What Really Happened in Salem 300 Years Ago?
The worst case of 17th century American paranoia that led to the brutal hanging of 19 women and two dogs.
The peaceful town of Salem, Massachusetts, known today with streets lined with houses, and boats floating in the harbor has a dark chapter in its history. The town is also known for the witch trials that occurred between the years 1692 and 1693. During this period 200 individuals from Salem and neighboring villages were charged with witchcraft.
From among the accused, 30 were convicted and 19 were executed, 14 women and 5 men were hanged. Furthermore, two dogs were poisoned signaling the increasing paranoia of the period. The town is still filled with Wiccan and pagan shops like The Cauldron Black and Coven’s Cottage, as a reminder of its terrifying history.
The Beginnings of Hysteria
The Salem witch trials started in a small Puritan town in the year 1692. The first outburst of hysteria started from the strange behaviors of two young girls. Betty Parris, the 9-year-old daughter of the local minister, and her cousin, 11-year-old Abigail Williams, started to act very unusually.
They had violent fits, screamed in pain, threw objects, contorted their bodies, hid under furniture…
