The first witch trial occurred because the daughter (Betty Parris) and niece (Abigail Williams) of the local Salem Reverend had become violently ill. It will be very easy. That darn Satan fooled them good. Does that mean they couldnt have been practicing witchcraft? No one was burned at the stake in Salem, but nineteen people were hanged, and one was pressed to death under heavy stones. 6 The Role Of Religion In Witch Trials The courthouse was torn down in 1760 but a plaque dedicated to the courthouse can still be seen today on the wall of the Masonic Temple on Washington Street. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraftthe devil's magic and 20 were executed . This, coupled with the fact that the accused also had their estates confiscated if they were convicted has led many historians to believe that religious feuds and property disputes played a big part in the witch trials. Did the Salem Witch Trials have any affect on the way that the American court systems were designed once the United States became a country? [State v. Dustin, 122 N.H. 544, 551 (N.H. Having initially set up the Court of Oyer and Terminer, Governor William Phips having returned from fighting in King Philips War in Maine voiced concerns about what danger some of [his] innocent subjects might be exposed to and dissolved the court, in the process pardoning those remaining in custody. Getting the right to vote didn't come easy for women. Secondary sources would be Charles Uphams book Salem Witchcraft which was published in 1867, Emerson Bakers book A Storm of Witchcraft which was published in 2014 and etc. You have been so helpful! The bibliography at the bottom of this article list a number of secondary sources. You can check out my article on books about the Salem Witch Trials here:https://historyofmassachusetts.org/best-books-about-salem-witch-trials/ or you could search the court records online on the University of Virginia website. The other most notorious case of witchcraft in England came during the British Civil Wars when Matthew Hopkins the son of a Puritan clergyman and the self-styled Witch Finder General scoured East Anglia in search those suspected of making covenants with the Devil. As sleet and snow heaped higher outside their door, Betty Parris and. Boston, MA. Kisses and xoxo 14 (in the history 201 course-pack compiled by S. McSheffrey & T. McCormick), Trans. Seemed like there was alot of hate towards one another just for being different. The hysteria gripping Salem a settlement resonating with the incessant sound of accusation and counteraccusation showed that no-one was exempt from suspicion. Here's how they got it done. Other diagnoses have focused more on the mental wellbeing of the Salem girls. It means that even though supernatural evidence might seem sketchy to us in this day and age, for people like Cotton Mather and the rest of Salem, it was perfectly acceptable in cases of necessity. On July 23, John Proctor wrote to the clergy in Boston. First, there are a number of ergot poisoning symptoms which were not reported by those who claimed to be afflicted by witchcraft. Get ready to pull out your history books as we bring you the most DISTURBING facts about the Salem Witch Trials. Do not lay more stress on pure spectral evidence than it will bear, he cautioned. Not many people fled Salem, only a handful did, because Salem was their home and had been for a long time. As for why these victims were targeted in the first place, historians have noted that many of the accused were wealthy and held different religious beliefs than their accusers. They were part of a long story of witch hunts that began in Europe in the 14th century. He was later exonerated. I find this to be very well put and want to read more. The initial article took me a few days to write and then I have been slowly adding to it and expanding it over the years. The preacher sad they could not kill the devil by shooting the dog but did anyway. I last updated this article on March 26, 2016. Thanks for sharing, it really helped me with an article I am currently writing! Oh well, live n learn, Its sad when you can pick out names of your relatives in every list. Also, when was his last updated? The mayhem all started in 1692, when two cousins aged nine and 11 began experiencing delusions, strange fits, and other mysterious maladies. Wiggin and Lunt, 1867.Crewe, Sabrina and Michael V. Uschan. Luckily ann putnum jr lived to apologize. Well, most of the people accused lived in the part of Salem Village that was full of businesses and shops. Nige Tassell is a freelance journalist specialising in history, This content first appeared in the January 2016 issue of BBC History Revealed, Save up to 49% AND your choice of gift card worth 10* when you subscribe BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed PLUS! Just as true today as it was a few centuries ago, fearmongering really accelerated the accusations. Tried and found guilty within the course of a single day, Bishop was hanged