200 Episodes About Witch Hunts: Celebrating a Milestone with a Lesson in Witch Trial History

Episode 200: The Long Arc of Witch Hunts—From Connecticut to a Global CrisisThe Thing About Witch Hunts: We mark episode 200 by tracing the full arc of witch hunts from ancient prosecutions to early modern demonology, colonial New England, and today’s escalating global violence. We begin with Connecticut’s executions—starting with Alice Young in 1647—and the 2023 resolution absolving the indicted victims, then widen out through England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, the Basque country, Sweden, and Salem, emphasizing how courts, texts, and laws shaped prosecutions and how “hysteria” does not accurately describe these bureaucratic trials. We connect historic concepts like the diabolical pact, the sabbath, and “crimen exceptum” to modern accusations, banishment, torture, and killings across at least sixty nations, citing UN-documented violence, Ghana’s Akua Denteh, and contradictory legal responses. We center survivors and the accused as people, invite action, and point listeners to endwitchhunts.org and World Day Against Witch Hunts (August 10).Thank you to the 175 guests who have appeared on the podcast and to all who have viewed or listened to The Thing About Witch Hunts. And we aren't stopping with 200 episodes. Subscribe today and watch the amazing episodes coming up.End Witch Hunts endwitchhunts.orgAbout Witch Hunts aboutwitchhunts.comSalem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://youtube.com/@aboutwitchhunts00:00 Episode 200 Mission02:53 Ancient Roots05:14 Church Turns to Heresy09:58 Malleus and Sexism11:36 England Goes Secular12:23 Pamphlets and Skeptics18:12 Laws Across Colonies25:02 Europe Scale and Stress27:17 England Local Panics31:02 Scotland Burning Regime34:50 Wales and Healing Magic37:25 Ireland Rare Trials40:11 Basque Hunt Split Courts43:16 Sweden Blockula to Salem44:40 Connecticut Before Salem46:20 Massachusetts and Salem51:22 After Trials Vigilantes53:45 Modern Global Crisis58:59 Law Patchwork Today01:01:07 Memorials and World Day01:03:20 What You Can Do01:05:22 Final Call to Action