1. By: Ilea Coomer, McKay Carter, & Abby Harper

2. WHAT EVENTS LED TO THESE TRIALS?  Strong belief that Satan was acting in the world  A time of troubles (Smallpox, Congregational strife in Salem Village, & Frontier wars with Indians)  Teenage Boredom  Confessing “witches” made the others accused more believable.  Old feuds spurring charges of witchcraft

3. WHO WAS INVOLVED?  Betty Parris and her cousin Abigail- They acted as if they were possessed.  Tituba-Accused by Betty and Abigail of witchcraft  Sir William Phips-Governor of Massachusetts during witch trials.  William Stoughton-Chief Justice presiding over the court

5. WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES?  156 people accused---55 pleaded guilty  When leading people of the colony began to be accused, they put a stop to the trials.  Many of the accused still in jail because they couldn’t pay for their release  Crop failures and epidemics bothered Salem for years after the trial  Reverend Parris and his family left Salem

7. HOW DO HISTORIANS INTERPRET THESE TRIALS?  Unjust  Became known for mass hysteria and superstition.

8. SOURCES