Final answer:
The riot of witchcraft in Act 4 likely refers to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 in colonial Massachusetts, where mass hysteria led to numerous accusations and executions for witchcraft.
Step-by-step explanation:
The riot of witchcraft referred to in your question about Act 4 may be indicative of the infamous Salem Witch Trials. This period of mass hysteria and accusations of witchcraft took place in colonial Massachusetts. The most intense witchcraft trials and subsequent executions occurred in Salem Village (now Danvers), particularly in the year 1692.
It was a time heavily influenced by the Puritan belief in the supernatural and the Devil's influence on society. The crisis commenced when several girls, including the daughter and niece of the minister Samuel Parris, showed strange behaviors and claimed to have been practicing with the occult under the guidance of a servant named Tituba. The situation escalated, resulting in numerous accusations, trials, and executions over the following months.
People believed that the Devil was acting in society, a concept well-documented by Cotton Mather in his writings, particularly Memorable Providences Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions. It was easier for the people at that time to blame misfortunes on witchcraft than to confront the possible societal issues underlying these events. The madness continued until 1693 when accusations began to reach influential individuals, including the wife of Governor Phipps, prompting a reevaluation of the evidence used in the trials and eventually leading to the decline of such persecutions.