During the epidemic of witchcraft accusations in Salem, the legal process changed. The trials followed the temporary suspension of the Colony Charter due to political and religious tension between the colony and England. A new governor and a new charter from England arrived in , but the General Court did not have enough time to create any laws.
The Puritans believed that physical realities had spiritual causes. For example, if the crop failed, the Devil may have played a role—and Satan could not take the form of an unwilling person. So if anyone claimed to have seen a ghost or spirit in the form of the accused, that person must be a witch. With this worldview, it was not a stretch for Puritans to believe in spectral evidence, which was the primary evidence used as proof of guilt.
In January , the newly created Superior Court of Judicature began hearing the remaining witch trials. The judges could not accept spectral evidence and most of the remaining trials ended in acquittal. Phips pardoned the rest. Today, the Salem Witch Trials continue to capture popular imagination. Less than 20 miles from Boston, Salem has turned its dark history into a thriving tourism industry, with witchcraft-themed shops, eateries, tours, and several museums.
The town commemorates the tragedy of that era with the Salem Witch Trial Memorial and has preserved many buildings and other historic sites associated with the trials, so future generations—and jurists—can learn how mass hysteria can lead to mass injustice. Historians believe the accused witches were victims of mob mentality, mass hysteria and scapegoating. The Salem Witch Trials began in January of , after a group of girls began behaving strangely and a local doctor ruled that they were bewitched.
The girls then accused a local slave, Tituba, and two other women of bewitching them. The method of pressing has a long and very specific history unrelated to witchcraft.
Paranoia was sweeping Salem, and Elizabeth was being examined by a local judge on suspicion of witchcraft. Watching his wife withstand the heated examination was bad enough, but suddenly the The trials claimed at least victims the actual toll may be higher , with just Live TV. This Day In History. History Vault. Recommended for you. How the Union Defended Washington, D.
During the Civil War. Daniel Webster. Salem Witch Trials. History of Witches. Chicago Seven Trial. History of Witches Witches were perceived as evil beings by early Christians in Europe, inspiring the iconic Halloween figure. How the Salem Witch Trials Influenced the American Legal System In early , several girls in the colonial Massachusetts village of Salem began exhibiting strange symptoms, including twitching, barking, and complaining of being pinched or pricked by invisible pins.
Were witches burned at the stake during the Salem Witch Trials? See More.
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