The Salem Witch Trials brought charges against people suspected of witchcraft. This started in 1692. These charges can be caused by such bizarre observations, such as someone walking by your window and a few days later you get sick. Then they might accuse her of witchcraft. This could have been because that person was jealous of the person walking by. The Salem Witch Trials started in the present day town of Danvers, then called Salem Village. It all began when two young girls, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, became afflicted by witchcraft.

An example of an accusation is Giles Corey's trial. He was accused because other people wanted his land. He decided to plead innocent, even though he thought he would be killed, so his family could keep the estate. He ended up being pressed to death, but the estate remained in his family. Finally people were accused of witchcraft because they were different, or had a different religion. Women were mostly accused because they were bold or independent. In that short period of time the men were in charge, and women like that were despised and disliked.

In the brief period of time the witch trials occurred, twenty-four people died. Nineteen were hanged on Gallows Hill, and the rest were tortured to death, or died in prison. From all the detailed historical documents of the trials five hundred fifty two originals were preserved.