The Salem Witch Trials began during the late winter and spring of 1692 when a group of young girls began to display strange behavior. They claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused many local women of witchcraft. The first convicted witch was Bridget Bishop and she was hanged. In January 1692, 9-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams began having fits, including violent deformity and uncontrollable outbursts of screaming. After a local doctor, William Griggs, diagnosed bewitchment, other young girls in the community began to display similar symptoms, including Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Elizabeth Hubbard, Mary Walcott and Mary Warren. In late February, arrest warrants were issued for the Parris’ slave, Tituba, along
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Though Good and Osborn denied their guilt, Tituba confessed. Likely seeking to save herself from certain conviction by acting as an informer, she claimed there were other witches acting alongside her in service of the devil against the Puritans.
As panic spread through the community and beyond into the rest of Massachusetts, a number of others were accused, including Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse both regarded as upstanding members of church and community–and the four-year-old daughter of Sarah Good. Like Tituba, several accused witches confessed and named others, and the trials soon began to overwhelm the local justice system. Governed over by judges including Hathorne, Samuel Sewall and William Stoughton, the court handed down its first conviction, against Bridget Bishop, on June 2 , she was hanged eight days later which was known as Gallows Hill in Salem Town. 5 more people were hanged that July, 5 more in August and 8 more in September. Also Giles Corey was pressed to death by stones after he refused to enter an application at his
Though Good and Osborn denied their guilt, Tituba confessed. Likely seeking to save herself from certain conviction by acting as an informer, she claimed there were other witches acting alongside her in service of the devil against the Puritans.
As panic spread through the community and beyond into the rest of Massachusetts, a number of others were accused, including Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse both regarded as upstanding members of church and community–and the four-year-old daughter of Sarah Good. Like Tituba, several accused witches confessed and named others, and the trials soon began to overwhelm the local justice system. Governed over by judges including Hathorne, Samuel Sewall and William Stoughton, the court handed down its first conviction, against Bridget Bishop, on June 2 , she was hanged eight days later which was known as Gallows Hill in Salem Town. 5 more people were hanged that July, 5 more in August and 8 more in September. Also Giles Corey was pressed to death by stones after he refused to enter an application at his