The Late Troubles at Salem

PART A: Which statement identifies the main idea of the text?

• The only thing that prompted Salem to stop its witch hunts was a fear that God would punish them for their actions.

• It took outside influence for the people of Salem to realize that there were no, nor had there ever been, any witches in Salem.

• People eventually realized that witch trials were unfair and had punished innocent people.

• Despite the deaths and damages that took place because of the witch trials, the courts of Salem stood by their actions.

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

(PART A: Which statement identifies the main idea of the text? )

• “By the end of September 1692, 20 people in Massachusetts Bay were dead by order of the Court of Oyer and Terminer.” (Paragraph 1)

• “Pointing out how families had been ruined by the court’s irresponsible pursuit of witches, he wondered if people would someday ‘not look upon these things without the greatest of sorrow and grief imaginable.’” (Paragraph 4)

• “Although some restitution was eventually made to the families of the executed and accused, the damage to lives was far reaching.” (Paragraph 9)

• “Once they were freed, they went back to living with neighbors, or in some cases with family members, who had accused them of being witches.” (Paragraph 9)

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CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

Which of the following describes the author’s main purpose in the text?

• to point out the courage of the people who had been accused of being witches

• to provide information about what caused the witch trials to take place

• to show what eventually brought the witch trials to an end and what happened afterward

• to reveal how the town of Salem was able to recover from the witch trials

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CCSS.RI.7.9

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.9

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

How does Reverend Samuel Willard’s fictitious argument contribute to the development of ideas in the text (Paragraph 3)?

• It emphasizes how unjust and backwards the witch trials were in Salem

• It reveals how it was impossible not to be put to death as a witch in Salem.

• It proves that the courts were never actually looking for witches in Salem.

• It shows how Salem was one of the few towns that believed in supernatural forces.

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CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI.8.3

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.8

What is the relationship between the people of Salem’s religion and their eventual feelings of regret over the trials?

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CCSS.RL.7.9

CCSS.RL.8.9

The Salem witch trials were unfair. Can you think of any modern examples of unfairness with the justice system? What are the consequences of having an unfair justice system in a society?

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.7.7

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.8.7

Have you ever been unfairly accused of doing something wrong? What happened? Or have you ever unfairly accused someone of doing something wrong? What happened?

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CCSS.RI.1.4

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

According to the text, who had the power to accuse and convict people of witchcraft in Salem? How do you think this power affected them? Describe a time when you saw a powerful person acting unfairly.

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CCSS.RI.1.4

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1