The Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials In 1692

The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and 1693 were among the most surprising and violent episodes in the history of America. It wasn’t violent due to a lot of people dying, in fact, only 19 people were killed due to this event. However, hundreds had their lives changed forever. Some, without any hope of it ever going back to how it was prior to the Trials. No, it was violent due to the fact that it was neighbor turning on neighbor. People that were once viewed as friends were turning on each other. One of the noblest families in Salem was torn down from their decadence and thrown into the mud, many of them being accused of witchcraft, never to return to their former glory. What sparked this horrific scene in America’s history? Why did it happen? Why did it take so long for it to stop? And most importantly, were the trials a mistake? Or were there actually witches in Salem?

A 15 month long war between the settlers and the Native Americans had just ended in 1676. It wiped out nearly a third of New England’s towns, obliterated its economy, and killed nearly 10% of the adult male population. The “war” was known as King Philip’s War. King Philip was the Native American’s “leader”. And during 1698, the English king and queen, William and Mary, started a war with France in the American Colonies. The colonists referred to it as King William’s War, and it put a strain on Salem’s economy due to an influx of refugees who were trying to escape the war.