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 a total of 20 people being executed, 14 of them women, and 5 others dying in jail. The events leading up to the trials began in January 1692 when a group of young girls in Salem Village started having fits and exhibiting strange behavior. The local doctor attributed these symptoms to witchcraft, and the girls accused several women in the community of bewitching them. In February 1692, the first arrests were made, with three women accused of witchcraft. As the hysteria spread, more and more people were accused, including men and women from all walks of life.
Salem witch trials timeline
The Trial Timeline February 29 th : warrants are issued for the arrest of Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. Good and Osborne plead innocent, Tituba confesses to her guilt and continues to testify that there existence of a conspiracy among the witches of Salem.
March 1 st : Magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathon Corwin examine Tituba, Good and Osborne in a meetinghouse in Salem Village. Tituba confesses to witchcraft. Many people come forward during the next few weeks testifying that they too had been harmed and make accusations against various people in the village. Women whose behavior and economic circumstances that "disturbed" the social order or conventions of the time were often accused of Witchcraft.
March 12 th : Martha Corey is accused of witchcraft
March 19 th : Rebecca Nurse is accused of witchcraft
March 21 st : Martha Corey examined before Magistrates Hathorne and Corwin
March 24 th : Rebecca Nurse examined before Magistrates Hathorne and Corwin
March 28 th : Elizabeth Proctor denounced as a witch.
April 3 rd : Sarah Cloyce, Rebecca Nurse�s sister, accused of witchcraft
April 11 th : Elizabeth Proctor and Sarah Cloyce examined before Hathorne, Corwin, Deputy governor Thomas Danforth, and Captain Samuel Sewall. During the examination, John Proctor was also accused and imprisoned.
April 19 th : Abigail Hobbs, Bridget Bishop, Giles Corey, and Mary Warren examined. Abigail Hobbs confesses.
April 22 nd : Nehemiah Abbott, William and Deliverance Hobbs, Edward and Sarah Bishop, Mary Easty, Mary Black, Sarah Wildes, and Mary English examined before Hathorne and Corwin. Only Nehemiah Abbott is cleared of charges.
May 2 nd : Sarah Morey, Lydia Dustin, Susannah Marin, and Dorcas Hoar examined by Hathorne and Corwin
May 4 th : George Burroughs arrested in Wells, Maine.
May 9 th : Burroughs examined by Hathorne, Corwin, Sewall, and William Stoughton. One of the afflicted girls, Sarah Churchill, was also examined.
May 10 th : George Jacobs, Sr. and his granddaughter Margaret were examined before Hathorne and Corwin. Margaret Confesses and testifies that her grandfather and George Burroughs are both witches.
Sarah Osborne dies in prison in Boston.
May 14 th : Mather returns from England, bringing with him a new charter and the governor, Sir William Phips
May 18 th : Mary Easty released from prison. Yet, she is arrested a second time due to outcries.
May 27 th : Governor Phips establishes a special Court of Oyer and Terminer comprised of seven judges to try the witchcraft cases. Appointed are Lieutenant Governor William Stoughton, Nathaniel Saltonstall, Bartholomew Gedney, Peter Sergeant, Samuel Sewall, Wait Still Winthrop, John Richards, John Hathorne, and Jonathan Corwin.
May 31 st : Martha Carrier, John Alden, Wilmott Redd, Elizabeth Howe, and Phillip English are examined before Hathorne, Corwin, and Gedney.
June 2 nd : Initial session of the Court of Oyer and Terminer. Bridget Bishop is the first to be pronounced guilty of witchcraft and condemned to death.
Early June: Soon after Bridget Bishop�s trial, Nathaniel Saltonstall resigned from the court, dissatisfied with its proceedings.
June 10 th : Bridget Bishop is hanged in Salem, the first official execution of the Salem Witch Trials. Following her death, accusations of witchcraft escalate, but the trials are not unopposed. Several townspeople sign petitions on behalf of accused people they believe to be innocent.
June 29 th � 30 th : Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Sarah Wildes, Sarah Good and Elizabeth Howe are tried for witchcraft and condemned.
Mid-July: In an effort to expose the witches afflicting his life, Joseph Ballard of nearby Andover enlisted the aid of the accusing girls in Salem. This action mards the beginning of the Andover witch hunt.
July 19 th : Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth Howe, Sarah Good, and Sarah Wildes are executed.
August 2-6th: George Jacobs, Sr., Martha Carrier, George Burroughs, John and Elizabeth Proctor, and john Willard are tried for witchcraft and condemned.
August 19 th : George Jacobs, Sr., Martha Carrier, George Burroughs, John Proctor, and John Willard are hanged on Gallows Hill.
September 9 th : Martha Corey, Mary Easty, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Dorcas Hoar, and Mary Bradbury are tried and condemned.
September 17 th : Margaret Scott, Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell, Mary Parker, Abigail Faulkner, Rebecca Eames, Mary Lacy, Ann Foster, and Abigail Hobbs are tried and condemned.
September 19 th : Giles Corey is pressed to death for refusing a trial.
September 21 st : Dorcas Hoar is the first of those pleading innocent to confess. Her execution is delayed.
September 22 nd : Martha Corey, Margaret Scott, Mary Easty, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell, and Mary Parker are hanged.
October 8 th : After 20 people had been executed in the Salem Witch Hunt, Thomas Brattle writes a letter criticizing the witchcraft trials. This letter has a great impact on Governor Phips, who orders that reliance on spectral and intangible evidence no longer be allowed in the trials
October 29 th : Governor Phips dissolves the Court of Oyer and Terminer.
November 25 th : The General Court of the colony created the Superior court to try the remaining witchcraft cases which took place in May, 1693. This time no one is convicted.
