| The Salem Witch trials showed a hideous and | | | | The first person to be tried was Bridget Bishop. In |
| violent side of the early American settlers who | | | | a single day, she was found guilty and hanged on |
| migrated to the North American continent | | | | June 10, 1692. More people were tried and then |
| supposedly to escape religious persecution. | | | | hanged. A total of nineteen people (fourteen |
| Here are the facts: In 1692, Salem, | | | | women and five men) were hanged and one was |
| Massachusetts, three little girls related to the | | | | crushed to death because he refused to stand |
| Reverend Samuel Parris started showing | | | | trial. Many died in the prisons. A 4 year old was |
| symptoms of an unknown illness. They screamed, | | | | forced to give testimony against her mother who |
| threw things around, uttered strange sounds and | | | | was subsequently jailed for being a witch. |
| even pretended to fly around the room. The | | | | This ghastly mockery of justice has left a lot of |
| frightened onlookers could find no reason for this | | | | people puzzled as to how something like this could |
| behavior. As the number of children afflicted with | | | | have happened. Some say that girls and women |
| this behavior increased, the children were asked if | | | | ingeneral had very little self-respect because of |
| they knew of any reason for their afflictions. | | | | the conditions of living in those times. Boys were |
| They pointed out three poor and helpless people | | | | able to enjoy life outdoors with the men, going |
| including their family slave Tituba who used to | | | | fishing,swimming or just playing games while the |
| take care of them. Tituba was originally from | | | | girls were imprisoned in their own home, barely |
| Barbados andused to entertain the children with | | | | seen and not heard at all. |
| strange stories from her home country. The | | | | When humans are stripped of any power that |
| three originally accused were helpless human | | | | they have and treated as slaves, their behavior is |
| beings, shunned by society and with no one to | | | | usually dictated by instinct, rather than cultural |
| stand by them. | | | | mores. |
| All three women were accused of hurting the girls | | | | There are many herbs and roots that are |
| using witchcraft and jailed. As the children realized | | | | poisonous and these could have made the children |
| how much power they had, they started | | | | behave in strange ways. The girls were alone at |
| accusingdifferent people, including church members | | | | home with no adultsaround and it is possible that |
| and other respected communitymembers. Soon | | | | they ingested something that behaved like a |
| there were more than 150 people who were | | | | psychedelic drug. America was a new, |
| accused of practicing witchcraft and jailed. | | | | unchartered and strange country to thepilgrims. |