The Salem witch trials began in February 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts.
How did the Salem witch trials begin?
The trials began when a group of young girls in Salem Village began exhibiting strange behavior, including fits, screaming, and accusing others of witchcraft. One of the girls accused Tituba, a slave from Barbados, of practicing witchcraft. This accusation sparked a wave of hysteria and fear in the community, and many people were accused of witchcraft based on rumors, hearsay, and spectral evidence (testimony about dreams or visions).