The Salem witchcraft trials occurred during a controversial period in colonial America in which mass hysteria led to a series of outrageous trials resulting in the conviction and execution of twenty people for practicing witchcraft, and the imprisonment of one hundred fifty other accused witches. Highlighting key people and events, Fremon explains the unique circumstances that existed in colonial Massachusetts and Salem Village at the time of the trials as he considers many possible reasons why the witchcraft trials were held.

Students will be fascinated by the events that transpired in seventeenth-century colonial Massachusetts, when a group of young girls accused several townspeople of witchcraft. Through colorful images and riveting text, this “truth is stranger than fiction” story will teach young readers much about the religious and cultural state of colonial New England, as well as the dangers of groupthink.

Would your readers join the madness? It is a frigid cold winter in Salem Village, Massachusetts in 1692. Some teenage girls may be suffering from mysterious afflictions. They accused certain townspeople of being witches. What would you do? Would your readers believe the girls? Would your readers defend the accused during the trials? Give them an opportunity to find out about this tragic period in American history.

Teaching and learning through Hollywood, or commercial, film productions is anything but a new approach and has been something of a mainstay in the classroom for nearly a century. Purposeful and effective instruction through film, however, is not problem-free and there are many challenges that accompany classroom applications of Hollywood motion pictures. In response to the problems and possibilities associated with teaching through film, we have collaboratively developed a collection of practical, classroom-ready lesson ideas that might bridge gaps between theory and practice and assist teachers endeavoring to make effective use of film in their classrooms. We believe that film can serve as a powerful tool in the social studies classroom and, where appropriately utilized, foster critical thinking and civic mindedness. The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) framework, represents a renewed and formalized emphasis on the perennial social studies goals of deep thinking, reading and writing. We believe that as teachers endeavor to digest and implement the platform in schools and classrooms across the country, the desire for access to structured strategies that lead to more active and rigorous investigation in the social studies classroom will grow increasingly acute. Our hope is that this edited book might play a small role in the larger project of supporting practitioners, specifically K-12 teachers of United States history, by offering a collection of classroom-ready tools based on the Hollywood or History? strategy and designed to foster historical inquiry through the careful use of historically themed motion pictures. The book consists of K-5 and 6-12 lesson plans addressing the following historical eras (Adapted from: UCLA, National Center for History in Schools).

This detailed volume tells the dark story of the Salem witchcraft trials with a lively narrative and primary source documents, such as transcripts and letters, that highlight the tales and voices of both the victims and the perpetrators. Readers will learn about the harsh living conditions as well as the religious and social views of the day and how they influenced society's reactions to the unknown and difficult (or impossible) to explain. This text also meets the Common Core standards for history and social studies, such as evaluating various explanations for actions or events and determining which explanation best accords with textual evidence.

Vivid storytelling and authentic dialogue bring American history to life and place readers in the shoes of people who experienced one of the most notorious moments in American history - the Salem Witch Trials. In the spring of 1692, girls in Salem, Massachusetts, accused several local women of witchcraft. The events that followed were marked by mass hysteria and religious extremism and ultimately led to trials, convictions, executions, and many more accusals. Suspenseful, dramatic events unfold in chronological, interwoven stories from the different perspectives of people who experienced the event while it was happening. Narratives intertwine to create a breathless, "What's Next?" kind of read. Students gain a new perspective on historical figures as they learn about real people struggling to decide how best to act in a given moment.

Kaplan's AP U.S. History Prep Plus 2018-2019 is completely restructured and aligned with the current AP exam, giving you concise review of the most-tested content to quickly build your skills and confidence. With bite-sized, test-like practice sets and customizable study plans, our guide fits your schedule. Personalized Prep. Realistic Practice. Three full-length practice exams and an online test scoring tool to convert your raw score into a 1–5 scaled score Pre- and post-quizzes in each chapter so you can monitor your progress Customizable study plans tailored to your individual goals and prep time Focused content review on the essential concepts to help you make the most of your study time Online quizzes for additional practice Test-taking strategies designed specifically for AP U.S. History Expert Guidance We know the test—our AP experts make sure our practice questions and study materials are true to the exam We know students—every explanation is written to help you learn, and our tips on the exam structure and question formats will help you avoid surprises on Test Day We invented test prep—Kaplan (www.kaptest.com) has been helping students for 80 years, and more than 95% of our students get into their top-choice schools

The colony of Massachusetts in 1692 was a harsh place. Disease, hunger, and the threat of war made life stressful. Colonists clung to their religious faith and looked for someone to blame. Some accused their fellow colonists of causing the troubles through the practice of witchcraft. The hysteria spread until no one was safe. Will you: Attempt to defend yourself against charges of witchcraft? Try to keep your family together as your mother is put on trial? Accuse someone else of being a witch?

This up-to-date introduction to the complex world of conspiracies and conspiracy theories provides insight into why millions of people are so ready to believe the worst about our political, legal, religious, and financial institutions. Unsupported theories provide simple explanations for catastrophes that are otherwise difficult to understand, from the U.S. Civil War to the Stock Market Crash of 1929 to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Ideas about shadowy networks that operate behind a cloak of secrecy, including real organizations like the CIA and the Mafia and imagined ones like the Illuminati, additionally provide a way for people to criticize prevailing political and economic arrangements, while for society's disadvantaged and forgotten groups, conspiracy theories make their suffering and alienation comprehensible and provide a focal point for their economic or political frustrations. These volumes detail the highly controversial and influential phenomena of conspiracies and conspiracy theories in American society. Through interpretive essays and factual accounts of various people, organizations, and ideas, the reader will gain a much greater appreciation for a set of beliefs about political scheming, covert intelligence gathering, and criminal rings that has held its grip on the minds of millions of American citizens and encouraged them to believe that the conspiracies may run deeper, and with a global reach.

Whether they prefer blockbusters, historical dramas, or documentaries, people learn much of what they know about history from the movies. In American History Goes to the Movies, W. Bryan Rommel-Ruiz shows how popular representations of historic events shape the way audiences understand the history of the United States, including American representations of race and gender, and stories of immigration, especially the familiar narrative of the American Dream. Using films from many different genres, American History Goes to the Movies draws together movies that depict the Civil War, the Wild West, the assassination of JFK, and the events of 9/11, from The Birth of a Nation and Gone with the Wind to The Exorcist and United 93, to show how viewers use movies to make sense of the past, addressing not only how we render history for popular enjoyment, but also how Hollywood’s renderings of America influence the way Americans see themselves and how they make sense of the world.