America’s Most Famous Witch Hunt

For the people of Salem, it became a terrifying sign that Satan was among them. During a frigid January in 1692, Abigail Williams, 11, and her cousin, Betty Parris, 9, began complaining of strange ailments. The girls cried out that invisible beings were biting and pinching them. They thrashed about on the floor and threw themselves against walls, jabbering nonsense. 

Reverend Samuel Parris, Betty’s father, hoped to determine the cause of their bizarre behavior before word got out. But soon other girls in the Massachusetts Bay Colony village began to exhibit similar symptoms. Their explanation? They were being tortured by three village women—who were witches.

The news sent the people of Salem into a panic. So began nearly a year of wild accusations, dramatic trials, and, finally, a series of executions.By the time it was all over, 19 innocent people had been hanged for witchcraft. 

For the people of Salem, it became a terrifying sign that Satan was among them. During a frigid January in 1692, Abigail Williams, 11, began complaining of strange problems. So did her cousin, Betty Parris, 9. The girls cried out that invisible beings were biting and pinching them. They moved about violently on the floor. They threw themselves against walls. They were speaking nonsense.

Reverend Samuel Parris, Betty’s father, hoped to figure out the cause of their strange behavior before word got out. But soon other girls in the Massachusetts Bay Colony village began to show similar symptoms. Their explanation? They were being tortured by three village women. They said the women were witches.

The news sent the people of Salem into a panic. So began nearly a year of wild accusations and dramatic trials. It ended in a series of executions. By the time it was all over, 19 innocent people had been hanged for witchcraft.

As the hearings continued, they became more and more chaotic. One notable example involved accused witch Elizabeth Proctor, who appeared before a packed meetinghouse in April 1692.

Proctor swore before God that she was innocent while the bewitched girls threw fits. Abigail Williams reached out to strike Proctor, then clutched at her own hand, howling in pain. Proctor was burning her! she cried. Other girls pointed at the ceiling: Proctor was flying above them! When Proctor’s husband, John, defended his wife, the girls suddenly collapsed to the floor, as if his evil spirit had knocked them all down.

As the hearings continued, they became more and more chaotic. One notable example involved accused witch Elizabeth Proctor. She appeared before a packed meetinghouse in April 1692.

As Proctor swore before God that she was innocent, the bewitched girls threw fits. Abigail Williams reached out to hit Proctor. Then she grabbed her hand and howled in pain. Proctor was burning her! she cried. Other girls pointed at the ceiling and said Proctor was flying above them! When Proctor’s husband, John, defended his wife, the girls suddenly collapsed to the floor. It seemed like his evil spirit had knocked them all down.

It didn’t matter that Proctor denied the charges. Of course a witch wasn’t going to admit it, the judges at the hearing believed. In the end, she was convicted and sent to prison. By the end of May, at least 60 other people found guilty of witchcraft were there with her. 

It didn’t matter that Elizabeth Proctor denied the charges. The judges figured she just didn’t want to admit to being a witch. In the end, she was convicted and sent to prison. By the end of May, at least 60 other people found guilty of witchcraft were there with her.

What really caused the frenzy in Salem? First of all, the idea of witches and devils was not strange to the Puritans of early America. For them, life was hard and they did not doubt that unseen forces played a major role in their troubles. 

“Puritans firmly believed that they were on a special mission from God,” says historian Tom Heinzen of ­William Paterson University. “This meant to them that they were a special target of Satan.”

So “when a baby suddenly died, or when milk soured, or cows and horses became ill,” the Puritans believed that witchcraft was at work, says Norton. And to them, she says, witchcraft was the work of the devil.

The settlers also faced a very real danger from Native Americans, who were pushing back against the colonists. Attacks from New England Indian tribes had wiped out families, even entire towns. Some of the people fleeing the attacks had taken refuge in Salem—including several of the bewitched girls. When they described the devil in their visions, he often looked like an Indian.

Norton believes that the people of Salem connected the war in the “visible world”—against the Indians—with the war in the “invisible world,” against Satan. To them, it was a fight against evil for their very survival.

What really caused the frenzy in Salem? First of all, the idea of witches and devils was not strange to the Puritans of early America. For them, life was hard. They believed unforeseen forces could be playing a major role in their troubles.

“Puritans firmly believed that they were on a special mission from God,” says Tom Heinzen. He is a historian at William Paterson University. “This meant to them that they were a special target of Satan.”

So “when a baby suddenly died, or when milk soured, or cows and horses became ill,” the Puritans thought that witchcraft was at work, says Norton. She says they believed witchcraft was the work of the devil.

