Crucible: Salem Witch Trials

Salem, Massachusetts, 1692.In a plain meetinghouse, a woman stands before her judges. The accusers, girls and young women, are fervent, overexcited, just on the edge of breaking out into convulsions. The accused is a poor, unpopular woman who had her first child before she was married. As the trial proceeds, the girls begin to wail, tear their clothing, and scream that the woman is hurting them. Some of them expose wounds to the horrified onlookers, holding out the pins that have stabbed them -- pins that have appeared as if by magic. Are the girls acting, or are they really tormented by an unseen evil? Whatever the cause, the nightmare in Salem has begun.

Famous for his coverage of controversial subjects, Milton Meltzer explores the devastation that witch-hunts have caused throughout history and uncovers the truth behind the frenzy, prejudice and discrimination.

Spotlighted in Booklist as an "established series that continue[s] to turn out titles of high quality and appeal." Supports the national curriculum standards Culture; Time, Continuity, and Change; Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; and Power, Authority, and Governance as outlined by the National Council for the Social Studies.

Ideal for student research and class discussion, this interdisciplinary casebook provides a rich variety of primary historical documents and commentary on The Crucible within the context of two relevant historical periods: the Salem witch-trials of 1692 and the Red Scare of the 1950s, when the play was written.