The Witches of Salem, In their Own Words

In Salem Village, Andover and other towns of Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, the citizens allowed their fear, ignorance and misguided passions to overpower their good sense. This led to accusations of witchcraft being lodged against between 150 and 200 individuals. More importantly, the authorities killed a score of persons accused of witchcraft. The abuse of the accused persons without evidence, or any real attempt to find reliable proof, stands out even today as one of the darkest periods of North American history. In this book, the author briefly details the background of the witch mania in and around Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In addition, he looks at thirty-six cases in which accused witches confessed to afflicting their friends and neighbors. The author includes a short biographical sketch of each of the confessors and the highlights of each confession. Additionally, the author explains why so many innocent persons confessed to the impossible crimes that others accused them of committing.