Horny History: The Salem Witch Trials

It's real history, as told by some dude in my inbox and me

While I clear my head from the Facebook mess, I’ll be updating this Substack to include my old work.

The Salem Witch Trials fascinates me. The persecutors had this desire to stop a bad thing, but did so by believing false information and believing it so strongly, that they were willing to harm others. All, with zero evidence beyond word of mouth and spectral evidence.

The Salem Witch Trials is not unique in its story. Tens of thousands were put to death in Europe and England in the Middle Ages for witchcraft, but, this was not the Middle Ages. This was 1692. More than 200 people were charged with witchcraft, with 20 of them being executed. How, and why did it happen? These men join us now for the story.

Minister Cotton Mather and his son, Increase Mather played a large part in getting these trials to end. Cotton wrote a letter to the court asking them not to use spectral evidence, dreams and visions. Increase had a similar outlook saying “It were better that ten suspected witches should escape than one innocent person be condemned.” As the President of Harvard, Increase’s view was highly regarded.

Also helping to end the trials was Governor William Whip’s wife being accused of witchcraft. It’s easy to join the hunt against others when it isn’t your own being hunted. He however still allowed 3 more people to be charged with witchcraft after saving his wife, before finally releasing the remaining prisoners in May of 1693.

Oh yeah, and they killed two dogs for witchcraft too.

My sources for this include:

The Devil in Massachusetts: A Modern Inquiry into the Salem Witch Trials by Marion L. Starkey

Salem Witch Trials: More Bonkers Than You Know podcast episode by Stuff You Should Know

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