The Salem Witch Trials

This is the story of Salem, MA, where a fear of witches ended in multiple deaths.

Curated byMichelle Krasovitski, Hark Contributor

8 CLIPS31 MINS

Clip 1 of 8

Pandemic Anxieties in Salem, MA Circa 1692

mxmtoon outlines the early days of medicine, explaining how the anxieties following a smallpox epidemic contributed to the hysteria in Salem.

Pandemic Anxieties in Salem, MA Circa 1692

365 days with mxmtoon

2 MINS

Clip 2 of 8

The First Accusers of the Salem Witch Hysteria

Who sparked a hysteria that would go on to claim the lives of several people? Hear about the first accusers who cried “witch!” in Salem.

The First Accusers of the Salem Witch Hysteria

History Uncovered

2 MINS

Clip 3 of 8

Judge Jonathan Corwin, the Man Behind the Salem Witch Trials

Elizabeth Peterson, director of the Witch House and Pioneer Village in Salem, recounts the role of Judge Jonathan Corwin, one of nine magistrates who presided over the Salem Witch Trials.

Judge Jonathan Corwin, the Man Behind the Salem Witch Trials

Infamous America

3 MINS

Clip 4 of 8

Tests for Accused Witches in Salem

How would a court in the 1600s determine if an accused was a witch? This clip explores the many different tests courts would administer to verify the accusations.

The John Batchelor Show

3 MINS

Clip 5 of 8

Probable & Improbable Causes for the Salem Witch Trials

Emerson Baker, Professor of History at Salem State University, proposes conversion disorder as a possible cause of this hysteria while debunking the popular theory that the people of Salem suffered from ergotism.

Probable & Improbable Causes for the Salem Witch Trials

Infamous America

4 MINS

Clip 6 of 8

War & Weather: Surprising Motivators for the Salem Hysteria

Could a meteorological phenomenon be to blame for the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials? This clip explains how the Little Ice Age — a span of 500 years where temperatures dipped very low — could explain the hysteria.

War & Weather: Surprising Motivators for the Salem Hysteria

History Uncovered

2 MINS

Clip 7 of 8

Innocent Until Proven a Witch

Journalist Amber Hunt explores how the public executions fostered a culture of acceptance in Salem, where accused witches were expected to suffer and die.

The John Batchelor Show

7 MINS

Clip 8 of 8

The Legacy of the Witch Trials in 'The Crucible'

Christy and Gary Shriver discuss the impact of the Trails on literature, specifically looking at why Arthur Miller felt the trials were a perfect allegory for the tumultuous social politics of America in the early 1900s.

The Legacy of the Witch Trials in 'The Crucible'

How To Love Lit Podcast

4 MINS

Curated byMichelle Krasovitski

8 CLIPS31 MINS

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The Salem Witch Trials

Pandemic Anxieties in Salem, MA Circa 1692

365 days with mxmtoon

The First Accusers of the Salem Witch Hysteria

History Uncovered

Judge Jonathan Corwin, the Man Behind the Salem Witch Trials

Infamous America

Tests for Accused Witches in Salem

The John Batchelor Show

Probable & Improbable Causes for the Salem Witch Trials

Infamous America

War & Weather: Surprising Motivators for the Salem Hysteria

History Uncovered

Innocent Until Proven a Witch

The John Batchelor Show

The Legacy of the Witch Trials in 'The Crucible'

How To Love Lit Podcast

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