The Thing About Salem

In this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we cover March 12, 1692, when the witch-hunt expands with an unlikely new suspect and a new accuser. Ann Putnam Jr. claims she is afflicted by Martha Corey, wife of Giles Corey, prompting Deacon Edward Putnam and Ezekiel Cheever to visit Ann and then question Martha directly. We discuss an attempted “experiment” involving what Ann could see, and we share how Martha responds to their concerns about the accusations, witches, and the church. After the visit, Ann initially says Martha has not hurt her, but later reports renewed nighttime afflictions. Meanwhile, Mary Warren, a servant in the Proctor household, also complains that Martha Corey is afflicting her, widening the dragnet to more church members.00:00 A New Suspect Named00:25 Testing Martha Corey01:31 Confronting Martha at Home02:58 Martha Denies Witchcraft03:37 Ann Putnam’s Night Affliction03:54 Mary Warren Joins In04:05 Witch Hunt WidensSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

The nightmare in Salem Village is only just beginning. Join us, Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack, as we recount the chilling events of March 11, 1692. While the first three accused women—Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne—languish in heavy iron shackles in a Boston dungeon, the terror back home hasn't faded. If anything, the "invisible specters" seem more active than ever.In this episode, we take you inside the cramped, tense parsonage of Reverend Samuel Parris. Desperate to save his household from what he believes is an "evil hand," Parris has called for spiritual reinforcements. We discuss the solemn day of fasting and prayer held by several area ministers who gathered to witness the girls' afflictions firsthand.We explore the haunting observations made by those in the room, including:The eerie silence that fell over the afflicted girls during active prayer.The immediate eruption of "strange, ridiculous" behavior the moment the ministers finished.The specific, terrifying physical fits of Abigail Williams, whose limbs were seen twisting in unnatural directions.A major focus of today’s episode is the presence of Reverend John Hale of Beverly. At this moment in March, Hale is a staunch supporter of the proceedings, comparing the girls' torments to famous past cases of witchcraft. However, we also touch on the tragic irony of his story—how his perspective will eventually shatter when the hunt hits too close to home, leading him to write one of the most significant reflections on the "innocent blood" shed in Salem.Sign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About Salem: https⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

Welcome back to Salem Witch Trials Daily. In today’s episode, we take a breath as the legal records in Salem Village go quiet for a moment. While the "machinery" of the trials has already been set in motion, March 10th, 1692, left behind no new warrants or examinations.Instead of focusing on the quiet in the village, we are stepping back to look at the broader, often unstable colonial legal world that surrounded the accused.A Quiet Day in Salem: Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba remain in custody as the community processes the initial examinations.Lessons from Virginia: We look back 36 years to a 1656 law in the Colony of Virginia regarding the right of suffrage.The Concept of Standing: We discuss how the legal system was built around a narrow category of "freemen" and why that left women like Sarah Good and Tituba completely outside the circle of protection.Legal Instability: A look at how rights in colonial America—from the franchise to the court systems—were constantly negotiated and renegotiated by those already in power.A Colony in Flux: Why the timing of the witchcraft accusations was particularly dangerous given that Massachusetts was operating under a brand-new provincial charter."The gap between who the legal system was built to protect and who it was fully capable of punishing is one of the defining features of the world that produced the Salem crisis."The quiet won't last long. Join us tomorrow as we cover the developments of March 11th and see how the community continues to react to the growing crisis.Sign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In today's episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we delve into the grim reality of life behind bars for those accused of witchcraft in 1692. Following their transfer to Boston just a few days ago, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne begin to experience the true misery of 17th-century imprisonment.We explore the harrowing conditions of the Boston dungeon—a place defined by darkness, overcrowding, and a constant battle against filth and vermin. But the physical environment was only part of the ordeal.The Restraints of March 9th: We mark the specific day jail keeper John Arnold purchased the heavy iron chains that would bind Good and Osborne for months.The Price of Imprisonment: We look into the "jail bills" system, where prisoners were forced to pay for their own shackles and daily survival.Specters and Iron: We examine the Puritan belief that physical chains could actually contain a witch's invisible spirit, or "specter," from harming the community.A Universal Hardship: How these brutal measures were applied to everyone accused, including the youngest and most vulnerable victims of the crisis.Even with these heavy restraints in place, the accusations and reported torments in Salem were far from over. Join us as we uncover the heavy physical and financial toll placed on the accused during this dark chapter of history.Sign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we explore the intersection of local government and the unfolding crisis in 1692. As Salem held its annual town meeting, the community elected leaders who would soon find themselves on opposite sides of the prisoner bars. We also look beyond the 17th century to honor International Women’s Day by discussing the ongoing global struggle against witchcraft accusations.The Salem Elections: We look at the town meeting on March 8, 1692, where residents voted for new selectmen and constables. We highlight how several of these newly elected officials, such as Philip English and Daniel Andrew, transitioned from positions of authority to being the accused.Divided Families and Neighbors: We examine the complex roles of other elected men, including the son of Salem Town’s senior minister and members of the Putnam and Porter families, whose involvement ranged from making accusations to defending the innocent.Reflecting on Gender and Misogyny: For International Women’s Day, we reflect on our past conversations regarding the patriarchal hierarchies and fears of female independence that fueled historic witch hunts.The Modern Crisis: We discuss the critical need for intersectional approaches to protect vulnerable women today. We also share details about our upcoming special live panel focused on achieving justice for women currently accused of witchcraft in Africa.We invite you to join us this Sunday for our special Zoom panel, "Justice for Women Accused of Witchcraft in Africa," featuring a distinguished group of activists, magistrates, and journalists.When: Sunday, March 8th at 6:30 PM GMT. Join with the Zoom link at endwitchhunts.org/iwd.

