1. S alem
W itch
T rials
By
Anna Hartman
World History 7th Hour
April 22, 2013
2. What They Were
• A series of hearings and
prosecutions that
accused people of using
witchcraft.
• If they were accused of
practicing witchcraft
(Devils Magic) they were
hung or whatever the
punishment the judge
gave them.
• It mostly was to be hung.
3. Where and When It Happened
•Salem Massachusetts
•Where the accused lived
• Gallows Hills
• Hangings occurred
• Between 1692 and 1693
• Variety of towns and
Provinces involved.
•Ipswich, Andover and the Salem Town
4. How It Started
• Samuel Parris was named new minister and moved to Salem with his daughter Betty,
cousin Abigail Williams and their slave Tituba.
• His daughter Betty became very ill.
• She had violent fits, hid underneath furniture, filled with pain and was vomiting and
choking.
• The symptoms then spread throughout the Salem village.
• A doctor named William Griggs said that the symptoms were from a supernatural
origin maybe witchcraft.
• A lady told their slave Tituba that she should make a recipe of “White Cake” made
from rye and the girls urine to feed to a dog to take to the witches.
• The townspeople and the ministers asked the girl who caused the weird symptoms.
• Betty blamed it on the slave.
• The other girls involved with the weird symptoms blamed it on two women.
– Sarah Goode and Sarah Osborne
• Two magistrates issued arrest warrants for Tituba, Sarah Goode and Sarah Osborne.
• Tituba confessed at the trials and the other two didn’t admit they were witches and
they were put under interrogation.
• This led to more witch hunts in the village.
5. Who Were The People Accused
Accused
0ver 120
44 141
Men Women
Tried
7 52
Men Women
6. Signs of Being a Witch
• Throwing themselves
on the floor
• Twitching
uncontrollably
• Screaming
• High fever
• Abdominal and
muscular pain.
7. Major Trials
• The first case was against Bridget Bishop. She was found guilty because of the way she dressed
and her exotic life style. A warrant was issued for her arrest where she was taken to the court and
charged but then cleared. The sheriff took her to Gallows Hill where she was hung.
– Hung on June 10
• Sarah Goode was the next women accused because of the confession of her daughter Dorcass
Goode. The daughter was asked questions about her mother to see if she was a witch. Dorcass
confessed that she was and once she said that one of the people in the court screamed out that
she was being stabbed by Sarah. The jury was in shock which then she was found guilty of being
a witch.
– Executed on July 19
• In the next week the court brought forward Rebecca Nurse. She was accused of being a witch
and was brought in front of the court. The jury gave a verdict of not guilty. The people in the court
screamed in anger on the vote which then the magistrates asked the judge to reconsider the
vote. The jury deliberated a second time a came back with a vote of guilty. She was taken to
Gallows Hill where she was executed.
– Executed on July 19
• The next case was against Martha Corey. She was a new member of the church and was
accused of using witchcraft. In court, her husband was asked questions and testified against her.
She was taken to Gallows Hill and was hung.
– Hung on September 22
• Giles Corey was the case right after his wife's trials. Corey was pressed to death by heavy rocks
because he refused to enter the plea of guilty or not guilty of being a warlock. He was thrown in
prison to await his execution. A woman named Abigail Hobbs confessed and said that Corey was
a warlock and he was then killed.
– Executed September 19
• Sarah Osborne was one of the first three to be tried as a witch. She was the first one
in her trial that said the devil could take the shape of another person without them
knowing. She was put in prison where she died at the age of 41.
– Died on May 10
9. Pictures
Giles Cory being suffocated
by heavy rocks.
George Jacobs was accused
of being a wizard and was hung.
Rebecca Nurse was accused
of several Counts of practicing
Salem meeting place
witchcraft and was hung.
where all the trials took
place.
Salem Village house where Martha Mary Walcott being questioned
Corey was put to death for praying. and later accused and hung.
10. Interesting Facts:
• Over 150 people were accused.
• 19 people were hanged.
• 14 women and 5 men
• Thirteen died in prison awaiting their trials.
• Witches were people who signed the devil’s book giving the devil permission
to use them to harm people.
– Led to accusations that they were witches.
•The people that confessed to witchcraft lived, the ones that didn’t were hung.
•One man was pressed to death
with heavy rocks another man
was stoned.
•Many dogs were killed as
expected accomplices of the
witches to carry out their
commands.
