Salem Witch Trials

Questions

1. What were the causes of the Salem witch trials?
2. Find out about these people:
• Cotton Mather
• Tituba
• Rebecca Nurse
• Abigail Williams
• Reverend Parris
• Giles Cory
3. What were the general beliefs about witchcraft in the 1600's?
4. What is "spectral evidence"?
5. How many people were accused of being witches? What happened to the accused?
6. What was the reason why the Salem witch trials ended?
7. What was the role of the church during the Salem witch trials?
8. Could the Salem witch trials exist today? Explain why.

Internet Resources

1. Causes
2. Important People

3. General beliefs about witchcraft in the 17th century.
4. Spectral Evidence
5. Number of accused, and their fates.
6. The end and what brought it.
7. Role of the Church
8. Modern day witch trials?

Project Extensions

1. Choose an ordinary citizen in Salem in 1692 and create a "Day in the Life" journal.
2. Imagine yourself living in Salem and illustrate a scene you might witness there.
3. Chart the multiple causes and effects of the Salem witch trials.
4. Create a timeline sequencing the major events.
5. Imagine yourself a news correspondent sent to document the Salem witch trials. Write a news article.
6. Make a bibliography of books about the Salem witch trials.
7. Find five primary sources describing people's experiences in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.

Maryann Lyons, Teacher, and Yong Guan, AP student, collaborated to develop this web hunt.

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Checked by Cheuk Leung