The Salem Witch Trials, Mass Hysteria Caused By Inflated Beliefs, Part 1

Hi all and welcome to Spirit’s blog. For today’s Throwback Thursday, I was thinking that we could discuss the Salem Witch Trials. These persecutions went on from February of 1692 to May of 1693, in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. This was the deadliest witch hunt in American history.

During this time there was mass hysteria, the town people accused over 200 people of witchcraft, 19 of which had been found guilty and were hanged. The other casualty a local 81 year old man, by the name of Giles Corey. Mr.Corey refused to plead and as they were pressing him for an answer, he still refused. He was pressed to death after three days of this torture, he is the only person to have been pressed to death in American history.

Elizabeth Hubbard is known as the prime instigator of the Salem Witch Trials. At the age of 17 she was part of a group including Ann Putnam, Mary Walcott, Elizabeth Parris, Abigail Williams, Elizabeth Booth, Mercy Lewis, and Mary Warren. Abigail Williams and Betty Parris were the first among the group to have “fits” including body contortion, throwing items, screaming, etc. The town physician, Dr.Griggs explained the behavior as supernatural and deemed them to be possessed. Elizabeth Hubbard had her first “fit” on February 1, 1692. Due to Hubbard’s age she was allowed to testify, and…