Spiteful Accusations
The harassment by the witch hunters gave villagers the opportunity to doom anyone they considered a rival. After a while, this heinous act led the people of Salem to accuse anyone of witchcraft. Some took advantage of the hysteria to get back at rival families, while others honestly bought into it. According to records, an amount of 200 people were accused and 140 to 150 people were arrested. Salem during this time was a clearly a terrifying place to live.