a week later on 10 June, the first execution of the trials. Other factors included a recent small pox epidemic in the colony, growing rivalries between families within the colony, a constant threat of attack from nearby Native-American tribes, and a recent influx of refugees trying to escape King Williams war with France in Canada and New York. thanks, mike turner, The 1692 Salem Village map can now be purchased on zazzle: http://www.zazzle.com/salem_village_map_poster-228789587972988887?rf=238784808055391622. "Examination and Evidence of Some the Accused Witches in Salem, 1692. Some of these women were actually witches, though they were entirely innocent of the crimes of which they were convicted. King William's War (war in the America colonies against the French) ended with many people having to be relocated so there were many strangers moving into town. During that time, 19 people were hanged and one person was pressed to death. The Examination of Sarah Good, March 1, 1692. The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology. Also I was curious to know what the specific compromise was. No one in America has ever been put to death this way. Proctors entire family was accused, including all of his children, his pregnant wife Elizabeth, and sister-in-law. In November of 1991, Salem town officials announced plans for a Salem Witch Trials Memorial in Salem. Proctor told them about the torture inflicted on the accused and asked that the trials be moved to Boston where he felt he would get a fair trial. The Salem witch trials were a series of prosecutions in which over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft. The English laws against witchcraft were repealed in 1736, after which incidents of suspected bewitchment, by now very isolated, were dealt with by mob rule rather than by a clear legal framework. The proclamation suggested that there should be: observed a Day of Prayer with Fasting throughout the ProvinceSo that all Gods people may put away that which hath stirred Gods Holy jealousy against his land; that he wouldhelp us wherein we have done amiss to do so no more; and especially that whatever mistakes on either hand have fallen intoreferring to the late tragedy, raised among us by Satan and his instruments, through the awful judgement of God, he would humble us therefore and pardon all the errors and people that desire to love his name. Three days earlier, the death of another of the accused had occurred. Three Salem Women: The Stories of Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator and Bridget Bishop, Salem Witch Trials Weekly, produced by the Salem Witch Museum, Bewitchment in Salem, produced by the Salem Witch Museum in conjunction with SATV, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siegeby Marilynne K. Roach (Jul 22, 2004), Cry Innocent: The People vs. Bridget Bishop, The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming at the Peabody Essex Museum. The indictments then came thick and fast. According to Plouffe, Jr., the trials were the largest of . Soon, prisons were filled with more than 150 men and women from towns surrounding Salem; their names had been cried out by tormented young girls as the cause of their pain. They were during the Colonial times. I find the history interesting and would like to find more information on this matter. Abigail Williams: The Mysterious Afflicted Girl. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. At the time, Salem Village was a small New England town populated mostly by Puritans, or religious individuals with a belief in the devil. "5 Facts About the Salem Trials." On October 31, 2001, the state amended the 1957 apology and cleared the names of the remaining unnamed victims, stating: Chapter 145 of the resolves of 1957 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the words One Ann Pudeator and certain other persons and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Ann Pudeator, Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Margaret Scott and Wilmot Redd.. My fathers family have lived in this area for centuries. Thats where spectral evidence comes in, and it played a significant role in the Salem trials. I am totally shocked to be related in this way. There wasnt really any one document or agreement that ended the trials. Found Guilty and Executed:Bridget Bishop (June 10, 1692)Sarah Good (July 19, 1692)Elizabeth Howe (July 19, 1692)Susannah Martin (July 19, 1692)Rebecca Nurse (July 19, 1692)Sarah Wildes (July 19, 1692)George Burroughs (August 19, 1692)Martha Carrier (August 19, 1692)John Willard (August 19, 1692)George Jacobs, Sr (August 19, 1692)John Proctor (August 19, 1692)Alice Parker (September 22, 1692)Mary Parker (September 22, 1692)Ann Pudeator (September 22, 1692)Wilmot Redd (September 22, 1692)Margaret Scott (September 22, 1692)Samuel Wardwell (September 22, 1692)Martha Corey (September 22, 1692)Mary Easty (September 22, 1692), Refused to enter a plea and tortured to death:Giles Corey (September 19th, 