The Salem witch trials were a dark chapter in American history that occurred in the Massachusetts Bay colony during 1692 and 1693. The trials resulted in the execution of 20 people, most of whom were women. The trials began when a group of young girls in Salem began exhibiting strange behavior, such as fits, screaming, and hallucinations. The girls accused several women of practicing witchcraft, and the accusations quickly spread throughout the community.
The trials were conducted by a special court that was established to hear witchcraft cases. The court was presided over by judges who were not trained in law, and the trials were often unfair. The accused were not allowed to have lawyers, and they were often convicted based on flimsy evidence. In some cases, people were convicted of witchcraft simply because they were unpopular or had been accused by someone else.
The Salem witch trials ended in 1693, when the governor of Massachusetts Bay colony issued a general pardon for all those who had been convicted of witchcraft. The trials were a tragic example of mass hysteria and religious intolerance.