Salem Witch Trials: Key Concepts

What was the difficult choice people faced if accused of witchcraft in Salem?

• Confess and live, or deny and be executed

• Pay a fine or go to jail

• Leave the village or stay and fight

• Prove innocence or be banished

In what village did the witchcraft accusations happen between 1692 and 1693?

• Plymouth

• Boston

• Salem

• New York

What was one reason people were accused of witchcraft in Salem?

• They were very rich

• They were too kind

• People were afraid of the supernatural

• They built new houses

Who settled Salem in 1626?

• Native Americans

• French settlers

• Puritans

• Spanish explorers

What groups did the people of Salem often fight with?

• English soldiers and Dutch traders

• Native Americans and French settlers

• Spanish explorers and pirates

• German farmers and Irish fishermen

Besides fighting, what other problems did the people of Salem face?

• Too much food and easy living

• Starvation and sickness

• Too many friends and parties

• Warm weather all year

What made life even harder in 1692?

• A very hot summer

• A big flood

• One of the coldest winters

• A new king

What happened to Betty Parris and Abigail Williams that started the witchcraft accusations?

• They found a treasure map

• They started behaving strangely

• They ran away from home

• They became very rich

What did Puritans believe witches could do?

• Make delicious food

• Help people get rich

• Hurt nature and torment children

• Build new houses

What were some of the strange things the "afflicted girls" did?

• They sang and danced happily

• They built tall towers

• They twisted their bodies and had fits

• They read many books