Salem Witch Trials: How The Hysteria Went Terribly Awry

In 1692, claims of satanic rituals, ghosts, and seemingly “afflicted” children stirred puritanical imaginations, deepened by petty rifts between powerful families and rival congregations in Salem Village (now known as Danvers, Massachusetts). In response to the growing number of citizen complaints and imprisonments, Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor William Phips appointed a man with no legal training to preside over the trials. More than a dozen poor decisions and questionable verdicts later, townspeople became all too familiar with death sentences by hanging. Hear the full story unravel with voiceover reenactments, historical context and present-day reflection from Attorney J. Craig Williams.  LINKS: Sign up for our newsletter so that you’re the first to know when new episodes drop! Listen to J. Craig Williams’ other podcast, Lawyer 2 Lawyer. Tell us what you’re looking forward to the most for this show on LinkedIn, Facebook, X or Instagram!  Purchase the e-book.  Purchase the hardcover. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR VOICE ACTORS: Troy Starr as John Hathorne Doreen Wiley as Sarah Good Kevin McGrath as Cotton Mather Dave Scriven-Young as Stephen Sewell Evan Dicharry as Judge Georgia Well as Bridgett Bishop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices