It is generally accepted that there was a grave miscarriage of justice, that religious zealots persecuted innocent people for no good reason, and innocent men and women were executed for witchcraft. It has been debated whether or not the accusations surfaced as a result of fraud and/or hysteria.

What is ignored in this debate is that there was actual witchcraft practiced in colonial New England. Chadwick Hansen in Witchcraft at Salem argued that there was actual witchcraft, but that its power was purely psychological. Without completely rejecting that argument, William H. Cooke in Justice at Salem argues that more could have been at work.

Nevertheless, Cooke does not completely exonerate the prosecutors and judges in the witch trials. Most of the accused were likely innocent. Correct legal procedures were not always followed. In the fight against the perceived threat of witches, the protections of the law were sometimes abandoned. In the pursuit of security, liberty was lost. In that sense, the Puritans weren't so different from us, Cooke argues, as he draws parallels to the War on Terror. And the fact that the guilty practiced a religion that was offensive to the majority did not justify persecuting them. But at the time witchcraft was perceived as a grave threat to the existence of the colony and not without good reason.

Justice at Salem takes a detailed look at the cases of five individuals charged with witchcraft: Bridget Bishop, Sarah Good, George Burroughs, Tituba, and Samuel Wardwell, and also looks at the events that helped to start and end the trials. Witty, irreverent and sarcastic at times, well researched (be sure to read the endnotes), and timely, Cooke's book is a breath of fresh air to the typical drivel that passes as popular history about the Salem witch trials.

Justice at Salem is available as a free ebook licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial - No Derivative Works license. It is also available at Amazon.com and almost every other internet bookseller.

Pictures from Salem taken by the author:

Salem 2009

Links for further research:

Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive

Salem Witch Trials Wikipedia Page(use with caution, verify claims.)

Salem Story: Reading the Witch Trials of 1692

Tituba, Reluctant Witch of Salem: Devilish Indians and Puritan Fantasies

Salem Witch Judge: The Life and Repentance of Samuel Sewall

Witchcraft at Salem

Wonders of the Invisible World

Conrad Bladey's Website (wrote the foreword for Justice at Salem)

Questions for the Author:

1. Why should I buy this book when you are giving it away for free?

I am only giving away the ebook.  My hope is that you will read a few pages, like it, but get tired of reading it online (it hurts your eyes, you can't take it to the beach, etc.), and will buy a copy.

2. Since your book is licensed by the Creative Commons can I print out your book and sell it myself?

No.  The ebook can be distributed for non-commercial purposes.  If you want to use my book for commercial purposes please contact me and maybe we can work something out.

3. If I read the ebook and like it, can I send you money?

Yes. Use the Paypal feature below.

4.  Will this book be available in my local bookstore?

Probably not, but you can ask them to order it.  I hope to have this book in a few local bookstores around Baltimore, Annapolis, and Salem soon.

5.  I own or work at a bookstore and would like to sell your book.  Can you help me?

Yes.  And all books are fully returnable if not sold.  Please contact me.  My email address is below.

6. Are you available to speak about this subject? If so, what do you charge?

I am happy to speak about this subject. Travel expenses and whatever you want to give me is fine. Alcohol is usually an acceptable payment.  Tobacco also is good.

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