Today in History: Salem Witch Trials
Today in History–March 1–the Library of Congress features the Salem witch trials, which were sparked when Massachusetts authorities charged three women with witchcraft on this day in 1692. Read more about this brief but dark chapter in U.S. history by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access related resources.
Images
- East Church (Salem Witch Museum)
- The legend of Salem: “The Rev. George Burroughs was accused of witchcraft on the evidence of feats of strength, tried, hung, and buried beneath the gallows”
- Old Witch House, Salem, Mass.
- Title page and last page of Strange Phenomena of New England in the 17th Century
- Trial of George Jacobs of Salem for witchcraft, Essex Institute, Salem, Mass.
- Witch Hill, Salem, Mass.
- The Witch House, Salem
Texts
- Late Memorable Providences Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions by Cotton Mather, London, 1691
- Petition for Bail from Accused Witches ca. 1692
- Strange phenomena of New England: in the seventeenth century: including the “Salem witchcraft,” “1692.” From the writings of “the Rev. Cotton Mather, D.D.”
- Wonders of the invisible world: being an account of the trials of several witches, lately executed in New England by Cotton Mather
- An Act to Reverse the Attainders of George Burroughs and Others For Witchcraft 1711
- A regulator for Crazy Will’s death-watch; or P—– J—–a’s witchcraft explain’d A letter, &c. July 30 1761
- Pictorial history of the cause of the great rebellion. Witchcraft. 1865
- Salem witch: historical newspaper mentions
Books
- Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits 1693 title page (full text from Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive)
- Wonders of the invisible world: being an account of the trials of several witches, lately executed in New England 1693 title page (full text from Project Gutenberg)
- Title page of Strange Phenomena of New England in the 17th Century including the “Salem Witchcraft, 1692” 1846
- Last page of Strange Phenomena of New England in the 17th Century including the “Salem Witchcraft, 1692” 1846
- Strange phenomena of New England: in the seventeenth century: including the “Salem witchcraft,” “1692.” From the writings of “the Rev. Cotton Mather, D.D.” 1846
- Salem witchcraft: comprising more wonders of the invisible world 1865
- The witchcraft delusion in New England: its rise, progress, and termination 1866
- Annals of witchcraft in New England 1869
- Witch Hill : a history of Salem witchcraft, including illustrative sketches of persons and places 1870
- The witchcraft delusion of 1692 1870
- Salem: a tale of the seventeenth century 1874
- Notes on the history of witchcraft in Massachusettes; with illustrative documents 1883
Historical periodical articles
- “The Salem Witchcraft” The American Whig Review Volume 3, Issue 1, January 1846
- “The Spirits in 1692, and What They Did at Salem” Putnam’s Monthly Magazine of American Literature, Science and Art Volume 7, Issue 41, May 1856
- “Stories of Salem Witchcraft” The New England Magazine Volume 11, Issue 4, December 1891
- “Stories of Salem Witchcraft” The New England Magazine Volume 11, Issue 5, January 1892
- “A Salem Witch. A Story” The New England Magazine Volume 11, Issue 5, January 1892
- “Stories of Salem Witchcraft” The New England Magazine Volume 11, Issue 5, February 1892
- “Witchcraft in Salem and Europe” The New England Magazine Volume 15, Issue 4, December 1893
Library blog posts & articles
- The (Cursed?) Original Book of Witchcraft Timeless Stories from the Library
- Double Double Trials and Trouble Worlds Revealed
- Evidence from Invisible Worlds in Salem In Custodia Legis
- The First Book of Illustrated Witchcraft — 15th Century Visions Timeless Stories from the Library
- More Than Three Centuries Later, Connecticut General Assembly Absolves Accused Witches In Custodia Legis
- Sir Matthew Hale and Evidence of Witchcraft In Custodia Legis
- Swimming a Witch: Evidence in 17th-century English Witchcraft Trials In Custodia Legis
- Salem witch trials from America’s Library
Resource outside the Library
Related resources
- The Discovery of Witchcraft 1584 book
- The Witch of Blackbird Pond primary sources to accompany the 1958 novel