The Salem Witch Trials had a very significant effect on the community of Salem, Massachusetts. At least more than 15 people died during the event, falsely accused of course. And after 200 to 400 years, people are still speculating about the events, as if it happened yesterday, and how this event might have influenced the many emotions of the people of Salem and other New World colonies. The town of Salem began as a small Puritan settlement. In 1641, England made witchcraft a capital crime, punishable by death. In 1692, a young girl named Betty Parris began experiencing spasms, accompanied by high fevers and body pains. She was also reported to be "running/rushing" and "hiding under furniture." The local doctor, Doctor Griggs, said Betty may have been practicing witchcraft. According to Griggs, this could have been the cause of Betty's strange behavior. And over the coming weeks, Griggs had begun to observe similar behaviors in other young women in Salem. One of the daughters was Elizabeth Hubbard. And in February, the town's clergy and residents got involved and pressured 12-year-old Elizabeth to confess who had caused her to behave so strangely. Elizabeth blamed Tituba, the local Indian slave from Barbados. She had also accused Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne of practicing witchcraft with them. And on February 29, 1692, warrants of arrest were issued for Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. The number of defendants began to increase, and the governor saw the need to recreate the court solely to handle the witch trials. Five judges were appointed. Although many of them had no witnesses to the acts of which they were accused, each of them was sentenced to hang... in the middle of a paper... by Giles, others argue that he was failing to act on behalf of his heirs in refusing to stand trial. But instead he chose this fate to protest the witch trials and the court's methods. Whatever his reason, Giles Corey chose death rather than face trial for witchcraft. Many people felt that the accusations and trials were getting out of hand. And by October, judges and many other people and authority figures believed the trials were costing innocent lives. . People began to ignore the accused and go about their day. The rage of the witch trials had subsided, and the last witch trial took place in January 1693. The governor then ended the witch trials by pardoning the remaining defendants in May 1693. Thus, the Salem witch trials resulted in nineteen trials. hangings and death by stone crushing, was finally concluded.