies New England colonists used to deal with the labor shortage?
  11. Describe some of the religious beliefs of the Puritans.

  Group Two

  1. What values that we now consider 'American' were contributed by the Puritans?
  2. Look up the word 'Patriarchal' in the dictionary. Define what it means, in your own words.
  3. What were some of the responsibilities of men in the 1700s in Colonial New England? What were some of the responsibilities of women?
  4. Explain how the story of Adam and Eve was used to perpetuate prevailing ideas about men and women.
  5. Were schools important in New England? Did people know how to read?
  6. Were there as many schools in other parts of America as there were in New England?
  7. Did wealthy people tend to spend a lot of money? What are some of the things you think they would buy?
  8. What does 'conspicuous consumption' mean?
  9. Why did so many children die at young ages in colonial New England?

  Group Three

  1. What values that we now consider 'American' were contributed by the Puritans?
  2. According to your reading, what did most Europeans think of the North American Landscape?
  3. What were some early colonial industries?
  4. What was the center of public and religious life in New England?
  5. Describe the common field system.
  6. What were some results of European fences, mills, grass, and livestock being brought to New England?
  7. Explain how a mill worked.
  8. What were the criteria that a committee would use to "seat" the meetinghouse?
  9. Who was allowed to vote? What did they vote on?

  Ask students to explore the EDSITEment-reviewed websites using the Study Activity and questions as guides. Once they have answered all of the questions, ask students to prepare a summary of what they learned to present to the class. Have everyone contribute to the overall discussion about Puritan values (the same question begins each list), and then have students present their information to the class. This should be no more than a few sentences highlighting the key concepts of the aspect of Puritan life that they researched.

  

  The trials were marked by hysteria and fear, with neighbors turning against neighbors and families torn apart. People accused of witchcraft were often subjected to harsh interrogations and torture, including being dunked in water or tied up and thrown into rivers to test their guilt. These methods were based on the belief that witches were unable to drown or feel pain. The trials finally ended in May 1693 when the governor of Massachusetts, William Phips, disbanded the court and established a new court to handle the remaining cases. Many of the accused were released from jail, but the damage had already been done. The trials had left a lasting stain on the community and a legacy of injustice. The Salem witch trials have been the subject of much study and debate over the years. They serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of mass hysteria, the manipulation of fear, and the importance of due process and evidence in the judicial system. The trials also serve as a reminder of the complex social and religious dynamics of colonial America and the role of women in society at the time..

  Reviews for "Comparing the Salem Witch Trials to Other Historical Witch Hunts"

  1. Mary Johnson - 2/5

  I was really excited to read "Salem witch tests" as I am a fan of historical fiction, but I was ultimately disappointed. The writing style felt forced and unnatural, and the characters lacked depth. The plot was predictable and unimaginative, and I found myself losing interest halfway through the book. Overall, "Salem witch tests" fell short of my expectations and I wouldn't recommend it to others.

  2. Thomas Smith - 1/5

  I couldn't finish "Salem witch tests" as it felt like a chore to read. The pacing was incredibly slow, and there were too many unnecessary descriptions and details that did nothing to enhance the story. The dialogue was stiff and unrealistic, and the characters were one-dimensional. It's a shame because I was intrigued by the concept of the Salem witch trials, but this book failed to captivate me in any way.

  3. Elizabeth Richards - 2/5

  "Salem witch tests" had the potential to be an interesting historical novel, but it fell flat for me. The writing lacked finesse, with awkward and clunky phrasing throughout. The characters were forgettable, and their motivations were unclear. Additionally, the plot was predictable and lacked any real surprises. I was hoping for a more engaging and immersive experience, but unfortunately, I was left disappointed.

  4. James Thompson - 1/5

  I found "Salem witch tests" to be incredibly tedious and unoriginal. The story dragged on and offered no fresh perspective on the Salem witch trials. The dialogue was stilted, and the characters were uninteresting and lacked development. The historical setting could have been utilized to create a sense of atmosphere and tension, but instead, it felt like an afterthought. I would not recommend wasting your time on this lackluster novel.

  5. Sarah Davis - 2/5

  I had high hopes for "Salem witch tests" being an avid reader of historical fiction, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The writing was average at best, lacking the descriptive detail and immersive atmosphere that I look for in this genre. The plot was predictable and lacked any real depth or complexity. While I appreciate the author's attempt to shed light on the Salem witch trials, the execution was lackluster and left me wanting more. I would not recommend this book to fellow fans of historical fiction.

  Exploring the Influence of Folklore and Folk Beliefs in the Salem Witch Trials