For International Women's Day and Women's History Month, The Thing About Salem takes a deep look at one of the Salem witch trials' most fascinating and misrepresented figures: Tituba Indian. Who was she, and why have writers, scholars, and storytellers kept returning to her story for two centuries?Joining Josh and Sarah is Samaine Lockwood, associate professor of English at George Mason University and the 2026 Fenwick Fellow, whose forthcoming book traces Tituba's transformation as an American cultural figure from 1820 to the present.In this episode, you'll discover:Why Tituba is largely absent from 19th-century Salem novels, and what her absence reveals about race and citizenship in post-Civil War AmericaHow wrongfully accused white women in historical fiction were shaped into symbols of ideal democratic citizenship, while Tituba was cast as their oppositeWhich overlooked novels and authors are essential to understanding how Salem has been reimagined across American literary historyWhy Black feminist writers like Ann Petry and Maryse Conde were the first to place Tituba at the center of the story, and why that mattersWhat Samaine's research trip to Salem will examine about how Tituba is represented in today's memorial and tourist spacesThis episode also includes an invitation to the live International Women's Day panel Justice for Women Accused of Witchcraft in Africa, taking place Sunday, March 8th at 6:30 PM GMT. Join Dr. Leo Igwe, Chief Magistrate Safiya Musa Salihu, Dr. Barrister Dise Ogbise Goddy Harry, broadcast journalist Hauwa Mundi, and Maimonat Mohammad for a conversation on gender, justice, and witchcraft accusations today. Register at endwitchhunts.org/iwd.LinksPublications by Samaine Lockwood University Libraries has named Samaine Lockwood, associate professor of English, the 2026 Fenwick Fellow Buy Books Mentioned in Today's Episode Sign the Petition to Exonerate the Boston 8 The History of Witch Trial Exonerations in Massachusetts About the MA Witch Hunt Justice Project Purchase a MA Witch Hunt Justice Project Memorial PinAttend Free Event March 8 2026: Woman Accused of Witchcraft in Africa

In this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we dive into the pivotal events of March 7, 1692, a day that marked a massive shift in the escalating crisis of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. We explore how the absence of stable leadership and a deep-seated spiritual dread created the perfect storm for the tragedies that followed.A Colony in Limbo: We discuss the long journey of Reverend Increase Mather and the future governor, Sir William Phips, as they departed London with a new charter in hand. We look at how the lack of a formal government in Massachusetts during their absence allowed the witch hunt to spiral out of control without legal oversight.The Ministers’ Meeting: We take you to Cambridge, where local ministers gathered to grapple with what they perceived as a literal demonic invasion. We examine the "city upon a hill" worldview and the apocalyptic fears that led the clergy to interpret strange behaviors as a diabolical conspiracy.The Road to Boston: We follow the first group of accused women—Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne—as they are ordered to be transferred from Salem Village to the horrific conditions of the Boston jail.The Human Cost: We touch upon the devastating impact these transfers had on the accused and their families, including the heartbreaking presence of Sarah Good’s infant daughter and the later imprisonment of her four-year-old, Dorothy.Sign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we discuss Ann Putnam Jr.’s March 1692 claims that the apparition of “Goody Proctor” attacked her by choking, biting, and pinching, and that she later identified Elizabeth Proctor as the specter’s owner, alleging pressure to sign a book. We then introduce Elizabeth Proctor’s background beyond later fictional portrayals: her birth as Elizabeth Bassett in Lynn, her family connection to Ann Burt who had faced a witchcraft accusation in 1669, and how beliefs about inherited witchcraft could fuel suspicion. We also cover her 1674 marriage to John Proctor, their large blended household on the rented Downing farm in Salem Farms, their choice to worship in Salem Town, the presence of servant Mary Warren, and hints of domestic tension that will shape our ongoing timeline.00:00 Accusation Begins00:22 Testimony Details00:59 Who Was Proctor01:17 Family Background01:51 Marriage And Home02:17 Servant And Tensions02:35 Closing And SubscribeSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

