The Salem Witch Trials Podcast

We explore the myth of religious freedom in early American history, addressing the intolerance of the Puritans  and the challenges faced by other religious groups. And we see how these aspects begin to evolve following the witch crisis.  Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials.

Cotton Mather was a third generation minister born into Puritan royalty, a nepo baby long before anyone had ever used the term. But his involvement in the Salem witch trials — and defense of the trials afterward — led to his eventual vilification. We’re joined by Professor Rick Kennedy who helps us sort through Mather’s complex role in Puritan New England.  Learn about Rick Kennedy Learn about Rick Kennedy’s book The First American Evangelical: A Short Life of Cotton Mather Rick Kennedy’s latest book is Winds of Santa Ana: Pilgrim Stories of the California Bight Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials

We often think of the population of seventeenth-century New England as homogenous—made up entirely of Anglo-Puritans and the natives who had been living in America for centuries. Yet there were others in New England as well, including a very small, yet significant minority of enslaved Black residents. In this episode, we tell the story of two of them, Mary and Candy, who got caught up in the witch crisis. We are grateful to Jonah Hoffmann and the Salem Witch Museum for this blog post, which proved valuable for producing this episode.  Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials

We explore the enigmatic figure of Reverend Samuel Parris, the man who sat at the spiritual head of Salem Village during the witch crisis. We trace Reverend Parris' journey to Salem, which is set against a backdrop of privilege, adventure, and numerous setbacks. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials

New governor, William Phips, under the guidance of a new charter for Massachusetts, faces a crisis as the accusations of witchcraft spread and the suspects pile up jails. With no judicial system to handle the chaos, he establishes a new court, led by William Stoughton, and we set the stage for the epic tragedy to come.  Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials

William and Deliverance Hobbs, and their teenage daughter Abigail, were among the most interesting families involved in the Salem witch crisis. Having lived on the rugged and dangerous Maine frontier for a decade prior to arriving in Salem, the Hobbs family took center stage on April 19, 1692, when Abigail made some explosive claims before the magistrates.   Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok  Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials

Giles Corey's torturous death was a particularly dark chapter in a vary dark tale. With the help of our guest, Rachel Christ-Doane, director of education at the Salem Witch Museum, we dive into Corey's horrific story, and explore the escalation of fear during the crisis. Learn more about the Salem Witch Museum __ Join us on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials

While she wasn’t the first to be accused, on June 10, Bridget Bishop became the first person to be executed for witchcraft during the crisis. But her conviction by the new Court of Oyer and Terminer planted some initial seeds of doubt.   Join us on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok    Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming novel, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials

Daniel Gagnon is back to discuss the shocking accusations against and prosecution of Rebecca Nurse. Dan is the author of A Salem Witch: The Trial, Execution, and Exoneration of Rebecca Nurse and a member of the board of directors of the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in Danvers, MA.

On March 23, 1692, a warrant was issued by the magistrates to take into custody yet another accused individual. By now, the magistrates and marshals were getting used to this exercise. The witch hysteria had been building for several weeks, and the accusations were flying. But this time, however, the accused was not one of the usual suspects.    Watch Rachel Christ-Doane, director of education at the Salem Witch Museum, discuss her research about the life of Dorothy Good.

George Burroughs was the former minister of the church at Salem Village. But in late April, 1692, a complaint was filed against him on behalf of several people who claimed he was a witch who had inflicted them. Days later, he was arrested in Maine and brought back to Salem in chains to face these charges. In a story filled with strange and unusual characters, George Burroughs’ story is among the strangest of them all.   Tell us what you think at greg@putnamsofsalem.com Join us on Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok 

Mary Warren, the 20-year-old indentured servant of John and Elizabeth Proctor, was both accused and an accuser; afflicted and an inflictor during the Salem Witch Trials. How could this be? We examine Mary’s twisting tale as a means for helping to understand the complexities and nuance of the witch hysteria in general.    Tell us what you think at greg@putnamsofsalem.com Join us on Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok 

What exactly is witchcraft and magic and what did it mean to New Englanders in the late seventeenth century? We’re joined by historian Alyssa Conary who helps us understand these important questions.  

During the turbulent month of March 1692, accusations of witchcraft from a handful of girls turns into a full-blown crisis. In this episode, we unravel the events of this pivotal month to reveal the critical role that it played in turning the Salem witch hunt into an unprecedented disaster.

What do you think of when you hear the term ‘witch hunt?’  While the phrase has decidedly become loaded over the years, it often conjures up visions of angry mobs with torches and pitchforks. The Salem Witch Trials were most certainly a witch hunt, and decidedly unjust, but it’s important to remember that they were also actual trials with judgements that were handed down based on testimony, evidence and other time-tested methods of adjudication. So, how could the system of failed so badly? To help us understand this important question, we’re joined by Jane Campbell Moriarty, the Carol Los Mansmann Chair in Faculty Scholarship and Professor of Law at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Professor Moriarty is an expert on evidence, neuroscience and law, and legal and judicial ethics, and she has studied and written about the evidence used during the Salem Witch Trials.  Read Professor Moriarty's article, "Wonders of the Invisible World Prosecutorial Syndrome and Profile Evidence in the Salem Witchcraft Trials," in the Vermont Law Review, Vol. 26, No. 43

As English settlers began moving into the northern frontier of New England in the mid-17th century, clashes with the native population there often had brutal results. Years later, a surprising number of those who lived though this tumultuous period in the region known as the ‘Eastward Frontier’ played central roles in the Salem witch hysteria. We’re joined by Professor Mary Beth Norton, whose groundbreaking work on this startling connection helped to change how we think about the Salem Witch Trials. Mary Beth Norton is the author of numerous books, including In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692.  

When two young girls in the household of Salem Reverend Samuel Parris begin to experience strange behaviors, three women find themselves accused of witchcraft. Historian Kathleen Brown, the David Boies Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, helps us understand the beginnings of the witch hunt during the first few months of 1692.  Learn more about Professor Brown's book, Undoing Slavery: Bodies, Race, and Rights in the Age of Abolition

In our first episode, Greg is joined by Daniel Gagnon, a historian and author of A Salem Witch: The Trial, Execution, and Exoneration of Rebecca Nurse (Westholme), who explains the context that led to the witch hysteria in Salem in 1692. He discusses the Puritans who settled Salem, their beliefs, as well as their relationship with the native populations. Learn more Daniel Gagnon’s book: A Salem Witch: The Trial, Execution, and Exoneration of Rebecca Nurse Daniel Gagnon is on the Board of Directors of the Rebecca Nurse Homestead. Greg Houle is the author of the forthcoming novel, The Putnams of Salem. Learn more at theputnamsofsalem.com S5MYfLb7Ch9e9rNozh6n

Most of us have heard about the Salem Witch Trials, but what do we know about what really happened in and around Salem, Massachusetts in 1692? The Salem Witch Trials Podcast, hosted by Greg Houle, goes beyond the myth and gets to the heart of the action. Beginning in October 2023, we will release episodes that include interviews with experts who will shed light onto the people and events of that horrifying year, as well as provide valuable context that help us understand how and why this tragedy took place. Please subscribe so you won't miss an episode.   Music: "The Last Whale" by Jelsonic from the Free Music Archive, license CC BY