Greed for Land. Thomas Putnam was very ambitious and wanted more land. Many of those he accused of witchcraft had land that he coveted, particularly George Jacob and Ann Putnam, Sr., who owned land adjacent to his. The Putnams’ greed was likely a motivating factor behind their accusations.
To Establish the Puritan community: Putnam was deeply involved in the Puritan religious community and saw witchcraft as a way to solidify its moral and religious values. He believed that by rooting out witches, he would purify the community and maintain its religious fervor.