Final answer:
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. Over 200 people were accused, resulting in 19 executions. The trials ended when spectral evidence was no longer considered admissible.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. Here are 10 things you should know about the Salem witch trials:
- They took place in the late 17th century, specifically between 1692 and 1693.
- The trials occurred in Salem Village, which is now present-day Danvers, Massachusetts.
- Over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft during this period.
- 19 people were convicted and executed, while others died in jail or while awaiting trial.
- The hysteria was triggered by a group of young girls who claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused others of being witches.
- Spectral evidence, which refers to dreams, visions, or testimonies of the afflicted girls, was considered admissible in court.
- The trials were largely influenced by religious beliefs and the strict Puritan society of New England.
- Tituba, a slave from Barbados, was one of the first to be accused and played a significant role in the start of the hysteria.
- The accusations often targeted vulnerable individuals, such as women, outsiders, and those who challenged societal norms.
- The trials ended when Governor William Phipps disbanded the Court of Oyer and Terminer and spectral evidence was no longer admissible.
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