As convicted witches, the Salem Witch Trials victims were not allowed a Christian burial in consecrated ground. As a result, it is not known where they were buried. After each victim was executed at Proctor's Ledge, their body was cut down and placed in a shallow grave in a rocky…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Gallows Hill is a small hill in Salem, Massachusetts that was originally believed to be the site of the Salem Witch Trials hangings in 1692. Then, in January of 2016, the Gallows Hill Project confirmed that Proctor's Ledge, not Gallows Hill, is the site of the Salem Witch Trials hangings.…| History of Massachusetts Blog
John Proctor was a successful farmer and the first male to be named a witch during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Proctor was born in Assington, England on October 9, 1631. He immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony with his parents, John Proctor, Sr, and Martha Harper Proctor, sometime…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Rebecca Nurse Homestead is a historic house museum in Danvers, Massachusetts. The home once belonged to Rebecca Nurse, who was accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials, and it is the only home of a person executed during the trials that is open to the public. Rebecca Nurse…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Thomas Putnam was the father of afflicted girl Ann Putnam, Jr, and many historians consider him to be a major influence in the Salem Witch Trials. Putnam himself accused and testified against 43 people, while his daughter testified against 62 people. Many historians believe the Putnam family used the witchcraft…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Salem Witch Museum is a popular attraction in Salem that discusses the history of the Salem Witch Trials. I first visited this museum about 10 years ago or so and recently decided to visit it again to write a review and see if they changed anything. (Disclaimer: This post…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Sarah Good was one of the first women to be accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Good was the wife of William Good and, at the time of the Salem witch hysteria, was a poor, pregnant beggar who would often wander door to door in Salem…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Salem Witch Trials took place in Salem in the Province of Massachusetts Bay between 1692 and 1693. Historians believe the accused witches were victims of mob mentality, mass hysteria, and scapegoating. The Salem Witch Trials began in January of 1692, after a group of girls began behaving strangely and…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Crucible is a play about the Salem Witch Trials written by Arthur Miller. The play debuted on Broadway in January of 1953 and has since become an American classic. Although the play is based on the Salem Witch Trials, it was intended to be an allegory for the Red…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Elizabeth Proctor, wife of Salem Village farmer John Proctor, was accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. The Proctors were a wealthy family who lived on a large rented farm on the outskirts of Salem Village, in what is now modern-day Peabody, Massachusetts. Elizabeth, Proctor's third wife,…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Ann Putnam, Jr, was one of the afflicted girls during the Salem Witch Trials and the daughter of the witch trials ringleader Thomas Putnam. Born on October 18, 1679, in Salem, Ann Putnam Jr, was the oldest of 10 children born to Ann Carr Putnam and Thomas Putnam, a sergeant…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Salem Witch Trials Memorial is a memorial in Salem, Massachusetts, dedicated to the victims of the Salem Witch Trials. The memorial consists of 20 granite benches surrounded by a low stone wall. The stone slabs in the entryway to the memorial are inscribed with the victim's protests, which were taken…| History of Massachusetts Blog
William Stoughton was a colonial magistrate for the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Chief Magistrate of Court of Oyer and Terminer during the Salem Witch Trials. Early Life: William Stoughton was born in 1631 to Israel and Elizabeth (Knight) Stoughton. It is not known if Stoughton was born in England…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Rebecca Nurse was such a beloved citizen of Salem Village that when she was arrested for witchcraft in March of 1692, thirty-nine Salem residents came to her defense and signed a petition asking to set her free. The actions of her friends and family were remarkable because, in signing the…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Reverend Samuel Parris was the minister at Salem Village during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Samuel Parris was born in London, England, in 1653. In the late 1650s, his father, Thomas Parris, moved his entire family to a sugar plantation that he had purchased in Barbados. Samuel Parris' Early…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Abigail Williams was one of the first afflicted girls in the Salem Witch Trials. Despite the fact that she was one of the main accusers during the Salem Witch Trials, not much is known about Abigail Williams before or even after the trials ended. What historians do know is that…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Samuel Holten House is a historic house in Danvers, Massachusetts, with connections to the Salem Witch Trials. The house was once home to Sarah Holten, who testified against Rebecca Nurse in the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. The Samuel Holten House, also known as the Benjamin Holten House, was…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Salem Village meetinghouse was located near the corner of Hobart and Forest Streets in Danvers, Massachusetts. Originally built in 1672, the meetinghouse served as a place of worship and a general gathering place for civil and military matters. The land for the meetinghouse was donated by Joseph Hutchinson, who…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Ingersoll’s Tavern, also known as Ingersoll's Ordinary, is a historic house in Danvers, Massachusetts that once served as a tavern during the Salem Witch Trials. The tavern is a Colonial-style clapboard house located on Hobart Street. The oldest part of the house was built in 1670 for Nathaniel Ingersoll, lieutenant…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a dark time in American history. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria. Ever since those dark days ended, the trials have become synonymous with mass hysteria and scapegoating. The following are some facts…| History of Massachusetts Blog
