Government or official record
Records of the Salem witch-hunt
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
Where this source supports the record
Each entry separates the article’s editorial relevance note from its exact, section-level claims. A bibliography link without a direct claim is labeled plainly.
-
Historic crimes & investigations · February 1692–May 1693Open article references →
The Salem Witch Trials
Salem Witch Trials Memorial and surviving court landscape · United States
Why editors use it hereDescribes the comprehensive scholarly edition of surviving legal records and newly identified manuscripts.
-
Quick read
Between early 1692 and spring 1693, authorities in colonial Massachusetts accused more than two hundred people of witchcraft.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Trigger and conditions
After several young people experienced fits in the household of minister Samuel Parris, they accused Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Uncertainty
Counts vary according to whether researchers include informal accusations, unnamed suspects, and people jailed outside the best-preserved court files.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Why it matters
The episode was not an inexplicable burst of folklore.
Reviewed 26 July 2026
-
Quick read