Sarah Good

The English began successful colonization of the New World in 1607 with other Europeans following by the 1630s and 1640s, bringing with them their belief in witchcraft. Since everyday survival preoccupied most colonists, between the 1620s and the end of the seventeenth century there were only A woman faints while testifying in court during the Salem Witchcraft trials. (The Library of Congress)
nineteen accusations of witchcraft that made it into court. One resulted in conviction with the individual being whipped and banished. Sporadic witchcraft trials were held in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, where only one case ended in an execution.

During the 1600s witchcraft accusations were more prevalent in New England. A total of 250 individuals were formally accused of witchcraft. Before the Salem horrors of 1692, some 100 New England colonists were charged, twenty convicted, and sixteen executed. In 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, 150 additional witchcraft trials took place.