title: The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege
author:  Marilynne K. Roach 
description: The Salem witch trials of 1692-1693 remain one of the enigmas of American history. How did the witchcraft hysteria come about? Did the imaginations of the townspeople run wild so that they viewed unneighborly acts as an evil threat promulgated by Satan's minions? Roach (In the Days of the Salem Witchcraft Trial) answers these and other questions in her monumental daily chronology of the trial years. She introduces her account with an exhaustive narrative history of the Salem community from 1661 to 1691. With workmanlike precision, she provides historical details-such as the conflicts between church congregations and ministers and the increasing frequency of Indian attacks-as she contends that the hysteria arose most likely from the political, religious and social turmoil of the time. Using newly available diaries, journals and letters, Roach then reconstructs, for the first time, daily life during the height of the witch trials as well as accounts of court proceedings, arrests and suspects' confessions. In an epilogue, Roach shows that, just a decade after the trials, preachers sought repentance for the injustices done and that the desire to right the wrongs of the trials lasted well into the 19th century. Roach's detailed reference book provides deep insights into the trial years by letting us listen to the voices of everyone involved. 35 b&w illus. and maps.<BR>Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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  ![Cover Image](images/9780316122214.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # WITCH & WIZARD
  
  
  # THE GIFT
  
  
  ![image](images/Art_title.jpg)
  
  
  JAMES PATTERSON
  
  
  _and Ned Rust_
  
  
  ![image](images/pub.jpg)
  
  
  LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY
  
  
  NEW YORK BOSTON
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [![CoverImage](images/9780316122214_c.jpg)](chapter001.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [**Begin Reading**](chapter001.html)
  
  
  [Table of Contents](toc.html)
  
  
  [Copyright Page](copyright.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For Jack, who got me started, after I got him started.
  
  
  
  
  
  —J.P.
  
  
  For Ruth, for laughing at the right times.
  
  
  —N.R.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # [NOTICE OF PUBLIC EXECUTION](toc.html#toc-preface002)
  
  
  # ATTENTION ALL CITIZENS:
  
  
  WISTERIA ROSE ALLGOOD, leader and last hope of the pernicious “Resistance”
  that has destroyed our peace of mind and diverted so much of our citizenry’s
  
  
  efforts and resources, has been apprehended and will be PUBLICLY EXECUTED in
  the COURTYARD OF JUSTICE at ONE O’CLOCK this afternoon. Still wanted for
  collusion, conspiracy, and experime