Throughout the time period (1607-1763), there continued to be oppression of non-white peoples and women. In 1692, due to a widening social gap between traditionalist farmers and commercialist merchants, people began targeting women from these merchant families and claiming they were witches. 14 of the 20 killed during the Salem Witch Trials were women, which fits with the long-existing pattern of trials also found in Europe. These trials were fueled by misogyny present throughout the period in New England. In addition, there continued to be the oppression of non-white peoples. Throughout the colonies colonists believed the Native Americans to be less deserving of the land, even justifying taking their ancestral lands because the hunting and
