2. Salem
The Salem Witch trials did not start in Salem MA. They started in Salem Village, now known as Danvers. In the early part of the year 1692 a small town located near Salem was massacred by Native Americans and this put the village of Salem on alert. Salem, besides being full of fear for their own safety was looking for divine intervention to either help or perhaps deters their preservation as a community. A major factor contributing to the mass hysteria that lead to “witch-hunts” and hangings was the deep rooted Salem rivalry between the village folk of the west part of town and the village folk of the east side of town; westerners were farmers and the easterners were businessmen/store owners. A theory that can not be verified holds that the reason for the hysteria in Salem was due to their grain supply being infected by ergot, which can cause hallucinations.
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