... become strangely ill. She ran about, dove under furniture, contorted in pain, and complained of fever. These symptoms could have been caused by some combination of stress, asthma, guilt, child abuse, epilepsy, and delusional psychosis, but there were other theories. Ti was easy to believe in 1692 that the devil was close at hand. Sudden and violent death occupied everyone's minds ... . Soon many people were being tried and executed for there so-called involvement with the devil. No execution caused more unease in Salem than that of the village's ex-minister, George Burroughs. Burroughs w...

• Word Count: 1724
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... 1692, young Betty Parris became strangely ill. She twisted in pain, and complained of fever. The cause of her symptoms may have been some combination of stress, asthma, guilt, child abuse, epilepsy, and delusional psychosis, but there were other theories. Cotton Mather had recently published a popular book, "Memorable Providences," describing the suspected witchcraft of an Irish washerwoman in Boston, and Betty ... served to silence most skeptics, and Parris and other local ministers began witch hunting with eagerness. No execution caused more unease in Salem than that of the village's ...

• Word Count: 1822
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School