Why did the Salem Witch Trials happen?

The Salem Witch Trials occurred because it was a classic example of scapegoating and fear combined with a "trigger." A traumatic or stressful incident is what often leads to scapegoating. It was the fear of the Devil, as well as the witches who did his bidding, that was the main factors starting and fueling the trials.

Other significant areas of concern included politics, religion, family feuds, economics, and the imaginations and fears of the people throughout Salem and other surrounding areas. The infamous Salem Witch Trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, affirmed to be bewitched by the Devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. As a wave of mass hysteria spread throughout colonial Massachusetts, a special court convened in Salem to hear the cases.