The memorial makes it difficult for the city of Salem to move on from their painful and violent history.

The memorial helps the city of Salem and the descendants of the wrongly accused remember those who died.

Descendants of the accused see the memorial as an apology from Salem for what was done to their ancestors.

Descendants of the accused feel like they can finally move on and forget about this painful moment in history.

to explain how researchers found the site where the witches were put on trial and hanged

to suggest to readers that they likely are, or know, a descendant of someone affected by the Salem witch trials

to provide students with historical information about the Salem witch trials and how they took place

to describe the memorial and what it means to Salem and the descendants of the accused

well known for a negative reason

helpful to other people

seeming to never end

extremely important

"…where 19 innocent women and men were hanged.” (paragraph 2)

“…Salem residents and descendants of those killed gathered to pay their respects.” (paragraph 3)

“The memorial consists of a slop that leads down to site where the executions took place.” (paragraph 5)

“The memorial was primarily funded with a $174,000 Community Preservation Act grant…” (paragraph 8)

He didn’t believe that witches were present in Salem.

He worried innocent people were being found guilty.

He didn’t think the court was harsh enough on the witches.

He believed the court was being influenced by witches.

the people of Salem no longer accused or convicted people of witchcraft.

everyone who was accused of being a witch was immediately let go.

spectral evidence continued to be used to find a witch guilty.

a new court was created to hold the witch trials, but it relied on different evidence in the trials.

The people who contributed to the witch hunts apologized, but the damage was already done.

The people who were accused of witchcraft were able to return to their normal lives.

The girls who were originally bewitched admitted that they were lying and apologized.

The accused witches continued to be treated unfairly, despite being found not guilty.

The only thing that prompted Salem to stop its witch hunts was a fear that God would punish them for their actions.

It took outside influence for the people of Salem to realize that there were no, nor had there ever been, any witches in Salem.

People eventually realized that witch trials were unfair and had punished innocent people.

Despite the deaths and damages that took place because of the witch trials, the courts of Salem stood by their actions.

"By the end of September 1692, 20 people in Massachusetts Bay were dead by order of the Court of Oyer and Terminer." (Paragraph 1)

"Pointing out how families had been ruined by the court's irresponsible pursuit of witches, he wondered if people would someday 'not look upon these things without the greatest of sorrow and grief imaginable.'" (Paragraph 4)

"Although some restitution was eventually made to the families of the executed and accused, the damage to lives was far reaching." (Paragraph 9)

"Once they were freed, they went back to living with neighbors, or in some cases with family members, who had accused them of being witches." (Paragraph 9)

To point out the courage of the people who had been accused of being witches

to provide information about what caused the witch trials to take place

to show what eventually brought the witch trials to an end and what happened afterward

to reveal how the town of Salem was able to recover from the witch trials

It emphasizes how unjust and backwards the witch trials were in Salem.

It reveals how it was impossible not to be put to death as a witch in Salem.

It proves that the courts were never actually looking for witches in Salem.

It shows how Salem was one of the few towns that believed in supernatural forces.

known for causing trouble

important; well-known

timid and shy

funny; likes to joke around

“While Chief Justice William Stoughton had no regrets and appeared determined to continue the witch-hunts, other men had grown uneasy.” (paragraph 1)

“The Reverend Increase Mather, a well-respected and influential Boston minister, became alarmed at the court’s process.” (paragraph 2)

“While Mather did not question the existence of witches, he wondered if innocent people were being put to death.” (paragraph 2)

“On October 3, an essay he had recently completed, Cases of Conscience, was shared with other Boston ministers.” (paragraph 2)