What caused the Salem witch trails of 1692?

Answer 1

The first event was the founding of the colony by deeply religious Protestants. That set the stage for the fear of witches to spread to the religion-controlled government of Massachusetts and, thus, legal arrests of the accused. In 1688, the king of England was overthrown when it appeared his Catholic son and not his Protestant daughter would succeed. A single Catholic king heading the Anglican church was livable, but an entire line of them was a serious threat. New Englanders took it as an excuse for an overthrow of John Andre, the disliked governor. Of course, England didn't think it was alright and took away the Massachusetts charter. Increase Mather, the most famous, beloved and capable minister in Massachusetts, went to England to get a new one. Add Indian attacks and a smallpox epidemic to the charter loss and Massachusetts seemed to a religious colony as falling out of "God's favor." With the only minister who could talk them out of it gone, the people searched for an explanation that wouldn't involve their own actions. When some form of illness or acting came to Salem, it was the excuse they didn't conscientiously realize they wanted and jumped on the chance, leading to a witch hunt.

Answer 2

I recently saw a video about the possibility of ergot fungus in the rye being the cause. It is the fungus that LSD is derived from. Gibes credence to the saying, 'religion explains the unexplainable.'

Answer 3

the illness caused salem withch trails