The End of the Salem Witch Trials following The Crucible

Remember, The Crucible is a fictional account of the Salem witch trials. Some of the characters and events were real (based on actual court records and transcripts. Some of the characters were fictionalized (including their connections to the events that took place in Salem.)

What really happened? John Proctor was an opinionated tavern owner who openly denounced the witchhunt. Testifying against Proctor were Ann Putnam, Abagail Williams, Indian John (Tituba’s husbnd), and 18-year-old Elizabeth Booth, who testified that ghosts had come to her and accused Proctor of serial murder. Proctor fought back, accusing confessed witches of lying, complaining of torture, and demanding that his trial be moved to Boston. The efforts proved futile. Proctor was hanged.

What really happened? John’s wife, Elizabeth Proctor, who was also convicted of witchcraft, was spared execution because of her pregnancy. On January 27, while still in prison, Elizabeth gave birth to a son whom she named John after her husband. For some reason, Elizabeth was not executed as the court had ordered. Though Elizabeth was finally freed, the ordeal was not over for her. In the eyes of the law, she had been convicted. The Proctors' possessions were confiscated long before their trials, and Elizabeth could not claim any of John's property, some of which had been salvaged/sold off by this time. Legally, she no longer existed. Elizabeth petitioned the court to restore her legal rights. It would take seven years before this would finally happen. Elizabeth married her second husband, Daniel Richards, in Lynn, Massachusetts. 

What really happened? Despite the fact that she confessed to a capital offense and was a slave, Tituba was never tried or executed for her role in the witchcraft trials. She stayed locked in the jail for months, until someone posted her bail. After her release from prison, she vanished from society (many believe she returned to Barbados.)

What really happened? As Rev. Samuel Parris had been an active prosecutor in the witchcraft cases, in 1693 his parish brought charges against Parris for his part in the horrific trials. (He blamed it all on Tituba.) Parris finally apologized for his error in his essay “Meditations for Peace,” which he presented in November 1694. In 1697, following yet another dispute with the church, he was fired and kicked out of Salem. He returned to Boston and remarried.

What really happened? Even though she was only 11 years old during the trials, Abigail Williams was a star witness (along with her 9 year- old cousin, Betty). She was involved in as many as 17 capital cases. After the trials ended, Abigail remained in Salem for a few more years, although she was virtually shunned by her community for the role she had played in the trials. While it cannot be confirmed, one popular belief/theory was that Abigail DID eventually run away with Parris’ money and was last known to be living on the streets of Boston – as a prostitute.

The Aftermath… A period of atonement began in the colony following the release of the surviving accused witches. Judge Sewall, one of the judges, issued a public confession of guilt and an apology. Several jurors came forward to say that they were "sadly deluded and mistaken" in their judgments. Governor Phips blamed the entire affair on Judge William Stoughton. Stoughton, clearly more to blame than anyone for the tragic episode, refused to apologize or explain himself. He criticized Phips for interfering just when he was about to "clear the land" of witches. Stoughton became the next governor of Massachusetts.

The Aftermath… Several years later, the heirs of each accused witch was paid a sum of "600. Later the General Court declared the trials unlawful. In 1957, the last “witches" names were cleared. The town of Salem realized the mistakes that they had made, and, in 1992, a memorial was made to honor the deaths of people accused of witchcraft. Honoring the victims of the witch trials was an important milestone for the people of Salem. It was Salem's way of stating that the times of persecution are over.

What can we learn? The Salem Witch Trials were an important part of American history, but even more important is what is learned from them. It is important to take away all that can be learned from the trials so that we can prevent repeats in the future. Arthur Miller reminded us of this in The Crucible. The witch trials (like the Red Scare) were an example of the hysteria people can experience when faced with fear. The Salem Witch Trials were a dark chapter in our nation’s history, but a lot can (and should) be learned form them.

Explaining a title. Read the dictionary definition of crucible at the bottom of the page and explain the title of the play. Why do you think Arthur Miller chose this title? Write a paragraph defending/explaining your belief. 1. A container made of a substance that can resist great heat, for melting, fusing, or calcining ores, metals, etc… 2. The hollow at the bottom of an ore furnace, where the molten metal collects 3. A severe test or trial

References: http://people.ucls.uchicago.edu/~snekros/Salem%20Journal/Aftermat h/SamMSamF.html http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&site=imghp&tbm=isch&so urce=hp&biw=1920&bih=943&q=witch+trials&oq=witch+trials&gs_l=i mg.3