Informative Essay: The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials began in 1692 in Massachusetts. The trials began when young girls around Salem started acting up. They would start to scream and bark like a dog, fall to the floor, and would be spotted dancing in the woods.The accused witches had to be looked over carefully, the examiners would look for physical evidence, they would look for spectral evidence, have them recite the Lord's Prayer, or they would wait for them to confess. (www.ushistory.org/us/3g.asp) . The accused witches would be brought to judges where they would need to pass a series of tests, or trials. The trials, or tests, consist the swimming test, touch test, witch cakes, witch marks, pricking & scratching, and incantations. If the accused witches were found guilty, they would be executed. John Hathrone was a judge in The Salem Witch Trials, he was known for making a lot of people confess. (http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-bizarre-witch-trial-tests).

When the suspected witches were examined, the examiners would look for three things. One of the things they would look physical evidence. The examiners would look for birthmarks, warts, moles, or other marks or blemishes on the skin.(www.ushistory.org/us/3g.asp) The people who lived in Salem believed

It was believed that if the girls were really witches then they wouldn't be able to talk about religion. The young girls would have the recite it without hesitating or making mistakes, and of course, without having screaming fits and falling to the floor. Any hesitation or mistakes, even if the girl was only nervous, would indicate that she was working with the devil. Although, if the girls were successful, that doesn't mean that they're off the hook. A man named George Burroughs recited it perfectly, but was still hanged. People believed that it was a devil's trick.