The Salem witch trials of 1692 are a fascinating and complex event in American history. This page has been created to assist educators as they incorporate this important subject into their curriculum.

Our FAQ page has been developed to answer commonly asked questions related to this topic.

Our Student Question Video Series also addresses many of these questions, and includes short videos for younger audiences, as well as longer videos about twentieth century witch hunts for older learners.

Check out our Recommended Reading list for suggestions of books about the Salem witch trials, witch trials in New England, European witch trials, and for young readers.

This overview of the existing Salem Witch Trials Primary Sources describes the various surviving records of the witchcraft trials and provides links to digital transcriptions.

We offer virtual programming for students from elementary through university level. Current programs include; The Salem Witch Trials (grades 6-12); The Crucible Fact vs. Fiction (grades 9-12); Life in Colonial New England (grades 3-7); Witches: Evolving Perceptions (grades 9-12); The Salem Witch Trials and Public Memory (grades 9-12); The Salem Witch Trials and Seventeenth-Century Law (grade 12 and university courses).

Each year our Department of Education offers virtual lectures covering a variety of subjects. Past lectures include: Learning from our Mistakes: Researching the Salem Witch Trials; Race and the Salem Witch Trials; Hidden History: Japanese Internment and Other Asian American Witch Hunts; Beyond Salem: The Witch Trials in Torsåker Sweden; and more!

Our Witch Trials Online Sites Tour allows you to view sites related to the 1692 Salem witch trials in Essex and Middlesex counties, plus the greater Boston area. Select a town or city to learn about relevant locations and view pictures. Included are original houses, foundations, grave sites, historical markers, and approximate locations of homes that are no longer standing.

 

Lesson Plans

Elementary

Life in Colonial New England Make Your Own Fabric Doll Activity

Life in Colonial New England Make Your Own Hand Loom

Colonist Coloring Sheet

 

Middle School

Salem Witch Trials Creative Writing Lesson Plan

 

High School

Salem Witch Trials Primary Sources Lesson Plan

Historiography Lesson Plan

Arthur Miller and House Un-American Activities Committee Lesson Plan

 

Additional Recommended Resources

Modern Witch Hunts