The Thing About Salem

This episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, hosted by Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack, explores the life of George Burroughs, a former Salem Village minister accused and executed for witchcraft in 1692. Born in Virginia around 1653, Burroughs faced multiple attacks by French and Wabanaki forces throughout his life and survived each one. He held various ministerial positions in Maine before moving to Salem Village in 1680, where he encountered financial difficulties and personal losses. Accused of witchcraft amid the chaotic backdrop of the Salem Witch Trials, Burroughs was arrested in Wells, Maine, and ultimately executed in Salem on August 19, 1692. The episode details his family life, career, and the circumstances leading up to his arrest and execution.The Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠Week 3 Course Work: Salem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 3: Legal Limbo and the Road to Trial – The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Salem: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Thomas Brattle, “Letter of Thomas Brattle”: https://xtf.lib.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=modern_english/uvaGenText/tei/BurNarr.xml;chunk.id=d18;toc.depth=1;toc.id=d18;brand=defaultRobert Calef, More Wonders of the Invisible World: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A32160.0001.001/1:6?rgn=div1;view=toc

In this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily, hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack delve into the life and career of William Stoughton, the Chief Justice of the Salem Witch Trial courts. They outline his early life, education, and various roles in government and judiciary from his beginnings in England to his significant positions in Massachusetts, including his controversial involvement in the Salem Witch Trials. The episode highlights key events leading up to and during the trials, providing historical context and examining Stoughton's actions and legacy.The Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubWeek 3 Course Work: Salem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 3: Legal Limbo and the Road to Trial – The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch HuntsEmerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American ExperienceBernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-HuntMarilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegeMary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege

Today, we examine the life of William Phips. Born in 1651 in Maine, Phips learned to read at 21 and made his fortune diving for Spanish treasure. His efforts led to his appointment as Massachusetts Bay's first royal governor in 1692. However, his governorship became infamous due to his involvement in the Salem Witch Trials, where 20 people were executed. The episode covers his creation of the Court of Oyer and Terminer, his reliance on spectral evidence, and the eventual suspension of the trials. Phips faced backlash for his handling of the panic and was recalled to England in 1694.The Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubWeek 3 Course Work: Salem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 3: Legal Limbo and the Road to Trial – The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch HuntsEmerson W. Baker and John G. Reid, The New England Knight: Sir William Phips, 1651 - 1695Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American ExperienceBernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-HuntMarilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegeMary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692

The Salem Witch Trials became a publishing phenomenon before they even ended. Discover how writers raced to document the crisis in real time, defying colony-wide publication bans to get their accounts into print.This episode explores the groundbreaking early writings about Salem, from Minister Deodat Lawson's eyewitness account published just two weeks after his 1692 visit to Salem Village, to the fierce theological debates that followed. Learn how these documents shaped public opinion, influenced the trials' outcome, and preserved crucial historical evidence.Early Crisis Documentation Former Salem Village minister Deodat Lawson captured the panic at its peak, describing violent fits, spectral accusations, and the chaos that erupted in church services. His March 1692 narrative became the first published account of the unfolding crisis.The Evidence Debate Samuel Willard's mysterious dialogue challenged the very foundations of spectral evidence. When is supernatural testimony trustworthy? Can the Devil frame innocent people? These questions divided the colony.Three Voices, Three Visions October 1692 brought competing perspectives: Thomas Brattle's scathing critique of court procedures, Cotton Mather's defense of the trials as spiritual warfare, and Increase Mather's theological bombshell that changed everything.The Standard That Stopped the Trials Increase Mather's famous principle that ten guilty should escape rather than one innocent person be condemned transformed the legal landscape overnight. Discover how one theological argument dismantled an entire prosecution system.Voices of Regret and Rage John Hale's humble admission of misguided zeal contrasted sharply with Robert Calef's response to the writings of Cotton Mather. Thomas Maule offered yet another interpretation, seeing divine judgment rather than satanic attack.These primary sources reveal how communities process crisis in real time. They show the power of written words to challenge authority, preserve truth, and change minds. From eyewitness terror to philosophical reflection, these documents chart the emotional and intellectual journey of a society reckoning with its own actions.Perfect for history enthusiasts, researchers, and anyone interested in how evidence standards, media influence, and public opinion intersect during moments of social panic.Salem Witch Trials books, Deodat Lawson narrative, spectral evidence debate, Increase Mather Cases of Conscience, Cotton Mather Wonders Invisible World, Thomas Brattle letter, Robert Calef criticism, John Hale apology, Thomas Maule Quaker perspective, witch trial publications, 1692 primary sources, Salem witch panic documentation, early American publishing, colonial Massachusetts writings, historical witch trial accountsJoin us for daily episodes exploring Salem Witch Trials history and weekly deep dives on The Thing About Salem podcast.Deodat Lawson, A Brief and True NarrativeSamuel Willard,Some Miscellany ObservationsThomas Brattle, Letter of Thomas BrattleIncrease Mather, Cases of ConscienceCotton Mather, Wonders of the Invisible WorldThomas Maule, Truth Held Forth and MaintainedJohn Hale, A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of WitchcraftRobert Calef, More Wonders of the Invisible WorldSalem Witch Trials Daily Videos & Course The Thing About Salem Website⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts WebsiteSign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice Projectwww.massachusettswitchtrials.orgSupport the nonprofit End Witch Hunts Podcasts and Projects

Learn about the first publications printed about the Salem Witch Trials in this episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily. Hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack delve into the rich and complex narrative of the 1692 witch trials through an analysis of primary documents. They discuss how early accounts like Reverend Deodat Lawson's 'A Brief and True Narrative' fueled the panic, while later writings from figures like Thomas Brattle, Cotton Mather, Increase Mather, and Robert Calef reflect a seismic shift from fear to regret. They examine the skeptical voices that questioned the use of spectral evidence and the ethical dilemmas faced by the Puritans, ultimately showcasing how documented words reveal the psychological and moral collapse that accompanied the trials.The Thing About Witch Hunts / About Salem YouTube channel⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily HubWeek 3 Course Work: Salem Witch Trials Daily Course Week 3: Legal Limbo and the Road to Trial – The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Salem⁠The Thing About Witch HuntsDeodat Lawson, A Brief and True NarrativeSamuel Willard,Some Miscellany ObservationsThomas Brattle, Letter of Thomas BrattletIncrease Mather, Cases of ConscienceCotton Mather, Wonders of the Invisible WorldThomas Maule, Truth Held Forth and MaintainedJohn Hale, A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of WitchcraftRobert Calef, More Wonders of the Invisible World