The Salem Witch Trials of 1697

Statistically, more than two-hundred people were accused during the Salem Witch Trials. They started in June of 1692. They caused great panic around the world.

The Crucible is a play written in 1953. It is a fictionalized play about the Salem Witch Trials and all the troubles. The play was written by Arthur Miller.

When people had seizures or contortions, they were accused of witchcraft. People thought they had made a deal with the devil to get something. Nobody knew why this happened to people, so they had to blame it on something. Present day, scientists think that the accused had Convulsive Ergotism which one got by ingesting Ergot, a fungus, whilst eating rye.

The accused witches were executed on top of Gallow's Hill. More than 20 people were hung on top of the hill during the trials. Some people watched the executions because they felt like justice was being served.

"In these cases, the face beneath the hood suffused dark red from the dammed up blood that wept form eyes, nose, and mouth. Starved lungs rasped loudly for the air they could no longer breathe. The whole body thrashed against its bonds uncontrollably, clenching and unclenching." -Marilynne K. Roach

Sarah Good was one of the most famous people of the trials. She was accused of cursing people and turning them into witches. A popular quote by Sarah Good is "I am no more a witch than you are a wizard, if you take my life away God will give you blood to drink." Trying to claim that she was not a witch.

After a while, people started thinking it was getting out of hand. So near the end of 1692, the Salem Witch Trials were over with more than 50 people indicted and more than 20 were killed.

Credits:

Created with images by worobod - "Judgement" • thegreatgonzo - "Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"" • Athena's Pix - ""Be afraid..."" • GWP Photography - "Nick at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial" • daveynin - "In Memory of Mary Wright, Died: July 27, 1819" • GWP Photography - "Salem Witch Trials Memorial" • daveynin - "Salem Witch Trials Memorial overview"

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