The Witches of Salem I: Free K-12 Worksheets and More

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _____________________________ Class: ____
The Witches of Salem
Although an isolated incident, the

In 1692, a group of adolescent girls Salem episode has long fascinated
in Salem Village, Massachusetts, became Americans. Most historians agree that Salem
subject to strange fits after hearing tales told Village in 1692 experienced a kind of public
by a West Indian slave. They accused several hysteria, fueled by a genuine belief in the
women of being witches. The townspeople existence of witchcraft. While some of the
were appalled but not surprised: Belief in girls may have been acting, many responsible
witchcraft was widespread throughout 17th- adults became caught up in the frenzy as
century America and Europe. Town officials well.
convened a court to hear the charges of Even more revealing is a closer
witchcraft. Within a month, six women were analysis of the identities of the accused and
convicted and hanged. the accusers. Salem Village, as much of
The hysteria grew, in large measure colonial New England, was undergoing an
because the court permitted witnesses to economic and political transition from a
testify that they had seen the accused as largely agrarian, Puritan-dominated
spirits or in visions. Such "spectral evidence" community to a more commercial, secular
could neither be verified nor made subject to society. Many of the accusers were
objective examination. By the fall of 1692, 20 representatives of a traditional way of life
victims, including several men, had been tied to farming and the church, whereas a
executed, and more than 100 others were in number of the accused witches were
jail (where another five victims died) – members of a rising commercial class of
among them some of the town's most small shopkeepers and tradesmen. Salem's
prominent citizens. When the charges obscure struggle for social and political
threatened to spread beyond Salem, power between older traditional groups and
ministers throughout the colony called for an a newer commercial class was one repeated
end to the trials. The governor of the colony in communities throughout American
agreed. Those still in jail were later acquitted history. It took a bizarre and deadly detour
or given reprieves. when its citizens were swept up by the
Free K-12 Worksheets and More www.STUDENTHANDOUTS.com

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _____________________________ Class: ____
conviction that the devil was loose in their 6. Based on your knowledge of these events,
homes. do you believe that the accusers believed
The Salem witch trials also serve as a in the truth of the accusations they made?
dramatic parable of the deadly consequences Explain your answer.
of making sensational, but false, ______________________________________________
I do believe that the accusers believed in the
truth of the accusations they made because
charges. Three hundred years later, we still _______________________________________________
they were very into the church and was terrified
that the devil would enter their homes.
call false accusations against a large number ______________________________________________
of people a "witch hunt." _______________________________________________
______________________________________________
1. Salem Village was located in what colony? _______________________________________________
a. Delaware ______________________________________________
b. Massachusetts _______________________________________________
c. New Hampshire ______________________________________________
d. Virginia _______________________________________________
______________________________________________
2. In America and Europe during the 1600s, _______________________________________________
belief in witchcraft was very uncommon. ______________________________________________
a. True _______________________________________________
b. False ______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
3. What was “spectral evidence”? ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
it was a testimony that a person _______________________________________________
had seen the accused as spirits
_______________________________________________
or in visons ______________________________________________
______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
4. At the time of the Salem witch trials, ______________________________________________
Salem was growing in religiosity. _______________________________________________
a. True ______________________________________________
b. False _______________________________________________
______________________________________________
5. Today, we call false accusations against a _______________________________________________
large number of people a _____. ______________________________________________
witch hunt
______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Free K-12 Worksheets and More www.STUDENTHANDOUTS.com

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Name: ________________________ Date: _ Class:

The Witches of Salem

Although an isolated incident, the

Free K-12 Worksheets and More www.STUDENTHANDOUTS.com

Free K-12 Worksheets and More www.STUDENTHANDOUTS.com

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