1692), Found Guilty and Pardoned:Elizabeth ProctorAbigail Faulkner SrMary PostSarah WardwellElizabeth Johnson JrDorcas Hoar, Pled Guilty and Pardoned:Rebecca EamesAbigail HobbsMary Lacy SrMary Osgood, Died in Prison:Sarah OsburnRoger ToothakerAnn FosterLydia Dustin, Escaped from Prison:John Alden Jr.Edward Bishop Jr.Sarah BishopMary BradburyWilliam Barker Sr.Andrew CarrierKatherine CaryPhillip EnglishMary EnglishEdward Farrington, Never Indicted:Sarah BassettMary BlackBethiah Carter, JrBethiah Carter, SrSarah CloyceElizabeth HartWilliam HobbsThomas Farrer, SrWilliam ProctorSarah ProctorSusannah RootsAnn SearsTituba, Evaded Arrest:George Jacobs JrDaniel Andrews. HI there! I am the author and publisher of this blog. Thank for the site it is so helpful for my project! The Salem Witch Trials were one of the best documented trials of colonial times. (1977). I am no more a witch than you are a wizard. A flurry of accusations from girls with afflictions similar to those of Betty Parris and Abigail Williams resulted in an avalanche of arrests and prosecutions. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. Everything we know now about the trials comes from just a handful of primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials. It is called Records of the Salem Witch Hunt and is edited by Bernard Rosenthal. Learn Religions. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Hi Maria, I dont have a version number for this site. 10. There is actually a compilation of all of the primary sources on the Salem Witch Trials. it was extremely helpful thank you so much! The court didnt believe them, and found all three women guilty of practicing witchcraft. It also helped with my reading assignment. This was the name that was given to the evil spirits that were supposedly floating around the witches while they practiced their dark arts. Ergot is a fungus found in bread, and has the same effect as hallucinogenic drugs. With a 1562 act now permitting the death penalty for acts of witchcraft, they were hanged. It's unlikely that anyone in Salem was actually practicing witchcraftmost of the community consisted of devout and pious Christians. The witch trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. Nige Tassell explains how hysteria in the village of Salem, Massachusets, gave rise to a horror that bedazzled the world. All rights reserved, National Geographic book Witches! Device reportedly admitted an act of bewitchment, as well as accusing another woman of undertaking similar practices. Im just going to use Smithsonian, ARe you the editor/author of this site @Rebecca Beatrice Brooks, Hi Gigi, yes Im the editor/author of this site, thanks so much I needed that for my homework, Where can I get a copy of the Salem 1692 map that you posted? Hoffer, Peter Charles. Ergot contains lysergic acid, a precursor for synthesis of LSD; certainly the visions of shape-shifting devils reported by the afflicted might be consistent with the experiences of an acid trip. It was last edited on September 8, 2013 at 4:52 pm, Thank you, Rebecca, recently I have been down and this is a paper for a class Im failing, Thank you for helping me get an A, What is the publisher for this website? Lienhard says, In recent years, though, the ergot theory has been questioned. "Reproducing Witchcraft: Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch to Live". Other victims include two dogs who were shot or killed after being suspected of witchcraft. When she is not traveling, you will find her reading, drinking coffee and chatting away with her many international friends. Spanos and Gottlieb argue. Sarah Wildes was my 8th great grandmother. The Salem witch trials of the late 17th century were a formative episode in America's early history, and have remained at the forefront of the national consciousness ever since. Its good to see that the court system has progressed. Native Americans and other religions represented threats by the Devil. The Story of the Salem Witch Trials - Bryan F. Le Beau 2016-05-23 Between June 10 and September 22, 1692, nineteen people were hanged for practicing witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. ", What does that mean, in laymans terms? Then say they were wrong. Text adapted from the National Geographic book Witches! Check them out below. The three women were thrown in jail to await trial for practicing witchcraft. Then they even do a greater injustice by not only torturing folks in prison but hanging 19 of them and then putting rocks on a 71 year old man until he died because he would not state he was guilty or innocent (some old English law if accused refused to make a plea). The girls accusation was that Good had performed witchcraft on them. Did the Putnams purchase any of the land from those who were accused and killed? When was this last edited? They were a means of crowd control that gave way to changes in power structures. Its a common myth that the Salem Witch Trials victims were burned at the stake. In May, as the number