The Salem Witch Trials One of the most devastating events in American history was the Salem Witchcraft Trials. Due to a few hysterical girls' accusations and the fear of a village, twenty people were executed and hundreds were put in jail. Now the question still asked today is "Were the people accused really witches possessed by the devil?" No, they were not witches nor were they involved with the devil. In fact, the people who were at fault were really the accusers. The Puritan people (the people involved with the trials) had endured many coincidental hardships and dangers, which they blamed on the devil. This helped fuel their very religious and superstitious wa