Beyond Salem: Witchcraft in Colonial America

We have all heard of the infamaous Salem Witch Trials, but they were not an isolated event.  In this class we will look at witchcraft trials that took place all over colonial America.  We will explore the origins of these laws and fears in Europe, then how they took strong hold in various areas throughout the early North American colonies.  I will examine why this did not occur in some colonies, which will lead us to examine the cultural and relgious differences that exisited between the different colonies.  Finally,  we will take a critical look at why so many of these have been forgotton while Salem has lingered in our collective minds.  This class will be 70% lecture and 30% discussion.  I very much encourage discussion during class and like it when kids share their thoughts and opinions on the subject.