The Real Victims
The real victims of the Salem witch trials were not the people plagued with fits and infectious diseases, but rather those abused by religion and a culture of fear and ignorance. The trials executed 19 people, shot two dogs, and left four people to die in prison awaiting trial. The hundreds of other accused were pardoned, evaded arrest or escaped from jail. The state of Massachusetts didn’t officially apologize for the Salem witch trials until 1957.