U1 - Chapter 13

Salem Witch Trials

Copy: The Salem Witch Trials #13

Copy - Instructional Goal #13

Explain how fear, power, and lack of evidence led to community breakdown and unjust trials in the Salem Witch Trials.

Essential Questions

Self-Reflection Question: How do my own fears or assumptions affect the way I treat others when I am under stress?

Assignment Question: How did fear and power struggles lead to the persecution of innocent people in Salem, and what evidence supports this in the text?

Copy - Key Vocabulary

Accusation (ac-cu-sa-tion) – A claim that someone has done something wrong.
Persecution (per-se-cu-tion) – Treating someone unfairly because of fear, difference, or strong beliefs.
Hysteria (hys-ter-i-a) – Extreme fear or excitement that spreads quickly through a group of people.
Magistrate (mag-is-trate) – A court official or judge who enforces the law.

Unit 1 Lesson 13.pdf

Lesson Plan for Lesson 13 - Salem Witch Trials

add in the begining a simple imstrcutional goa, 4...

📜 The Salem Witch Trials: Graphic Search

Directions: Use "The Salem Witch Trials" infographic to answer the questions below in complete sentences.

Vocabulary in Action: Look at KEY VOCABULARY. Choose one word from the box (Witchcraft, Persecution, Accusation, or Hysteria).
- Use it in a sentence.

Causes: Look at WHY DID THE TRIALS HAPPEN?.
List two reasons why people in Salem were stressed or looking for someone to blame.

Unfair Trials: Look at WHAT HAPPENED?.
What are two reasons why the court trials were unfair to the accused people?

Effects: Look at EFFECTS & LEGACY.
What was one major effect or result the trials had on the people or the community of Salem?

Lessons Learned: Look at LESSONS FROM HISTORY.
What is one important lesson history teaches us from what happened in Salem?

Big Takeaway: Look at the yellow banner at the bottom.
Explain in your own words why it is dangerous to punish or accuse someone when you don't have real evidence.

page 115.pdf

VOCABULARY WORDS (circle as you read)

witch – using magic or harming others
accuse – say someone did something wrong
evidence – details that support an idea
trial – a court case
magistrate – a government official
jury – group that decides guilt or innocence
execution – putting someone to death
religion – beliefs about God
fear – feeling of being scared
power – the ability to make decisions
community – people who live in the same place

116-120.pdf

ROLE CARDS & ANALYSIS

1. Betty Parris (p. 116)

A. Background: What unusual behaviors did Betty show?
B. Motivation: Why did Betty need people to believe she was under a witch's spell?
C. Power or Fear: Did Betty have power or was she powerless? Explain.

2. Abigail Williams (p. 116)

A. Background: What happened to Abigail that doctors could not explain?
B. Motivation: Why did Abigail want the three accused women found guilty?
C. Power or Fear: Did Abigail have power or was she powerless? Explain.

3. Tituba (p. 117)

A. Background: What happened that caused Tituba to confess to witchcraft?
B. Motivation: Why might Tituba have accused other women?
C. Power or Fear: Did Tituba have power or was she powerless? Explain.

4. Sarah Good (p. 117)

A. Background: Why did some people in Salem dislike Sarah Good?
B. Motivation: Why did Sarah need people to understand her behavior?
C. Power or Fear: Did Sarah Good have power or was she powerless? Explain.

5. Sarah Osborne (p. 117)

A. Background: What two problems caused people to turn against Sarah Osborne?
B. Motivation: Why did Sarah Osborne believe she should keep her land?
C. Power or Fear: Did Sarah Osborne have power or was she powerless? Explain.

6. Samuel Parris (p. 118)

A. Background: What problems did Samuel Parris face as Salem's minister?
B. Motivation: Why was convicting the accused important to Samuel Parris?
C. Power or Fear: Did Samuel Parris have power or was he powerless? Explain.

7. Jonathon Corwin (p. 118)

A. Background: What position did Jonathon Corwin hold during the trials?
B. Motivation: What was Jonathon Corwin trying to prove?
C. Power or Fear: Did Jonathon Corwin have power or was he powerless? Explain.

8. Grand Jury (Court of Oyer and Terminer) (p. 119)

A. Background: What three types of evidence could the jury consider?
B. Motivation: What did the jury want to happen to the guilty and innocent?
C. Power or Fear: Did the jury have power or were they powerless? Explain.

9. Townspeople of Salem (p. 119)

A. Background: What problems caused arguments and fear in Salem?
B. Motivation: Why did the townspeople want to remove nonbelievers?
C. Power or Fear: Did the townspeople have power or were they powerless? Explain.

To find the main idea, ask yourself:
"What is this paragraph mostly about?"

Look at the first and last sentences for clues, then pick the one big point that all the details support.

Summary: After King Philip's War, Salem faced social chaos and constant disputes over land and church rights.

Summary: Two sick girls suffered strange fits and accused three local outcasts of witchcraft.

Summary: Salem followed strict Bible laws, enforced mandatory church services, and feared evil forces.

Summary: A wave of trials led to 20 executions and many deaths in prison.

Paragraph 1: Unrest in Salem

Question: What were people in Salem arguing about before the witch trials?
Main Idea Question: Which statement best describes the main idea of this paragraph?

A) King Philip's War and ongoing disputes over land, church rights, and ministers created severe social disorder in Salem.
B) Neighboring Native American tribes completely took over the town of Salem.

Paragraph 2: Strict Puritan Beliefs

Question: How did Puritan rules and church attendance affect everyday life in Salem?
Main Idea Question: Which statement best describes the main idea of this paragraph?

A) Dancing and holiday celebrations were main events held every week in Salem.
B) Puritan life was built on strict biblical laws, long church services, and a fear of evil that turned non-conformists into outcasts.

Paragraph 3: The First Accusations

Question: Who were the first three women accused of witchcraft, and why were they picked?
Main Idea Question: Which statement best describes the main idea of this paragraph?

A) Two young girls suffered unexplained fits and accused three marginalized "outsiders" of practicing witchcraft.
B) A local doctor cured Betty Parris and Abigail Williams of a simple physical illness.

Paragraph 4: The Witch Trials

Question: How many people were killed during the Salem Witch Trials?
Main Idea Question: Which statement best describes the main idea of this paragraph?

A) The Salem Witch Trials ended as soon as the first accusation was made in 1692.
B) The accusations led to trials resulting in twenty executions and multiple prison deaths, marking a tragic moment in colonial history.

Salem Witch Trials: Reading Comprehension & Vocabulary

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