Salem is located on the Massachusetts north coast. It was the setting for one of the most frightening chapters in American history, the Salem Witch Trials. Originally named Naumkeag, the settlement was first established in 1626. Before long, the Puritan settlers adopted the name Salem, referring to the Hebrew word for peace. The irony of this choice would be latter evident during the trials. The brutal series of accusations and prosecutions began in February of 1692 and ran until May of 1693.
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The Puritans
Puritan settlers formed their little community of Salem in Massachusetts. Salem was a well-ordered New England community. The Puritans could practice their religion without the risk of persecution.
The Puritans escaped persecution in England, but their troubles were far from over. If the Puritans feared one thing above all else, it was the Devil walking among them. They believed just as firmly in the Devil as they did God. Thinking, if they denied the Devil, they also rejected God.
Rumors began to surface about some of the young Salem women being witches, who danced with the Devil. This led to the accusations that initiated the Salem Witch Trials.
How The Salem Witch Trials Began
Since a body of priests governed Salem, religion was part of everyday life. Puritans believed in the predetermined destiny of either Heaven or Hell. They did everything in their power to save their souls. This led to a strict way of life that focused on serving God.
Many people are unaware that the villagers of Salem often argued over land ownership. Several families feuded about who owned how much land. Unsurprisingly, many of these same families participated in witchcraft accusations. Either way, there was tension in the village long before the accusations began.
The Salem Witch Trials began with Reverend Samuel Parris, who had a meetinghouse in Salem. He often invited people to his meetinghouse to hear stories about West Indian lore. Some of the settlers had slaves of either African or Indian descent. Puritans were skeptical of people of such descent and thought they had unholy powers.
Parris’s nine-year-old daughter Elizabeth (also known as Betty) and her eleven-year-old cousin Abigail Williams were among the girls who heard his stories. They were also the first girls to start having fits. They would also complain about getting pinned and pricked, and otherwise acting odd. One such tale exists about Betty having such a fit that she threw a Bible across the room.
Within a few weeks, other girls and young women started acting similarly. The people of Salem accused the girls and women of being rebellious and active in witchcraft. Doctors searched for a physical reason behind the fits. When they were unsuccessful, they concluded that evil had touched the girls.
An 1876 illustration of the courtroom during the Salem Witch Trials. The girl laying on the ground is believed to be one of the accused, Mary Walcott.
What Happened During The Trials
Witch hunts were common all over Europe before the Puritans arrived in New England. With growing scientific enlightenment, such fanatical movements were slowly dying out. The Salem Witch Trials were a combination of torture and mass hysteria. Even if someone confessed to being a witch, they were continually dunked in water. They were also crushed with rocks or made to bleed.
A majority of the accused were women. Puritans believed that women were more predisposed to temptation and damnation. It’s even more interesting how many of the accused were local outcasts. These “outcasts” didn’t attend church or were village beggars. Anyone who stepped an inch out of line was a likely candidate for witchcraft.
Depiction of the Salem Witch Trials
Witchcraft Or Hallucinations?
Several physiological and psychological experts have tried to explain the girls’ fits. Some suggest that eating bad rye bread was responsible for the girls’ strange behavior and visions of the devil. The rye bread made with grain infected with the fungus Claviceps purpurea, otherwise known as ergot. Consuming the ergot may have caused the odd behavior.
The hallucinogenic properties found in LSD come from ergot. Chronic consumption of ergot causes mental disturbances and muscle constrictions. The muscle constrictions might explain the sudden contortions the girls suffered. The onset action of the fungus is roughly 30-60 minutes. The effects peak around 1-6 hours and fully wear off within 12 hours.
Ergot can also cause gangrene in the extremities. It’s best known for its poisonous effects on the mind. In some cases, limbs have even fallen off without any blood due to the vasoconstriction of the blood vessels.
Claviceps purpurea, commonly known as Ergot
Legacy Of The Trials
The Salem Witch Trials is a historical Rorschach test. Do you believe that the girls practiced witchcraft? Or was a collective acid trip that gripped a whole village? The reality points to the latter. However, the possibility of evil magic descending on an isolated village provokes horror and fascination.
The Trials pop up now and then in popular culture. The most famous example being Arthur Miller’s award-winning play The Crucible. There are some historical inaccuracies in the play. For example, Abigail Williams is seventeen and has a romantic affair with John Proctor. The Crucible is still a horrifying picture of mass hysteria and depicts the isolation in the Salem Village. It also portrays the intense religious practices and brings the Devil right to Salem’s doorstep.
The Salem Village no longer exists. Although the imagery of pointy-hatted broomstick-riding witches has coupled with the Trials themselves in the town. Various witch museums and gift shops allow you to learn more about the Trials,. While there you can also find cute or spooky witch goods. You might even find your next Halloween costume or decorations when you visit.
Where To Learn More
We can still visit the Salem Witch Museum in Salem, Massachusetts for self-guided or guided tours through the history and legacy of the Trials. The website also offers an online tour if you cannot fly on your broomstick to Salem right this moment. They even offer extended hours on Sundays during Halloween season.
The Salem Witch Museum, Salem Massachusetts
The Corwin House, now known as the Witch House, also provides a fascinating look into the architecture, furniture, and documents of the era. This tour gives visitors a more in-depth look into how people lived in early colonial America. You can also view a lot of scholarship on the Trials, including original documents written during the events.
The Corwin House / Witch House in Salem Massachusetts
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