The Crucible Junior English Newspaper

Salem Times

Salem Times

The Real Story Behind the Salem Witch Trials

The Real Story Behind the Salem Witch Trials

In the past year, Salem has experienced dramatic events involving many accusations of witchcraft. These all began when some local girls got caught dancing in the forest and claimed that a slave named Tituba made them dance and called upon the devil. Under pressure, Tituba admitted to being guilty. This was not necessarily because she was actually guilty; it was more like she felt like if she didn't confess, she would be killed. Tituba and Abigail, one of the girls caught dancing, began naming off other witches in Salem. They named Sarah Good and Goody Osborne. Both of the women had bad reputations in Salem. That was only the beginning of many accusations to come. The girls, Abigail Williams, Mary Warren, and Betty Parris all began accusing many of the innocent women in Salem. These actions are what started the Salem Witch Trials, which was the focus of the lives of many during 1692.

As time went on, so did the accusations. People were starting to question the trials. Why were people like Rebecca Nurse, a well-respected and well-liked woman, being accused of witchcraft? Mary Warren, feeling guilty, confessed to the Judge that her and her friends made up everything and informed him that they were only pretending. Judge Danforth, not wanting to admit he wrongfully accused hundreds of women of witchcraft, had trouble accepting this confession and found ways to push it away. Abigail, angry that Mary confessed, tried to accuse Mary of witchcraft and so Mary denounces her confession and rejoins Abigail and the two of them accuse John Proctor of being a Devil's man. Proctor's pregnant wife is in jail for witchcraft and John gets arrested for "being a Devil's Man." Several months later, he is hung for his crimes along with several other who didn't deserve to die. For more detail on Proctor,  the Witch Trials, and the inside scoop on what really...