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Gr 9-Up Aronson has produced a legitimate piece of original scholarship that is at the same time an interesting narrative. Examining the events in the Massachusetts of 1692, and immediately discounting much of what readers may already know about the trials, he answers some of the questions they will bring, but raises even more. In the brilliant introduction, the author actively encourages the rethinking of past notions of the events leading up to the accusations and hearings. He sets st...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

The Devil made them do it. So said Puritan minister Increase Mather in 1692, finally speaking out against the accusers and ending the hanging of townsfolk found guilty of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. But, delving into the evidence of court documents and the interpretations of numerous modern scholars, Aronson argues a much more complex case. His deeply researched examination becomes a multilayered lesson in the study and understanding of history. While what actually happened in Salem is not easily discerned, Aronson offers plenty of discussion of possible motives and causes as characters and even...Log In or Sign Up to Read More