The victims of the Salem witch trials were remembered, but how many of them were hanged?
This is a list of people who were executed for practicing witchcraft.Between 1560 and 1630, large numbers of people were prosecuted for practicing witchcraft.The concept of using supernatural powers to harm others was not new in Europe.There were cases about the use of magic to hurt rivals.There was no association of witchcraft with Satan until the early 15th century.Individual accusations of sorcery increased from that time.As more cases were linked to diabolism, the nature of the charges changed.The stereotype of the witch was established by several treatises that were published in the century.The prosecutions of witches declined in some areas during the 16th century.In the 17th century witch-hunts increased again.There were witch trials in Spain, Germany, Scotland, and Sweden in Early Modern Europe.
The American colonies had witch-hunts during the 17th century.In Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Haven, these were common.Witches were associated with devil-worship in the 17th century New England and the myth of the witch.A witch-hunt that lasted throughout New England from 1647 to 1663 accused about eighty people of practicing witchcraft.Fourteen women and two men were executed.The Salem witch trials ended with the executions of 20 people.Five people died in jail.
Over the course of several hundred years, tens of thousands of people were executed for being witches in Europe and the American colonies.We don't know the exact number, but conservative scholars think it's between 40,000 and 50,000.Carlo Ginzburg estimates the number of people at 3-4 million in his book, Night Battles.Hanging, drowning and burning were some of the methods used to execute witches.Burning was considered a more painful way to die in Europe.In the American colonies, prosecutors preferred hanging in cases of witchcraft.[5]