Bridget Bishop: Hanged June 10th
Rev. George Burroughs: Hanged August 19th
Martha Carrier: Hanged August 19th
Giles Cory: Pressed to death September 19th
Martha Cory: Hanged September 22nd
Mary Esty: Hanged September 22nd
Ann Foster: Died in Prison
Sarah Good: Hanged July 19th
Elizabeth How: Hanged July 19th
George Jacobs: Hanged August 19th
Susanna Martin: Hanged July 19th
Rebecca Nurse: Hanged July 19th
Sarah Osborne: Died in Prison
Alice Parker: Hanged September 22nd
Mary Parker: Hanged September 22nd
John Proctor: Hanged August 19th
Ann Pudeator: Hanged September 22nd
Wilmot Reed: Hanged September 22nd
Margaret Scott: Hanged September 22nd
Samuel Wardwell: Hanged September 22nd
Sarah Wilds: Hanged July 19th
John Willard: Hanged August 19th
- National Geographic Society. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/salem/: National Geographic has made a site where you can travel through the trial as one accused. It is very good and worth looking at!
- Boyer, Paul & Stephen Nissenbaum. Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1974. A good text that examines the Social origins of Witchcraft in New England.
- Karlsen, Carol F. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman. New York: Random House, 1987. A text that deals with witchcraft in colonial New England.
- Robbins, Rossell Hope. The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft & Demonology. New York: Bonanza Books, 1959. A good source with a lot of documentation concerning the trials.
Salem Witch Trials Timeline
This is The History Junkie's Salem Witch Trials Timeline. It gives the years and approximations of what happened. There is an eerie feeling when one sees the mass hangings.
As the hysteria spread, more and more people were accused, including men and women from all walks of life. The trials were conducted in a court of law, but the legal process was often overlooked in favor of spectral evidence and confessions obtained through questionable means. Over the next few months, the number of accusations grew, and the court began to rely on evidence from the afflicted girls, who claimed to be tormented by the spirits of the accused.
Prior To The Trials
1688: Ann Glover is executed in Boston for accusations of being a witch. This occurred due to several children in the Goodwin family displaying signs of demon possession.
1689: Cotton Mather publishes "Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions." His book contains the story of the Goodwin Family. Samuel Parris, who resided in Boston at the time of Mather's writings being published, becomes the minister of Salem Village.
1691: Many of the villagers in Salem become dissatisfied with Parris and refuse to pay his salary.
By May 1692, the court had convicted and executed several people for witchcraft. In June, the Governor of Massachusetts formed a special court to handle the growing number of cases. The court was stricter in its acceptance of evidence and saw a decline in convictions and executions. However, in August, a new wave of accusations began when the girls accused the wife of the Governor's son. The trials continued throughout the fall and winter, with more and more people being accused and arrested. By the end of 1692, the hysteria surrounding the trials was beginning to wane, and public opinion was turning against the proceedings. In January 1693, the Massachusetts General Court declared a Day of Fasting and Prayer to reflect on and repent for the wrongful executions that had taken place. The following month, the Governor disbanded the court and released those still in jail who had been accused of witchcraft. The Salem witch trials left a lasting impact on American history and serve as a cautionary tale of the dangers of mass hysteria and the consequences of prejudice and fear. The events of 1692-1693 continue to be studied and remembered as a dark chapter in colonial Massachusetts..
Reviews for "The Accused Men: Examining the Male Victims of the Salem Witch Trials"
1. Emily - 1 star
I found the "Salem Witch Trials Timeline" to be extremely disappointing. The information provided was sparse and lacking in depth. I was hoping to gain a comprehensive understanding of the events that took place during this dark period in American history, but instead, I was left feeling confused and unsatisfied. The timeline seemed rushed and poorly organized, making it difficult to follow the sequence of events. Overall, I would not recommend this resource to anyone seeking a thorough exploration of the Salem witch trials.
2. John - 2 stars
While the "Salem Witch Trials Timeline" does provide a brief overview of the events that occurred during this infamous period, I was left wanting more. The timeline lacks depth and fails to provide sufficient context for understanding the underlying factors that contributed to the witch hunts. It would have been helpful to include additional information on the religious and social climate of the time. Furthermore, there were a few inaccuracies in the timeline, which only added to my disappointment. I would suggest seeking out more comprehensive resources if you are genuinely interested in learning about the Salem witch trials.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I was hopeful that the "Salem Witch Trials Timeline" would offer a concise and informative overview of the events that unfolded during this dark chapter in American history. However, I found the timeline to be overly simplified and lacking in significant details. It failed to delve into the complexities of the trials, leaving me with unanswered questions and a sense of incompleteness. The timeline also failed to emphasize the broader implications of the witch hunts on American society and the lasting impact it had on those accused and their families. Overall, this resource fell short of my expectations and left me unsatisfied in my quest for a comprehensive understanding of the Salem witch trials.
4. Michael - 1 star
The "Salem Witch Trials Timeline" did little to enhance my knowledge of this historical event. The timeline was bare-bones, providing only the most basic information without any analysis or critical thinking. There was no attempt made to delve into the motivations behind the accusers or the societal factors that contributed to the hysteria. I also found several inaccuracies in the timeline, which only added to my frustration. If you are looking for a comprehensive and well-researched resource on the Salem witch trials, I would recommend looking elsewhere.
5. Jessica - 2 stars
As someone who was genuinely interested in learning about the Salem witch trials, I was disappointed with the "Salem Witch Trials Timeline." The timeline lacked the necessary depth to fully understand the context and complexities of the events. It merely skimmed the surface, and I was left wanting more detailed information. Additionally, the timeline failed to explore the psychological and societal factors that contributed to the witch hunts. Overall, I would not recommend this resource if you are looking for an in-depth understanding of the Salem witch trials.