We cover March 5, 1692, when authorities transferred Sarah Good from the Ipswich Jail to the Salem Jail and magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin questioned her, while Tituba again repeated her confessions. We also discuss how William Allen, William Good, John Hughes, and Samuel Braybrook submitted a statement against Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, and we read from the original text describing alleged strange noises, apparitions, animals, lights, and other incidents connected to the accused. Braybrook’s account includes details from transporting Sarah Good to Ipswich and her remarks about the evidence against her. We note that while the accusations began with afflicted girls, by this point adults in the community were making similar claims and filing complaints that led to warrants.00:00 March 5 Interrogations00:46 Reading the Statement00:54 Allen and Hughes Testimony02:07 Witch Mark Allegation02:23 Hughes Dog and Cat03:05 Braybrook Escort Account03:45 How Accusations SpreadSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem: https⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In this March 4th episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we place Salem Village in the tense aftermath of the first public examinations held March 1, 1692, noting that while March 4 is quiet with no new warrants or hearings, the legal process and accusations continue, fueled in part by Tituba’s alarming testimony about the devil, familiars, and a book of names as the three accused women remain jailed. We also explore March 4’s broader colonial significance through two charters: the Massachusetts Bay charter becoming operative on March 4, 1629, later revoked in 1684, with a new charter en route in 1692 with Increase Mather; and the March 4, 1681 Pennsylvania charter granted to William Penn, contrasting Pennsylvania’s record on witchcraft with Massachusetts’ mounting crisis.00:00 March 4th in Salem00:12 Aftermath of Hearings00:45 Tituba Shocks the Court01:06 Charter Day Connections01:16 Massachusetts Bay Charter01:46 Revoked and Replaced02:08 Pennsylvania Contrast02:39 Why Systems Matter02:54 Pressure Cooker FinaleSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

We recount the fear people felt at the alleged sight of the specter of a 4-year-old girl. We explore what 17th-century New Englanders meant by “specters” or “shapes,” why afflicted accusers were treated as visionaries, and how invisible attacks like pinching, choking, and demands to sign the devil’s book became accepted in court. We share a vivid example involving Benjamin Hutchinson and Abigail Williams that shows how frightening and persuasive spectral claims could be. We also examine the central legal and theological dispute of 1692—whether the devil could assume the form of an innocent person—along with how magistrates such as William Stoughton and clergy such as Cotton Mather (via “The Return of Several Ministers”) differed on the reliability of spectral evidence. We note how things changed in early 1693, and we mention key events dated March 3, 1692, including claims involving Dorothy Good and Tituba’s third questioning.00:00 Dorothy Good Specter00:16 Meet the Hosts00:22 What Is a Specter00:47 Invisible Attacks Described01:05 Spectral Evidence Trap01:36 Benjamin Hutchinson Incident02:02 Devil Shape Debate02:43 Ministers Push Back03:04 Spectral Evidence Ends03:43 Tituba Questioned AgainSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victims: https://change.org/witchtrialsFind My Massachusetts Legislators: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislatorThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026: https://aboutsalem.com/week-7-blog-families-geography-and-the-machinery-of-accusation-february-9-15-2026/⁠The Thing About Salem: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collectionLinks

In this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we cover the developments of March 2, 1692 in Essex County, including constable Samuel Braybrook’s report that Sarah Good escaped custody three times on the way to the Ipswich jail. Back at the Salem jail, magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin interrogated Sarah Osborne and Tituba, with Osborne maintaining her innocence while Tituba expanded on her confession, describing the devil’s appearance, coercion to harm Betty Parris and Abigail, and signing the devil’s book alongside nine others, including Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne, leaving several witches unidentified. We also share how testimony continued to mount, with reports of Sarah Good’s specter and strange animal apparitions, as five community members formally deposed against the three accused women.00:00 March 2nd Shock00:35 Show Introduction00:40 Osborne and Tituba01:37 Devil’s Book01:59 Witch Hunt Begins02:18 More Testimonies02:38 Formal DepositionsSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victims: https://change.org/witchtrialsFind My Massachusetts Legislators: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislatorThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026: https://aboutsalem.com/week-7-blog-families-geography-and-the-machinery-of-accusation-february-9-15-2026/⁠The Thing About Salem: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection (the court documents): https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collectionLinks

