1. Salem Witch Trials
1692

2. When, Where, Why... June- September 1692 Salem, Mass.
Puritans fighting frontier war with Indians
Bad economy
Teenagers were bored
Personal grudges

3. Who? 7 teenage girls began having “fits” & speaking in tongues
Girls were ages 11-17
Accused Tituba of casting spells on them

5. Tituba A slave woman from Barbados Worked for a prominent preacher
Told preacher’s daughters native folklore about witches
Immediately accused of being a witch

6. The Trials
At first, 3 women were arrested: Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osbourn
Tituba admitted to being a witch
All were considered misfits in society
Unfair trial because there was never any real evidence yet they were all convicted on the testimony of young girls

9. The Victims The girls were randomly accusing people
19 people were hanged
1 man was pressed under large rocks
2 “evil” dogs were also killed for witchery
5 year old girl was held in prison for witchcraft

11. How to tell a witch
Check moles
Witnesses to powers
Place rocks in her pockets and throw her in the river: if she floats, she is a witch.

12. Effects of witch trials
Probably, none of the victims were guilty
Led to a desire for modern court system with fair trials, an emphasis on hard evidence, impartial jury, and a citizen is innocent until proven guilty.
People began to see that religion needed to be separate from government