- Historical event that occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693.
- Characterized by mass hysteria, false accusations of witchcraft, and the public execution of innocent individuals.
- Triggered by accusations against members of the Puritan community in Salem Village and subsequently spread to other towns.
- Led to more than 200 arrests, with 30 found guilty and hanged.
- Ended after Governor William Phips intervened and released the remaining accused witches.
Arthur Miller's "The Crucible":
- Playwright: Arthur Miller
- Written: 1952
- Setting: Salem, Massachusetts during the 1692 witch trials.
- Characters and story: Inspired by historical figures and events of the actual trials.
- Themes: Social conformity, mass hysteria, false accusations, power dynamics, and the destructive forces of fear and paranoia in a time of crisis.
- Allegorical representation: Miller used the allegorical nature of the witch trials to comment on and criticize the political climate of the McCarthy era during the early 1950s.
- Social commentary: It examines the harmful effects of group-think, the danger of blind accusations, and the importance of upholding justice and individual rights.