Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

After idolatry, the second capital crime to be recognized in the Massachusetts Bay Colony was witchcraft. While 17th century Massachusetts had already experienced a number of witchcraft cases by 1692, no previous events could possibly compare to what would happen during the Salem settlements of that year.
Scarred by a recent smallpox outbreak, and suffocated by a long-brewing family feud and an ever-tightening Puritan grip, Salem Village in the early 1690s was a powder keg. When this already-tense atmosphere was stoked by an incident in which three residents were accused of bewitching two young girls, it quickly spiraled into one of the most notorious cases of mass hysteria in American history, which saw over 200 individuals accused, 30 convicted, and at least 25 dead. Fueled by religious extremism, xenophobia, misogyny, economic upheaval, and petty revenge, what followed was the deadliest witch hunt in the history of colonial North America— the Salem Witch Trials.
Learn more about the Salem Witch Trials by browsing our curated digital exhibits below, or by viewing the full Salem Witch Trials Papers digital collection.