The Afflicted Girls of Salem

In January 1692, a group of young girls in Salem Village began experiencing fits, contortions, and trances. Their afflictions were attributed to witchcraft, sparking a panic that would claim twenty lives and forever mark American history.

The Beginning

Betty Parris (9) and Abigail Williams (11), daughter and niece of Reverend Samuel Parris, began behaving strangely in January 1692. They screamed, threw objects, contorted their bodies, and complained of being pinched and bitten by invisible forces.

The Spread

Other girls began exhibiting similar symptoms: Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard. They claimed to see spectral figures tormenting them and identified local women as their supernatural attackers.

The Accusations

The afflicted girls named Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne as witches. Arrests followed. Under examination, the girls convulsed when the accused looked at them. Their afflictions became a form of testimony.

The Trials

Over the following months, the girls’ accusations expanded to include over 150 people. Twenty were executed. Five died in jail. The girls’ spectral evidence was treated as proof of witchcraft.

The End

By October 1692, doubts had grown. Governor Phips disbanded the special court. The remaining accused were released. The girls’ role in the tragedy was never fully examined.

Assessment

Whether the Salem girls were genuinely possessed, mentally ill, performing, or some combination remains debated. Their afflictions, whatever their cause, resulted in one of America’s greatest tragedies.