We cover the busy day of March 1, 1692 in Salem Village as Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba were arrested and brought to the meetinghouse for crowded examinations led by magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin, with multiple people recording the proceedings. We discuss how Good and Osborne denied any pact with the devil while pressure and accusations mounted, including debate over whether the devil could appear in an innocent person’s shape. We recount how Tituba’s testimony escalated fears by describing the devil, other alleged witches, and strange creatures, and by implicating Good and Osborne while claiming coercion. We also touch on the suspects’ jailing arrangements, a village meeting pushing separation from Salem Town, and reports of spectral affliction, a “beast” sighting, and Good’s brief escape attempt.00:00 A Tense Day Begins00:23 Arrests and Witch Marks00:54 Hearing Setup and Recorders01:27 Sarah Good Examined02:46 Sarah Osborne Questioned03:35 Tituba Breaks and Confesses07:00 Specters and Strange Creatures08:57 Jail and Village Politics09:41 More Reports and Closing TeaseSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

How did the Salem Witch Trials Start?It's early March 1692, and Salem Village is about to change forever. In this episode of The Thing About Salem, we cover the explosive first week of the Salem Witch Trials, from the very first arrests to the courtroom confessions that transformed a local crisis into a full-blown witch hunt.The episode opens with a recap of the pivotal final days of February 1692, when a physician's diagnosis, a desperate folk magic ritual, and a gathering of ministers set the stage for what was coming. By February 29, the waiting was over. Complaints were filed, warrants were issued, and three women were headed to examination.March 1, 1692 marks a critical  moment in the Salem Witch Trials. Magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin questioned the accused in the packed Salem Village meeting house, and what happened inside those walls would send shockwaves through Massachusetts Bay Colony and fuel months of accusations to come.The episode traces events day by day through March 7, showing exactly how a handful of afflicted girls, a contested diagnosis, and one dramatic confession set an entire province on edge.In this episode:The witch cake and what it was meant to doThe first complaints and arrest warrants of the Salem Witch TrialsThe examinations of Sarah Good, Sarah Osburn, and Tituba before magistrates Hathorne and CorwinTituba's confession and the Devil's book with nine signaturesWhy the debate over spectral evidence matteredDay-by-day events from March 1 through March 7, 1692LinksSalem Witch Trials Daily Videos & Course The Thing About Salem Website⁠The Thing on YouTube⁠!⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts WebsiteSign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice Project www.massachusettswitchtrials.orgSupport the nonprofit End Witch Hunts Podcasts and Projects ⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we cover the events of February 28th and 29th, 1692. We discuss how heavy rains kept Governor Bradstreet from meeting, while the afflicted in Salem Village—Betty, Abigail, Ann, and Elizabeth—continued to suffer. We explore reports from the parsonage in which Tituba was visited by the devil, alleged witches, and familiars, and how these encounters escalated fears in the village. As the girls’ afflictions intensified, Samuel Parris and others moved from waiting to action. We recount how a formal complaint was filed against Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne, leading Salem magistrates to issue arrest warrants and order the accused brought to Ingersoll’s Tavern for preliminary examinations the next morning.00:00 Stormy Sabbath Setup00:29 Meet the Hosts00:34 Feb 28 and 29 Overview00:46 Tituba's Spectral Visits01:26 Threats and Rising Afflictions01:35 Complaints and Arrest Warrants02:13 Tomorrow's Examinations TeaseSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

In today’s Salem Witch Trials Daily episode, we discuss February 27, 1692, when Ann Putnam Jr. reported that Sarah Good’s specter tortured her and tried to force her to sign the Devil’s book, marking the first such accusation in the Salem crisis. We place this idea in its long theological context and explain how Puritans viewed the book as a set of diabolical contracts, even as descriptions of it varied during the trials. We also touch on Elizabeth Hubbard’s claims that Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne tormented her, including a frightening wolf incident later referenced during Tituba’s questioning. Finally, we preview how the Devil’s book concept escalated rapidly after Tituba’s March 1 confession, including her testimony that nine names were already in the book.00:00 Welcome and Date00:16 Devil’s Book Origins00:59 First Salem Accusation01:49 What the Book Meant02:22 Hubbard and the Wolf03:22 Tituba’s Confession03:38 Conspiracy ExpandsSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victims: https://change.org/witchtrialsFind My Massachusetts Legislators: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislatorThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026: https://aboutsalem.com/week-7-blog-families-geography-and-the-machinery-of-accusation-february-9-15-2026/⁠The Thing About Salem: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collectionLinks

