In 1692, within a small Puritan village, tragedy struck. This tragedy later became known as the Salem Witch Trials. Society has a tendency of viewing the people of Salem as ignorant or cruel, But in many ways, these people were just like us- with their own beliefs, fears, challenges, petty disagreements, and even jealousies. Before you form your own opinion of the Salem Witch Trials, you must first understand the time period, people, region, religion, and finally, the actual trial.

The events of 1692 took place during a difficult and confusing period for Salem village. As part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Salem was still under British rule. When the hysteria began, the colony was still waiting for a new governor and had no charter to enforce laws. By the time the new governor, William Phips, arrived in Massachusetts, the jails were already filled with alleged...