of cases grew, Governor William Phips set up a special court, known as the Court of Oyer and Terminer (which translate to hear and determine) to hear the cases. Dr. John Lienhard of the University of Houston writes in Rye, Ergot and Witches about Mary Matossians 1982 study which supports Caporaels findings. I really enjoy reading your blog! His diagnosis of bewitchment put into motion the forces that would ultimately result in the hanging deaths of 19 men and women. The puritans, who had left England due to religious persecution, feared their religion was under attack again and worried they were losing control of their colony. European Witch trials started at a similar time as Protestantism. Corbis/VCG via Getty Images / Getty Images. No way to fight its power. I mean the whole cause was a wheat bacteria/fungi called ergot. Ever since those dark days ended, the trials have become synonymous with mass hysteria and scapegoating. Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, vol. Rebecca Nurses execution was a pivotal moment in the Salem Witch Trials. Most of the accusers were Puritans who lived on the farms. The Salem witch trials began because a group of girls claimed they were possessed by the devil. And insularity bred paranoia, as Schiff sharply explains. Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. How did this conflict impact the trials? Hi Sarah, Very well done! Most of the eyewitness accounts can be found in the court records and the books written by the ministers involved in the trials. Or maybe it was the 1711 bill that cleared the names of the accused witches. Robbins, Rossell Hope. Glanvill, Joseph. Mather saw the war against Satan as being just as important as the war against the French and the local Native American tribes. In August of 1992, on the 300th anniversary of the trials, the Salem Witch Trials Memorial was unveiled and dedicated by Nobel Laureate Eli Wiesel. Native History & Indigenous Acknowledgement, The Journey from 1692 to Salems Modern Witch Community. And this was for a people who saw themselves as ordered by God to build their shining City on a Hill. Children were also accused of witchcraft. Bridget Bishop was convicted at the end of her trial and sentenced to death. From unbelievable witch swimming tests to th. As in complaints upon witchcrafts, there may be matters of inquiry which do not amount unto matters of presumption, and there may be matters of presumption which yet may not be matters of conviction, so it is necessary, that all proceedings thereabout be managed with an exceeding tenderness towards those that may be complained of, especially if they have been persons formerly of an unblemished reputation. A Break With Charity: A Story About the Salem Witch Trials by Ann Rinaldi. In seventeenth-century New England, pretty much everyone was practicing some form of Christianity. Related: Scary Stories: 10 Places For Stephen King Fans To Visit. This is really great. 1. An allegory of the intolerant McCarthyism discolouring the nation at the time Miller would himself be called before the Committee on Un-American Activities three years later the parallels were undeniable. There is no documentation of where she may have gone after the trials. I wonder how many people ran away from The Salem Witch Trials. Published in 1992, this novel is a fictionalized account of the afflicted girls of Salem Village. Presided over by Chief Justice William Stoughton, the court was made up of magistrates and jurors. Questions VII & XI. this helped me sooo much. The jail was a small wooden structure with a dungeon underneath. The Story of the Salem Witch Trials is a history of that event. The charter was revoked because the colonists had violated several of the charters rules, which included basing laws on religious beliefs and discriminating against Anglicans. 126. They were soft, obvious targets for a mistrustful, God-fearing populace living along strictly defined lines. This legal tactic was known as peine forte et dure which means strong and harsh punishment.. Often, that conversation shifts over towardsSalem, Massachusetts, and the famous trial in 1692that resulted in twenty executions. Wigington, Patti. It's also important to remember that there is no evidence, other than spectral evidence and coerced confessions, that any of the accused actually did practice witchcraft. They should've told the US it was all fake once they came to their senses, but they didn't. InJanuary of 1692, the daughter and niece of Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village became ill.William Griggs, the village doctor, was called in when they failed to improve. Local clergymen began speaking out against the witch hunt and tried to persuade officials to stop the trials. The girls were having a type of epileptic fit and would scream out . The ages of the accused ranged from 12 to 72 years old, with the average age being 41. The Salem witch trials resulted in the arrest of over 150 people, 19 of whom were ultimately