The witch trials were a series of legal proceedings held in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the late seventeenth-century, where individuals accused of practicing witchcraft were tried and often executed.
Related terms
Puritans: A religious group that settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and had strict moral beliefs.
Salem: A town in Massachusetts where the infamous Salem Witch Trials took place.
Hysteria: Widespread fear or panic that can lead to irrational behavior or accusations. In the context of witch trials, it refers to the mass paranoia and accusations during that time period.