The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts.

The trials occurred in a context of social stress, including fears of Indian attack, a recent smallpox epidemic, and local church disputes.

The crisis began in Salem Village when a group of young girls began to exhibit strange behaviors, such as screaming and contorting their bodies.

The girls accused several local women of afflicting them with witchcraft.

A key factor in the escalation of the trials was the court's acceptance of 'spectral evidence,' the testimony of accusers that they had been tormented by the specter or spirit of the accused.

The hysteria spread rapidly, leading to a flood of accusations.

Over 200 people were accused of witchcraft.

Nineteen people were convicted and executed by hanging, and several others died in prison.

The trials began to end when prominent figures, including the governor's wife, were accused, and influential ministers began to question the use of spectral evidence.

The Salem witch trials have become a famous case study of mass hysteria and religious extremism.