The Devil In New England: Witch Belief and Witch Trials in the Seventeenth Century

When most people think about historic American witch trials, it is Salem, Massachusetts that comes to mind. With good reason; in 1692-1693, the Massachusetts courts sentenced 19 people to hang and tortured a 20th to death. But there were almost 100 other fully documented court trials of accused witches in New England before Salem between 1647 and 1687, almost evenly divided between Massachusetts and Connecticut. The courts ordered the execution of at least 16 alleged witches, including 14 women and two men. This program will explore those trials and consider the ways that popular culture has represented that dark history.