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Salem witchcraft trials resulted from the largest witch hunt in American history. The trials were held in 1692 in Salem, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Nineteen people, both men and women, were convicted and hanged as witches. Another man was pressed to death with large stones. He was executed for refusing to enter a plea of innocent or guilty to the witchcraft charge. About 150 other people were imprisoned on the witchcraft charges. The Salem trials resulted in the last witchcraft executions in America.

Alison D'Amario, Director of Education at the Salem Witch Museum, discusses the events that led to the Salem witchcraft trials in this World Book Explains video.

This article is from The World Book Encyclopedia.

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