Author: Matt Gilligan / Source: did you know?
Though the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts lasted only a little more than a year, the legacy of the hysteria and paranoia surrounding the infamous proceedings continues to resonate in the American consciousness. And although we hear the trials referenced quite often, what actually occurred during the trials that saw 20 people executed?
In 1689, Salem Village in colonial Massachusetts saw an influx of refugees from New York and parts of Canada because of a war between New France and New England. The conflict was known as King William’s War. The refugees added fuel to a rivalry between wealthy people in Salem and those who still relied on agriculture for their livelihood.
Salem Village had a minister, Reverand Samuel Parris, who was widely disliked because of his rigidity and greed. In January 1692, Parris’ 9-year-old daughter Elizabeth and 11-year-old niece Abigail Williams alarmed their friends and relatives by throwing fits, screaming, speaking gibberish, and twisted themselves into weird positions. A third girl named Ann Putnam had similar experiences.
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