convicted and executed. The Salem Witch Trials began in spring 1692 and lasted for seven months, during which more than 150 people where arrested, 19 were hanged and one was tortured to death. Salem Witch Trials Memorial at Proctor's Ledge She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal. Is there any credence to this theory? How could so many people believe the afflicted girls without no real evidence. More than 200 people were accused. The bill cleared the names of: George Burroughs, John Proctor, George Jacobs, John Willard, Giles Corey, Martha Corey, Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Mary Easty, Sarah Wildes, Abigail Hobbs, Samuel Wardwell, Mary Parker, Martha Carrier, Abigail Faulkner, Anne Foster, Rebecca Eames, Mary Post, Mary Lacey, Mary Bradbury and Dorcas Hoar. The state amended the 1957 apology on the exact date i was born. 82 (Boston: Wright and Potter, 1902), pp. I need to cite this for my reference sheet. Around the end of September, the use of spectral evidence was finally declared inadmissible, thus marking the beginning of the end of the Salem Witch Trials. As the trials and executions continued, colonists began to doubt that so many people could actually be guilty of this crime. 62, No. When a young Lancastrian woman called Alison Device asked for a pin from a travelling peddler but was denied, the peddler apparently became immediately paralysed down his left side. Afflicted Girls:Elizabeth BoothElizabeth HubbardMercy LewisBetty ParrisAnn Putnam, Jr.Susannah SheldonAbigail WilliamsMary WalcottMary Warren. The doctors diagnosis? Get FREE access to HistoryExtra.com. While women were of course on the forefront of persecution, men could also be accused of witchcraft. By the end of May, more than 60 people were in custody; the vast majority were women, but a handful of men were also detained. There were no clear-cut rules besides that: either they were after women for being single, having too many friends, no friends or being too poor. On 2 June, the specially convened Court of Oyer and Terminer (oyer meaning to hear, terminer meaning to decide) sat for the first time, presided over by William Stoughton, the newly appointed lieutenant governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Of those arrested, the majority were women (85%) and only a handful were men (15%). This was a special type of court in English law established specifically to hear cases that are extraordinary and serious in nature. This court consisted of eight judges. The link can be found in the section of this article titled Salem Witch Trial Victims. The persecutors had to come up with a whole irrational legal system in order to justify this insanity. Tituba was known to have played fortune-telling games, which were strictly forbidden by the Puritans. Id really like to see period sources for your assertion here. According to the official Salem website, the trials were shorter than most people believe, but they were still deadly. 9, 17181718, Chap. Heavy stones were loaded onto the board and the weight was gradually increased until the prison either entered a plea or died. Presumptions whereupon persons may be committed, and, much more, convictions whereupon persons may be condemned as guilty of witchcrafts, ought certainly to be more considerable than barely the accused person's being represented by a specter unto the afflicted; inasmuch as it is an undoubted and notorious thing, that a demon may, by God's permission, appear, even to ill purposes, in the shape of an innocent, yea, and a virtuous man. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Unfortunately, I do not have any information on her family tree but you might want to check out a genealogy site like ancestry.com to find out more. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Among those detained in March 1692 were Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse, upstanding members of the local churches in Salem Village and Salem Town respectively. The primary sources of the Salem Witch Trials offer a wealth of information on these infamous trials. In 1957, the state of Massachusetts officially apologized for the Salem Witch Trials and cleared the name ofsome of the remaining victims not listed in the 1711 law, stating: One Ann Pudeator and certain other persons yet did not list the other victims names. Salem Witchcraft and Cotton Mather: A Reply. Im glad it was helpful. We also have kept good records of everything. Estimates suggest that over 200 women were executed during this period as a direct result of the investigations of Hopkins and his associates. In 1711, the colony passed a bill restoring some of the names of the convicted witches and paid a total of 600 in restitution to their heirs. It also silenced any opposition to the idea that the Devil had infiltrated Salem. How were the 2 dogs killed during the salem witch trials? Thank you for this amazing article! This helped with my English assignment! A Brief History of The Salem Witch Trials.Brief