Salem and Friends: The Plethora of Witch Trials in Early America

Episode Summary

Not all witch trials were the Salem Witch Trials. To truly understand the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693, we must examine the broader context of witch hunting that swept through colonial America. This episode explores the extensive history of witch trials in British North America that preceded and influenced the Salem events, revealing how witch hunts affected dozens of communities across New England and beyond.

Key Topics Covered

The Context Behind Salem

Why Salem didn’t happen in a bubble
European influence on colonial witch trials
How English writings shaped Salem court decisions
The role of European witchcraft tales in accuser testimonies

Pre-Salem Witch Trials in New England (1647-1691)

Connecticut Witch Trials

Alice Young of Windsor – First execution, May 26, 1647
34 total indictments with 11 executions
Hartford Witch Panic (1662-1663) – 14 accused, 4 executed
Final Connecticut hangings: January 25, 1663

Massachusetts Witch Trials

Margaret Jones of Charlestown – Hanged June 15, 1648
31 indictments between 1648-1691
8 convictions, 5 executions
Notable gap in executions from 1656-1688
Accused often fled to Rhode Island for safety

The Goodwin Children Case

Goody Glover trial as Salem’s precursor
Cotton Mather’s “Memorable Providences” (1689, 1691)
How the Goodwin children became the model for Salem’s afflicted

Witch Trials Beyond New England

Virginia

First accusation: Joan Wright (1626)
William Harding conviction (1656)
Grace Sherwood, “Witch of Pungo” – water ordeal trial (1706)

Maryland

Multiple accusations investigated
Rebecca Fowler execution (1685)
John Cowman conviction

Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont

Goody Cole trials across jurisdictions
Massachusetts Bay control influence

Salem’s Wider Impact

The 1692-1693 Salem Witch Trials affected numerous communities:

Andover
Boston
Maine and New Hampshire territories
Connecticut spinoff: Katharine Branch case (1692)

Episode Highlights

First witch trial execution in colonial America: Alice Young, 1647
Total colonial witch trial scope: Over 65 indictments across multiple colonies
Geographic spread: From Connecticut to Maine, Virginia to Maryland
Timeline: 45+ years of witch trials before Salem
Legal precedents: How earlier trials shaped Salem procedures

Resources & Further Learning

Check out the hosts’ companion podcast: The Thing About Witch Hunts for deeper dives into European witch trial history and modern witchcraft persecution worldwide.

SEO Keywords

Salem Witch Trials, colonial witch trials, New England witch hunts, Alice Young witch trial, Connecticut witch trials, Massachusetts witch trials, Goody Glover, Cotton Mather, Grace Sherwood, Hartford Witch Panic, colonial America witchcraft, pre-Salem witch trials, New England history, colonial justice system

Episode Tags

#SalemWitchTrials #ColonialHistory #NewEnglandHistory #WitchTrials #AmericanHistory #ColonialWitchcraft #Massachusetts #Connecticut #WitchHunts #17thCentury #PuritanHistory

The Thing About Salem podcast explores the real history behind one of America’s most infamous events. New episodes dive deep into the social, legal, and cultural factors that led to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693.