The Salem Witch Hunts resulted from many instabilities that faced the new colonists. The religious beliefs held by the new colonists were strict and biased. The lack of structure in society and government created rivals in the community. The community had just endured a massive drought and disease outbreak, and they lived on the edge daily worrying about possible raids by the Indians or the French. Under all this pressure, the citizens threw away all sense of equality, diversity and democracy and gave in to their fears, and as a result, the witch hunts transpired.
Witch hunts were already occurring in Europe prior to the ordeal in Salem, and there was an engrained fear of witchcraft trickling over into America. The new colonists were strict puritans and had no other explanation for irrational behavior that began to arise from teenage girls in the community, other than it was from the devil (Linder). Along with this religious fervor, there was political and legal instability.
The leaders of the community in Salem were undergoing many disputes, particularly over land. This created a considerable amount of instability in the community. In addition, the town of Salem had no political structure or legal procedures. When accusations of witchcraft first arose, those who were being accused had no legal rights (Osgood). There are many factors that could be attributed to the cause of the witch trials. Yet, it was likely the religious fervor and the instability in society and government that were ultimate causes.
References
Linder, Douglas. "The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692." Famous American Trials (2008). <<http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SALEM.HTM>.>.
Osgood, Russell K. "The Salem Witchcraft Trials: A Legal History Reviewed." The William and Mary Quarterly 57.2 (2000): 430-432. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/2674485>.
Roach, Marilynne K. Six Women of Salem. Philadephia: Da Capo Press, 2013.
