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In May–October 1692, in the town of [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]] (short for "Jerusalem"), in [[Massachusetts]] Bay Colony, several girls reported they were possessed by [[devil]]s; they accused three women of witchcraft. The community was profoundly alarmed and held investigations and trials. All three along with sixteen other accused witches were hanged. Nearly 150 people were imprisoned.  No one was burned to death.

In May–October 1692, in the town of [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]] (short for "Jerusalem"), in [[Massachusetts]] Bay Colony, several girls reported they were possessed by [[devil]]s; they accused three women of witchcraft. The community was profoundly alarmed and held investigations and trials. All three along with sixteen other accused witches were hanged. Nearly 150 people were imprisoned.  No one was burned to death.

The trials were stopped when the governor's wife was accused of being a witch. To this day Salem is a favorite gathering place for people enamored of witchcraft.  Famous [[American]] writer [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]], who wrote the novel against [[Puritan]] [[morality]] called the ''[[The Scarlett Letter]]'', was born in Salem as a direct descendant of the presiding trial judge, and Hawthorne felt his family was cursed due to its role.  Hawthorne's own father died at sea when Hawthorne was only 4 years old.

The trials were stopped when the governor's wife was accused of being a witch. To this day Salem is a favorite gathering place for people enamored of witchcraft.  Famous [[American]] writer [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]], who wrote the novel partially against [[Puritan]] [[morality]] called the ''[[The Scarlett Letter]]'', was born in Salem as a direct descendant of a presiding trial judge (who never recanted his actions), and Hawthorne felt his family was cursed due to its role.  Hawthorne's own father died at sea when Hawthorne was only 4 years old.

The Salem Witch Trials happened in a time period a little longer than one year.  By contrast, during the European [[Witch trials in the early modern period]], people were put on trial and some were executed over more than a 300-year period.

The Salem Witch Trials happened in a time period a little longer than one year.  By contrast, during the European [[Witch trials in the early modern period]], people were put on trial and some were executed over more than a 300-year period.