The Falsely Accused

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You’re a Witch! No you’re a witch! In Salem, Massachusetts, 1692, accusations began. Neighbor turned against neighbor, friends turned against friends, and even husbands and wives turned against each other. However, all of these people were innocent. They were all accused of being a witch. Over 200 people were accused of being a witch and 20 were killed because of these accusations (In Search of History). In Salem, Massachusetts many people were falsely accused and some died because they were accused of being a witch even though, witches don’t exist. In Salem Massachusetts there was mass hysteria caused by a few girls. It all started in the house of Reverend Parris, 1692. During a long and cold winter, one day Reverend Parris’ daughter Elizabeth, age 9, and his niece Abigail, age 11, started to shake and have fits. They would scream and contort their bodies into unearthly shapes. Ann Putnam Jr., age 11, also experienced similar fits. According to the town’s doctor there was only one explanation, Witches (A Brief History)! It is not known what caused the three girls to experienced fits and contort their bodies into strange shapes. There are many theories on what caused these fits. However, nobody knows what truly happened. The girls could have had an illness that was not known about then. All that we know is that something caused them to behave in strange ways. From then the accusations began. At first the girls accused some of the society’s lowest residents. The girls first accused Tituba, Reverend Parris’ slave, Sara Good, the town beggar, and Sarah Osborn, a bedridden old lady (Schanzer 28). The townspeople thought nothing of this and didn’t care that those people were put into jail. The girls continued to blame more and more... ... middle of paper ... ...any times they never did. In the end, 20 people died and many, many more were imprisoned. Everybody in Salem was devastated. Many people noticed that they were wrong the entire time. Most of the people involved in the trials apologized and were forgiven for their actions. In Salem, Massachusetts many people were falsely accused and some died because they were accused of being a witch even though, witches don’t exist. Works Cited Blumberg, Jess. "A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials." Smithsonian. N.p., 24 Oct. 2007. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. . In Search of History: Salem Witch Trials. Dir. Rob Blumenstein. History Channel, 1998. Film. Schanzer, Rosalyn. Witches!: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2011. Print.

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