The origin of the Salem Witch Trials stems from a group of girls who accused several local women of witchcraft. In January of 1692, two girls began to experience fits of uncontrollable outbursts and sickness. The two girls who were the start of the …show more content…
In early, 1693 the public hysteria began to die out. People began to see that innocent people, such as the case of George Burroughs, were being accuse and executed. A reverend Increase Mather stated “It were better that ten suspected witches escape than one innocent person should be condemned.” The villagers began to see that all walks of life were being condemned instead of the “undesirables” as it was in the beginning. The accusations began to slow down and those who still were accusing were not taken as …show more content…
On January 14, 1697 Massachusetts court issued a day of fasting and prayer for remembrance of those who lost their lives. In 1711, a law was written that the trials were unlawful and a bill was passed that restored the good names of the families of the executed. These heirs were also given a restitution. It was not until more than two hundred years later that Massachusetts formally apologized for the wrongful execution of nineteen men and women during the witch hunt of