Salem, Massachusetts

Salem Witch Trials

What evil spirit have you familiarity with?
None.
Have you made no contract with the devil?
No.
Why do you hurt these children?
I do not hurt them. I scorn it.
Who do you imploy then to do it?
I imploy no body.
What creature do you imploy then?
No creature. I am falsely accused.

Dialogue based on the examination of Sarah Good by Judges Hathorne and Corwin,
from The Salem Witchcraft Papers, Book II, p.355

Essential Question: What is the historical relevance of the Salem Witch Trials to both the town of Salem and the United States as a whole?

Why is it important that we study the Salem Witch Trials?

Enduring Understandings / Massachusetts State Frameworks:

Students will understand the historical significance of the Salem Witch Trials and be able to relate them to anti-communist McCarthyism in the 1950’s.

Standard: USII.24. Analyze the roots of domestic anticommunism as well as the origins and consequences of McCarthyism.

Students will be able to answer the question – ‘why did this happen and could something similar happen in modern society?’

Standard: History & Geography 8. Interpret the past in terms of its own historical context rather than in terms of present day norms and values.

Students will be able to read primary sources (excerpts from Salem Witch Trials) and extract vital information based on the reading.

Standard: Reading and Literature Strand 9, Making Connections. Students will deepen their understanding of literary or non-literary work by relating it to its contemporary context or historical background. (English Language Arts Frameworks)

Students will understand how the Salem Witch Trials shaped the town of Salem in the 17^th century and into the place it is today.

Standard: History & Geography 6. Distinguish between long-term and short-term cause and effect relationships.

Students will use technology to help better understand the material.

Standard: Technology 3.19. Demonstrate how specialized technology tools can be used for problem solving, decision-making and creativity.

Activities:

Lesson 1: Students are given background information about Salem, MA in 1692 including a map of the town. They are asked to read about life in 17^th century Salem and study the geographic elements of the area. This will serve as an introduction to the unit on the Salem Witch Trials. The students will then be asked to log on to individual computers at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/salem/index.html. We will read the introduction out loud as a class and then students will be asked to take the tour of the website clicking on all links to become familiar with the various players in the Salem Witch Trials. As they are clicking through, students should be looking out for at least one person whom they find interesting or can identify with – and take notes on that person.

Materials: Salem 1692

2 Maps of Salem Village

Assessment 1: Using the information from the handouts, online tour and the notes taken on their person of interest - students should write a letter from the perspective of an accused witch. The letter can be addressed to a family member, judge, member of the clergy etc. It should be both creative and historically accurate.

Lesson 2: Students will look at 3 slides on the Salem Witch Trials. They will be asked 5 questions on each slide and asked to write the answers in the notebook. Each question will be asked one at a time and a classroom discussion will be applied to all the questions to get a better understanding of the pictures. Then they will be given copies of primary source transcripts from the Salem Witch Trials and asked to read them individually.

Materials: 3 images of Salem Witch Trials

Image Questions

Transcripts: For Sarah Good, Against Sarah Good

Assessment 2: Students will be broken up into groups of 5 students per group. Using the information from the slides and primary source documents they will be asked to create a courtroom dialogue of the Salem Witch Trials. The mini-plays should be about 15 minutes long and include real characters from the Witch Trials. Each student should participate in writing and performing the script.

Lesson 3: Students will participate in the dot assignment. Each student will be given a piece of paper, either blank or with a dot on it. Then students will be asked to move around the room asking indirect questions to determine what paper the other student picked up. The object is to make the largest non-dot group without directly asking another student what was on their piece of paper. This exercise will model the hysteria during the witch trials and McCarthyism. After the exercise students will be given this writing prompt.

Has something like the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials been replicated in history? If so – when? Could something like this happen today?

I will then engage the students in a discussion on their responses. Anti-communist McCarthyism will be the main focus of the conversation.

Material: Diagram re Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism

Assessment 3: Students will be asked to fill out a graphic organizer comparing the Salem Witch Trials to McCarthyism. Any further information needed on the subjects can be obtained through online or library research the students do for homework.

Lesson 4: In preparation for a field trip to Salem, students will be asked to find background information on the town. They will be given a number of websites as suggestions as well as worksheet on relevant information to find in order to get students on the right track. Information will be shared with the class the day prior to the trip. Students will then be asked to participate in a scavenger hunt while on the trip as part of their culminating assignment. The class will participate in a field trip to Salem, where we will receive a guided tour of Salem as well as the Salem Witch Museum and village.

Materials: Salem Background Information

Scavenger Hunt

Rubric Culminating Activity

Assessment 4: While on the field trip, students will be paired up and asked to work on a scavenger hunt. Each pair must complete the worksheet that will be given out prior to the excursion. After the field trip, using the items from the scavenger hunt, students will be asked to individually write an original piece based on something they saw or learned on the trip and its connection to the town of Salem. Students can choose the method of delivery - research paper, personal narrative, letter, play etc. but it must be at least 3 pages long and additional resource included references are required.