The Salem Witch Trials took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 and 1693. Salem was a village made up of six-hundred or more residents. It was run by a Theocracy, which is defined as, "rule by religion"; it can be good or bad when dealing with puritans." When the wrong people are in control it is used selfishly, or for personal gain. The residence of Salem all considered themselves to be puritans. They did believe in witches and their ability to do harm to others. They thought in order to become a witch you must make a deal with the devil, and sign his book. According to the puritans when you become a witch you are given powers to do evil, and that is denying God's authority.

        It is believed that Rev. Samuel Parris started this all by bringing a slave named Tituba back to Salem from Barbados. She took care of his daughter, and niece; they were both young and impressionable. She taught them to dance, sign, and tell stories of voodoo. The girls of course spread this to the other girls in Salem. Shortly after spreading it to all the girls, they began to meet in the wood to dance, and do spells. It was all just fun and games to the girls, but to the others in the village it was the devils work.

        When the daughter of Rev. Parris would not wake, the doctors didn't know what the cause was, so they blamed it on witchery. When the rest of the girls were confronted, they act as if they were also possessed and began blaming it on others in the village to benefit themselves. One of the first blamed could not take any more of the beating, so she admitted to being a witch so they would stop.

        Only a bigger hunt was started and more and more were being accused. Soon people from neighboring villages were also being accused, eventually spreading to over twenty-two other communities. According to Siteclopedia Network,  in Salem, nineteen people were hung, one was pressed to death, and atleast thirteen died in prision.

        The aftermath of the trials were devastating. There was no one to plow fields so all the crops went bad. Many of the children were now orpans. Some had other people and family to turn to, and some did not. The village itself was a mess; there was trash everywhere.