The Witches | History of the Salem Witch Trials

We’ve all heard the story of the Salem witch trials. When two young girls became ill and began throwing themselves about in fits of madness, they were diagnosed as having been bewitched. One accusation sparked another, neighbor turned on neighbor, and family bonds quickly unraveled, culminating in the unjust execution of 19 people who had been sentenced for witchcraft. But according to Stacy Schiff’s new book The Witches, the flames of mass hysteria that engulfed the residents of Salem, Massachusetts, seeping beyond its borders to stain surrounding communities, may have been fueled by more than adolescent angst. Long-standing grievances and the ascension to power played crucial roles, and nobody — regardless of piety, infirmity, or innocence — was guaranteed immunity from the panic.

Straight from the pages of Schiff’s meticulously researched history, here are 5 things you may not have known about the Salem witch trials.

• While Salem, Massachusetts, claims the infamous witch trials as its legacy, the accusations and drama originated in Salem Village, in what is now Danvers, Massachusetts.
• Supernatural occurrences extended beyond the trickery of witches. Ghosts infiltrated the judicial proceedings, whizzing about the room, distracting witnesses, and strengthening testimonies against the accused.
• No “witches” were burned at the stake in Salem, but fourteen women and five men were hanged for witchcraft. As the hysteria spread, 55 people admitted to being in league with the devil, in part because more leniency was shown to those who confessed.
• Giles Corey, who refused to confess, was crushed to death by the piling of stones atop him. He was the only person ever to have been pressed to death in America.
• Executions were not limited to humans. Two dogs were also found guilty and killed.