History Of The Salem Witch Trials The Salem witch trials took place between 1692 & 1693, in colonial Massachusetts. It makes me sad sometimes writing about it. These five women Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Susannah Martin, Rebecca Nurse and Sarah Wildes were the among the first to be tried and found guilty of witchcraft during a bleak nine-month period of New England history simply recalled as the Salem Witch Trials. Oh and sorry for talking a lot but if you need a website for your bibliographys heres an awesome sight I use it for school a lot and its supper easy use. 143159, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 02:44. Pre-trial examinations were held at the Salem Village meetinghouse, in Reverend Samuel Parris house in Salem Village, in Ingersoll Tavern at Salem Village and in Beadles Tavern in Salem Town. In June, Nathaniel Saltonstall resigned and was replaced by Jonathan Corwin. The governor released the last few prisoners the following May. They screamed, made unearthly sounds, suffered convulsions and violently threw objects, and themselves, around their homes. William Ives and George W. Pease, 1857Session Laws. The 190th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2001/Chapter122The 1692 Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Museum, www.salemwitchmuseum.com/education/salem-witch-trialsBlumberg, Jess. When asked who had done this to them, Betty and Abigail blamed three townswomen, including Tituba, a Native American slave who worked in the Parris household. During Titubas examination, she made a shocking confession that she had been approached by Satan, along with Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn, and they had all agreed to do his bidding as witches. A lot was changing in colonial America at the time. I edit the site in general pretty much every day. Church was all powerful in those days. Even when the court ordered further executions, Phips wisely issued pardons to those convicted. At the center of the Salem witch trials were a core group of accusers, all girls and young women ranging in age from nine to 20, who screamed, writhed, barked and displayed other horrifying. And particularly, as I was a chief instrument of accusing of Goodwife Nurse and her two sisters, I desire to lie in the dust, and to be humbled for it, in that I was a cause, with others, of so sad a calamity to them and their families; for which cause I desire to lie in the dust, and earnestly beg forgiveness of God, and from all those unto whom I have given just cause of sorrow and offence, whose relations were taken away or accused.. The other two accused and arrested at the same time were Sarah Osborne and Tituba, the Parriss black slave. Good had been among the first local women to be arrested, after several young girls from the village had experienced mysterious afflictions the previous February. How should I cite this? Bridget was accused by five of the afflicted girls, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott and Elizabeth Hubbard, who stated she had physically hurt them and tried to make them sign a pact with the devil. See, the concept of fake news is nothing new. Salem Village began that slow decay which eventually erased its houses and walls, but never its name and memory.. Note: it is expensive. Salem Witch Trials: The Hysteria Spreads Salem Witch Trials: Conclusion and Legacy The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem. To understand the events of theSalem Witch Trials, it is necessary to examine the times in which accusations of witchcraft occurred. Arrest warrants were issued for George Jacobs Jr. and Daniel Andrews but they evaded arrest. I think this was a great site and I also recommend the book the witches -salem, 1962 by stacey schiff. What was this witchery actually about and how did it all start? Rev Nicholas Noyes, one of the local clergymen who had vigorously pursued the prosecutions, was the particular focus of Sarah Goods anger: You are a liar. As a travel enthusiast, she makes sure she visits at least two new destinations each year and loves to share her knowledge with the readers of TheTravel. Ancestry is the easiest way. Although the witch hunt started in Salem Village, it quickly spread to the neighboring towns, including Amesbury, Andover, Salisbury, Topsfield, Ipswich and Gloucester, and numerous residents of those towns were brought to Salem and put on trial. Shortly after, two of the girls named the women they believed were bewitching them. Psychosomatic disorders have been suggested as the root of the hysteria, most notably the societal strains placed on them in a strict, deeply religious adult world that made no contingency for the developmental needs of children. As a devout and strongly religious community living in near isolation in the mysterious New World, the community of Salem had a heightened sense of fear of the Devil and, as a result, it didnt take much to convince the villagers that there was evil among them.