A Brief Overview of the Salem Witch Trials

The Puritans were a group of Christian extremists living in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century. The Puritans were very set in their ways, traditions, and beliefs. The Puritans believed in witches, and their ability to do harm unto others. The Puritan definition of witchcraft was entering into an agreement with Satan in return for abilities to do evil. Thusly, the Puritans considered witchcraft a sin because it negated God's supreme authority and a punishable offense because said witch could summon the devil in its shape to perform evil.
The primary priest in Salem was Samuel Parris. Parris was married, and had one daughter, Betty, 9, but also cared for his orphaned niece, Abigail Williams who was 12. Rev. Parris forbid Betty and Abigail from playing games with other children, because he considered playing idleness, and idleness to be work of the devil. Because of these restrictions, the girls spent most of their free time reading.
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