In the small town of Salem, Massachusetts, fear of devil worshipers and witchcraft spread through the town like wildfire. In the years 1692 and 1963, men and women accused of witchcraft were rounded up and imprisoned or killed. 200 men, women and children were accused of witchcraft and there were at least 20 deaths. The majority were hanged, but one man was pressed to death and four died in prison. The other defendants were thrown in prison for months without trial. The Salem witch trials were sparked by belief in the supernatural, a recent outbreak of smallpox, fear of attack by Native Americans, and a long-standing rivalry with residents of other towns. They were also fueled by their fear of strangers and the suspicion and resentment of their neighbors. The trials were the start of something bigger that happened. The events that took place in Salem in 1692 are part of a larger pattern throughout our history of persecuting innocent people, especially women, as “witches.” According to the History Channel, there was a story in which three young women were accused of witchcraft. They were brought before magistrates Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne who questioned them. On the day of the trial, the accusers screamed and withered in pain, but two of the three defendants pleaded not guilty. While the last woman pleaded guilty, probably thinking she would escape conviction by reporting the other people. This caused hysteria that spread through the community and the rest of Massachusetts. Soon, witch accusations began to overwhelm the local justice system, so that it was no longer possible to focus on other crimes committed in the towns. In May 1962, the new appointment... middle of newspaper ...... resulted in 19 executions and 150 accusations of witchcraft, it is one of the historical events that almost everyone has heard about. It began when three young girls were the first victims of these horrific crimes, and then spread to almost everyone accused. The lawsuits destroyed many families and even though when the trails ended and they tried to right their wrongs, the town was still not the same. The Salem Witch Trials were a terrible event in our history. The killing of innocent people because of misconceptions and insecurities, just like the holocaust was. Even though the holocaust was a bigger event than the trials. The trials were still terrible. All of this could have been avoided if the town's rye supply did not contain ergot fungus. Residents of the town reportedly experienced delirium, vomiting and muscle spasms. The witch trials will always be an event in our history.