The story of the 1692 Salem witch trials is well known, but Salem actually marked the end of a long, widespread witch craze. Rather than beginning in colonial America, historian Kate E. Bush traces witch trials back to their origins in Europe during the 15th century.

During this period, beliefs about magic underwent a dramatic shift. What had once been understood as isolated acts carried out by wayward individuals evolved into a far more ominous idea: that certain people, most often women, were witches in conscious league with the Devil. This new conception gave rise to the terrifying notion of organized, clandestine covens working to undermine Christian society.

Fueled by fear of these imagined conspiracies, witch hunts spread across Europe and its colonies, touching every level of society. Bush explores how these beliefs took hold, examining the origins of key elements such as the witches’ sabbath and the enduring stereotypes that defined the witch in popular imagination.

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