Salem Witch Trials History
The causes, people, and lasting legacy of 1692
In the summer of 1692, a small Puritan village turned on itself. Over nine months, more than 200 people were accused of witchcraft. Twenty were executed. The Salem witch trials remain one of the most studied episodes in American history—not because of what happened, but because of what it reveals about fear, power, and the fragility of justice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many people died in the Salem witch trials? ▼
Twenty people were executed: nineteen by hanging and one (Giles Corey) pressed to death with stones. At least five more died in jail awaiting trial.
What caused the Salem witch trials? ▼
Historians point to a combination of Puritan religious extremism, social tensions between Salem Village and Salem Town, property disputes, frontier war anxieties, and possible ergot poisoning—though no single cause explains it all.
Were the Salem witches actually burned? ▼
No. This is one of the most persistent myths. All nineteen who were executed were hanged. Witch burning was a European practice, not an American colonial one.