Salem Witch Trials

Where did they Happen? Took place in Salem Village, Massachusetts Broke away from Salem to have own religion Families in the town were fighting over land, and losing crops, and livestock. It was the “Wrath of God” Under British rule, no Governor

How did it start? In Feb. of 1692, Betty Parris (9) and Abigail Williams (11), were described as being “Bewitched”. The girls screamed, threw things about the room, uttered strange sounds, crawled under furniture, and contorted themselves into peculiar positions. They complained of being pricked with pins or cut with knives, and when Reverend Samuel Parris would preach, the girls would cover their ears, as if dreading to hear the sermons.

The First To be Accused Tituba, Rev. Parris’s slave Sarah Good: Old Beggar Woman Sarah Osborne: Engaged to servant Neither Attended Church, not liked very well by the town. No one would stand up for them. Put on Trial

During the Trail Betty and Abigail were put on the stand to convict these women. They went into violent convulsions, saying these women were practicing witchcraft. The women were asked several questions while on trial: How long have you been a Witch? When have you spoke with the Devil? Who else is a Witch?

Tituba Confesses: Tituba says she is a Witch, and that Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne are Witches as well. Tituba says she has seen them riding on poles through the air, and talking to the Devil. The 3 women were put in jail.

While in Jail Sarah Osborne died due to the harsh conditions. While in jail more people were put on trial and accused of being Witches in Salem. People put on trial accused other people of being witches.

So they are Convicted, NOW WHAT?? After hundreds of citizens were put on trial, they began to hang people that were convicted of being witches. 19 people (men and women) were hung for being witches. 3 people died in Jail. 1 man pressed to death by stones, while wife was in Jail. Refused to go on Trial.

Hung at Gallows Hill Accused witches were hung at Gallows Hill. The witches were not allowed to be buried, so family members would take their bodies down in the middle of the night. No one knows for sure what happened to the bodies, but many believe their families burned the bodies.

Let’s Watch a Clip: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/story/story.html http://www.history.com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us/videos/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us-salem-witch-trials