- Anyone who had ever spoken against the Puritans or their leaders. This included people who had criticized the Puritan laws, the Puritan church, or the Puritan government.
- Anyone who was known to have had any contact with the Native Americans. This included people who had traded with the Native Americans, married Native Americans, or lived among Native Americans.
- Anyone who was suspected of being a witch or of practicing witchcraft. This included people who had been accused of witchcraft in the past, people who had strange or unusual habits, or people who were simply unpopular or disliked.
The blacklist of The Crucible was a powerful tool that the Puritans used to control the population of Salem and to suppress any dissent or opposition to their rule.