Was She a Witch?

To understand how the panic spread, it helps to know more about the people of Salem at the time. They were mostly settlers from England called Puritans. This religious group lived by strict rules. Many Puritans had survived wars with American Indians whose land they had taken, and they feared more attacks. During that harsh winter, disease and starvation were also constant worries.

Life was especially hard for women and girls. Nearly every aspect of their lives was controlled by men.

Perhaps most important, Puritans thought that forces of evil caused all their hardships. So it wasn’t unusual for them to blame witches for the girls’ behavior.

“Everyone believed in witchcraft,” says Mary Beth Norton, an expert on the events in Salem. “It was the explanation for all kinds of weird things.”

Betty and Abigail were pressured to identify who had cursed them. The girls accused three local women. Hysteria broke out in Salem. As the news spread, neighbors turned against neighbors, accusing one another of witchcraft.

By the time the Salem witch trials began in spring 1692, the town was completely gripped by fear. Even though there was no real evidence, people were found guilty and sentenced to death.

In all, about 150 people were accused of witchcraft. Nineteen were hanged, and one was crushed to death with stones. Several more died in jail.

By 1693, the scare was over. The Puritans still believed in witchcraft. But they realized it was unjust to accuse people of things without any proof.

Today, the term “witch hunt” describes what happens when widespread fear leads people to wrongly accuse others—and ruin their lives.

We now know that the people of Salem weren’t witches—or under their spell. But something caused the girls to act so strangely.

One theory is that food poisoning caused the girls’ odd behavior. But most historians dismiss this idea. Some think that the girls faked the whole thing to get attention. However, Norton and some other experts blame the daily stresses of Puritan life. They believe that the girls were so tormented by fear that they became physically ill.

We may never know what happened. The truth has been buried along with the innocent victims of the Salem witch hunt.

1. What is the purpose of the section “Living in Fear”?

2. What is hysteria? How did it affect the people of Salem?

3. How does the sidebar “Signs of a Salem Witch” help you better understand the article?