In this episode of The History in Motion Podcast, we explore one of colonial America’s most haunting and enduring episodes — the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. What began as strange behavior in a Puritan minister’s household quickly spiraled into mass panic, religious fervor, and judicial collapse in a small New England village.

We trace how Reverend Samuel Parris’s household became the spark that ignited a wave of accusations, starting with his young daughter Betty and niece Abigail Williams. Their claims — supported by spiritual evidence and embraced by the community — led to over 200 people being accused, and 20 executed in just over a year.

But beyond the familiar images of hysteria and hangings, this episode asks deeper questions: Why did Salem descend into such fear so quickly? How did Puritanism, power struggles, and social divisions set the stage for a tragedy? And what does Samuel Parris’s role tell us about the dangers of unchecked authority in a society shaped by belief?

Join us as we unpack the real story behind the Salem Witch Trials — a story not just of superstition and panic, but of community fracture, spiritual anxiety, and the enduring consequences of fear-driven justice.