The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, nineteen of whom were executed by hanging (fourteen women and five men). One other man, Giles Corey, died under torture after refusing to enter a plea, and at least five people died in the disease-ridden jails. While witch trials had begun to fade out across much of Europe by the mid-17th century, they continued on the fringes of Europe and in the American Colonies. The events from the years 1692 to 1693 in Salem, became a brief outburst of a sort of hysteria in the New World, while the practice was already ending in most of Europe as the small numbers of prosecutions of witches in Spain, Italy, and France, for example, can be attributed to the fact that neither the Spanish nor the Roman inquisition believed that witchcraft could be proven. Arrests were made in numerous towns beyond Salem Village (known today as Danvers) and its regional centre Salem, notably in Andover and Topsfield. The grand juries and trials for this capital crime were conducted by a Court of Oyer and Terminer in 1692 and by a Superior Court of Judicature in 1693, both held in Salem Town, where the hangings also took place. It was the deadliest witch hunt in the history of colonial North America( Not to be confused by Basque, the largest witch hunt in the world, Or Würzburg, the deadliest..) Fourteen other women and two men were executed in Massachusetts and Connecticut during the 17th century. In the end, it turned out that the accusations were because 3 girls made them up for sport.

Article by Stephen Douglas (S1)

Hades/Haides - Hades was the king of the underworld himself, along with that he was the god of the dead not death, that's a different god. He was married to Persephone the goddess of Spring growth. He was the son of the Titaness Rhea and the Titan Kronos. When he was born Cronus ate him just like he did to his sister before him in fear of a prophecy being fulfilled.

Persephone/Kore - Persephone was queen of the underworld, wife to Hades/Haides and daughter of Demeter. She was the goddess of Spring growth and was given the name Kore as the goddess of Spring’s bounty. Persephone was taken to the underworld by Hades’ to be his bride after he saw her in a flowery meadow. This was only one version of that specific myth.

Thanatos/Thanatus - Now this god was the god of death, Thanatos was the god of death and collects souls with Hermes (God of thievery, travel, speed, and messenger of the gods) and takes them to the underworld. Thanatos was the child of Nyx (I’ll get to her soon) along with his twin brother Hypnos (I’ll get to him later). 

Hecate/Hekate - Hecate was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts, and necromancy. She was the only child of Titanes Perses and Asteria , who received her powers over the heavens, the earth, and the sea. Hecate helped Demeter when she was searching Persphone by guiding her through the dark of night with her two flaming torches.

Hypnos/Hypnus - Hypnos was the god or spirit of sleep. He abided in the land of Eternal Darkness which was Erebus that was beyond the rising sun’s gates and would rise into the sky every night under train of his mother Nyx. Hypnos was most commonly paired with his twin brother Thanatos.

Nyx - Nyx was one of the primordial gods who came to be at the dawns of creation from her parent Khaos with her brother Erebos. She was the goddess and personification of the night. Nyx and Erebos had two children Aither and Hemera, Aither was the god and personification of light and Hemera was the  goddess and personification of the day. On her own Nyx created dark spirits including Death, Sleep, the three Fates, Strife, and Pain.

Article by Rosa-Amia Ventre (S1)