Before the trials took place, the people of Salem were becoming very superstitious, because of bad crops, raids by the Native Americans, and diseases. They had to blame it something, so they accused people. The accused were supposedly witches, warlocks, or anyone they thought had any relations with the devil.

Salem Village was a small farming community of about 550 people. It was smaller than Salem Town, which was about eight miles away. Salem Town was a large port, and was well known for its fishing. Salem Town and Salem Village shared same minister, Samuel Parris, and used the same church.

At that time there were two groups in Salem Town, those w

Parris and his wife had two children living with them, Betty Parris, their daughter, and Abigail Williams, their niece. Abigail and Betty were the reason that the trials started.

Some other reasons people were accused were because of differences in political views, land disputes, or revenge for a slight injury. When a former respected minister was accused, many people started to get doubts about the trials. Finally, when the governor’s wife was accused, he put an end to it all.

The people who were accused the most, were independent women, widows, herbalists, or healers. Historians think that they were accused because the men wanted to keep them in their control, because some women were becoming too independent. Though they are not positive of this, they have evidence that they have suggest it is true.

During the “fits,” the girls screamed, rolled their eyes back into their heads, shook, and twisted their bodies into impossible positions. They also accused people of biting and pinching them. The people they accused that were against Samuel Parris, or had an argument with the Parris's, or the families of the other afflicted girls. By the end, they had accused most of the people that were in conflict with the new church, or their families.

Before becoming a minister, Samuel Parris had failed at being a merchant. All he had to show for all the long hard years of being a merchant, were the family slaves, Tituba, and her husband, John Indian.

In her early years in African, Tituba practiced ritual dance and “black magic.” Abigail and Betty Par

Some topics in this essay:
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