In 1692, 19 members of a small New England community were hanged for witchcraft. Over the course of the year, young girls convulsed and barked like dogs, women confessed to flying on poles to satanic sabbaths, and villagers recounted seeing ghostly apparitions and translucent cats. How can we explain these seemingly inexplicable events? With the help of experts, we’ll delve into the historical factors that were at play in Salem to get to grips with one of the most fascinating moments in American history.

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Want to hear more? Browse the rest of the episodes in our series Investigating the Salem witch trials

Authors

Ellie CawthornePodcast editor, HistoryExtra

Ellie Cawthorne is HistoryExtra’s podcast editor. She also contributes to BBC History Magazine, runs the podcast newsletter and hosts several live and virtual BBC History Magazine events.

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