In our February 26, 1692 episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, we look at the moment the Salem Witch Trials escalated when the first specific accusation of witchcraft was made. We discuss how neighboring ministers and gentlemen visited Samuel Parris at the Salem Village parsonage, witnessed Betty and Abigail’s afflictions, and concluded Satan’s hand was involved while advising caution. We also cover what was learned from Tituba during this visit, including her connection to the witch cake attempt and what she said about learning methods to discover witches. Finally, we follow how the afflicted girls’ finger-pointing began in the Parris household, setting the stage for arrests that would soon follow.00:00 Late February Recap00:45 Ministers Visit Parris01:31 Tituba And The Witch Cake02:00 First Accusations Begin02:44 What Happens Next02:49 Where To FollowSign the petition to exonerate Massachusetts witch trial victimsFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channe⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegePeabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

The Witch Cake That Sparked Salem’s PanicWe revisit the crisis in Reverend Samuel Parris’s Salem Village household in February 1692, when his daughter Betty and niece Abigail Williams suffered violent fits and a doctor declared they were under an “evil hand.” With no natural cure, neighbor Mary Sibley intervened while the Parrises were away, directing Tituba and John Indian to make a traditional witch cake using rye flour and the girls’ urine, then feed it to the family dog as a form of sympathetic counter-magic. We discuss the folk beliefs behind this practice and why it failed to help the girls, who soon began naming alleged tormenters. We also cover Parris’s furious reaction and his condemnation of using folk magic as sinful in the Puritan worldview.00:00 Fits in Salem Village00:35 Witch Cake Countermagic01:16 How the Cake Was Supposed to Work01:54 Accusations Ignite02:07 Parris Condemns Folk MagicLinksSign the petition to exonerateFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts

We introduce the early events that sparked the Salem witch trials, focusing on January and February 1692 in Reverend Samuel Parris’s Salem Village household. Parris’s 9-year-old daughter Betty and 11-year-old niece Abigail began exhibiting alarming, inexplicable behaviors and violent physical afflictions. The family tried prayer, fasting, and medical treatment without relief, and around February 24 a local physician (widely believed to be Dr. William Griggs) examined the girls and found no natural cause, concluding they were under an “evil hand.” The hosts draw on later accounts by ministers John Hale and Deodat Lawson describing preternatural fits, invisible biting and pinching, contorted movements, choking, and apparent conversations with unseen “appearances.” With the community quickly concluding the girls were bewitched, the episode turns toward how this diagnosis shifted attention from medicine to the question of who was responsible.00:00 Mysterious Afflictions Begin00:18 Bizarre Symptoms in Parris Home01:01 Prayer and Medicine Fail01:07 Doctor Declares Evil Hand01:34 Hale Describes Torments02:15 Lawson Witnesses the Fits03:10 Meaning of Bewitchment03:39 Who Is ResponsibleSign the petition to exonerateFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts

Before Salem: Boston’s Forgotten Witchcraft Victims and the Push for ExonerationWe open with a 1692 London story involving Increase and Samuel Mather and a warning that supposed ghosts could be devils deceiving the grieving. Then we share an update on Massachusetts bill H.1927 to exonerate people accused of witchcraft in Boston and elsewhere: it has been favorably reported out of the Judiciary Committee, is headed to the full House, and has technical language changes with a new bill number pending. We explain that Salem wasn’t the start of witch-hunting in Massachusetts, highlighting earlier Boston-area cases—including those executed and others convicted but not executed—that helped establish the fears, evidence, and methods later seen in 1692. We close with clear calls to action: sign the petition at change.org/witchtrials, contact your Massachusetts representative and senator to urge support, share the episode, and encourage people in Massachusetts to get involved as the bill moves forward.00:00 Ghosts and Devils01:01 Bill H 1927 Update02:06 Boston Before Salem02:48 Margaret Jones 164803:53 Kendall and Lake04:37 Anne Hibbens 165605:05 Goody Glover 168805:44 Other Convictions06:15 Eunice Cole Fight07:14 Elizabeth Morse Case07:55 Take Action NowSign the petition to exonerateFind My Massachusetts LegislatorsThe Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubSalem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 7: Families, Geography, and the Machinery of Accusation, February 9-15, 2026⁠The Thing About SalemThe Thing About Witch Hunts