The settlers also faced a very real danger from Native Americans. Tribes were pushing back against the colonists. Attacks from New England Indian tribes had wiped out families and entire towns. Some of the people fleeing the attacks had gone to Salem to be safe. This included several of the bewitched girls. When they described the devil in their visions, he often looked like an Indian.

Norton believes that the people of Salem were connecting two wars. They saw the war against the Indians as being in the “visible world.” They connected it with the war against Satan in the “invisible world." To them, it was a fight against evil for their very survival.

In late May, after three months of hearings, the new English governor of Massachusetts, William Phips, appointed a court to hold formal witch trials. The court began to order executions for those it found guilty. On July 19, five “witches” were hanged at Proctor’s Ledge. 

As accusations spread further, many people confessed to being witches, hoping to save themselves. They pointed the finger at others who, they said, had made them do it. “Nobody that confessed was hanged,” says Heinzen. The warped logic of the trials, he says, “required that innocent people lie.” What about people who insisted they were not working for Satan? They were usually found guilty, though they were telling the truth.

There were three months of hearings. Then formal witch trials began in late May. The new English governor of Massachusetts, William Phips, appointed the court. The court began to order executions for those it found guilty. On July 19, five “witches” were hanged at Proctor’s Ledge.

As accusations spread further, many people confessed to being witches. They were hoping to save themselves. They pointed the finger at others who, they said, had made them do it. “Nobody that confessed was hanged,” says Heinzen. The twisted logic of the trials, he says, “required that innocent people lie.” What about people who insisted they were not working for Satan? They were usually found guilty even though they were telling the truth.

Yet all the while, doubt was growing about the justice of the trials. Some people defended their neighbors. Others questioned the “evidence” of dreams and evil spirits that only the accusers could see. 

Then, on August 19, one man accused of witchcraft, a minister named George Burroughs, perfectly recited the Lord’s Prayer before he was hanged. The crowd was shocked. To their thinking, a man possessed by Satan would not be able to recite the prayer. “That was a raw, turning-point moment,” says Heinzen.

Yet all the while, doubt was growing about the justice of the trials. Some people defended their neighbors. Others questioned whether dreams and evil spirits could be “evidence.” After all, the accusers were the only people who had seen them.

Then, on August 19, one man accused of witchcraft perfectly recited the Lord’s Prayer before he was hanged. He was a minister named George Burroughs. The crowd was shocked. To their thinking, a man possessed by Satan would not be able to recite the prayer. “That was a raw, turning point moment,” says Heinzen.

By then, pressure was growing among influential people in Boston to end the trials. In October, Governor Phips did just that. Some 56 people remaining in Boston jails were gradually released.

In the end, 150 people were formally accused of witchcraft, 27 were convicted, and 24 were executed or died in prison. In 1711, Massachusetts courts began quietly clearing the names of the convicted.

By then, pressure was growing among influential people in Boston to end the trials. In October, Governor Phips did just that. Some 56 people remaining in Boston jails were gradually released.

In the end, 150 people were formally accused of witchcraft, 27 were convicted, and 24 were executed or died in prison. In 1711, Massachusetts courts began quietly clearing the names of the convicted.

Are witch hunts history? Far from it. “I think they’re happening all the time,” says Heinzen. Today, the term is most often used to refer to widespread and damaging false allegations—what experts call “social panics.” 

One of the most famous cases is the anti-Communist hysteria that seized the U.S. in the 1950s (see sidebar, below). More recently, President Donald Trump called investigations into ties between his presidential campaign and Russian hacking during the 2016 election “the single greatest witch hunt” in American political history.  

A truly modern equivalent can often be found on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. There, accusations and rumors can quickly go viral even if they’re not true. One critic has labeled such online pile-ons “witch hunts on steroids.”

For the people of Salem, the events that tore their community apart so long ago remain both relevant and educational. “We would like to think we became better people,” says Barz-Snell. “The truth is that the lessons from Salem are not just learned once, but must be learned and relearned by each generation.”

Are witch hunts history? Far from it. “I think they’re happening all the time,” says Heinzen. Today, the term is most often used to refer to widespread and damaging false allegations. These are what experts call “social panics.”

One of the most famous cases is the anti-Communist hysteria in the U.S. in the 1950s (see sidebar). More recently, President Donald Trump referred to witch hunts when talking about investigations into ties between his presidential campaign and Russian hacking during the 2016 election. He called those investigations “the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history.”

A truly modern equivalent can often be found on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. There, accusations and rumors can quickly go viral even if they are not true. One critic has labeled such online pile-ons “witch hunts on steroids.”

For the people of Salem, the events that tore their community apart still matter. The events are still educational even though they happened so long ago. “We would like to think we became better people,” says Barz-Snell. “The truth is that the lessons from Salem are not just learned once, but must be learned and relearned by each generation.”