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: 

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

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

Standard: Reading and Literature Strand: 11. Theme. Students will identify, analyze and apply knowledge of theme in a literary work and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. (from English Language Arts frameworks)

 

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

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

 

  1. Students will use technology to help better understand the material.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/salem/index.html

 

Assessments:

 

After reading primary source documents of the Salem Witch trials and excerpts from Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’, students (working in groups) will design their own play or dramatic reenactment of a witch trial.  Students will perform these mini-dramas for the class.

 

Individually each student will have to create a dialogue between a fictitious reporter and member of the trial (ie: defendant, witness, judge).   At least five question and answers will be required and the information needs to touch on what life was like in Salem both prior to, during, and after the witch trials.  While creativity is encouraged, historical accuracy is mandatory.

 

Students will fill out a graphic organizer comparing the Salem Witch Trials to McCarthyism.

 

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.  Students will then be asked to journal their feelings towards this experience and see if they can relate it to anything happening today or something they could see happening in the future.