Podcast
The Salem Witch Trials Podcast
Hosted by Greg Houle · EN
The Salem Witch Trials Podcast takes a fast-paced and episodic examination of the witch hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The brief yet insightful episodes harness the knowledge of experts to help illuminate both the chronology of events as well the deeper context surrounding the witch crisis, giving listeners a better understanding of this fascinating and tragic event in early American history.
13episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Man Who Put Salem Back Together
May 500:25:48Tap to summarizeWhen the witch crisis of 1692 faded, Salem Village was left to live with what it had done. This episode examines how Reverend Joseph Green guided this damaged community through its long and uncertain aftermath. Joining us is Dan Lipcan, the Ann C. Pingree Director of the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum, which has in its collection the diary of Reverend Green.
Transcribe →Tituba and the Fear That Made a Witch
Feb 2700:23:21Tap to summarizeWE'RE BACK! In the first episode of our second season, we trace the story of Tituba, an enslaved Indigenous woman and the first person accused of witchcraft in 1692. With the help of historian Matt Alschbach, we examine her story within the broader context of seventeenth-century folk medicine, race, and Puritan theology, exploring how fear breeds suspicion, and how suspicion so often settles on the margins. If you’re interested in joining host Greg Houle for his live online course, The Salem Witch Trials: Fear, Myth & Meaning, you can register here. You can also explore Greg Houle’s historical novel, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.
Transcribe →Welcome Back to Salem: Season 2 Preview
Nov 2700:03:42Tap to summarizeSeason 2 of The Salem Witch Trials Podcast is coming. We go beyond the timeline of 1692 to explore the deeper forces that shaped the crisis. From war to religion to community tensions to psychology to power, join us as we further uncover the reasons why this tragic event took place, why it mattered then, and why it still matters today. Learn more about host Greg Houle's novel: The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials.
Transcribe →BONUS: The Putnams of Salem: The Audiobook
Oct 1000:14:12Tap to summarizeExperience The Putnams of Salem in a whole new way. Narrated by author Greg Houle and his daughter Addy, the audiobook brings to life the haunting and twisted tale of Thomas and Ann Putnam Jr. who are Greg and Addy's real-life ancestors at the heart of the Salem witch crisis. Get The Putnams of Salem on Audible And stay tuned for Season 2 of The Salem Witch Trials Podcast is coming very soon!
Transcribe →A Reflection on Our First Season
Mar 27, 202500:09:48Tap to summarizeIn the last episode of season one, we reflect on what we've learned so far. And look ahead to season two. You can contact host Greg Houle at greg@theputnamsofsalem.com Learn more about host Greg's novel: The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials.
Transcribe →Suspicion and Fear Consume Wilmot Redd
Mar 3, 202500:20:48Tap to summarizeLong the subject of whispers and suspicion, Wilmot Redd lived miles from the witch hysteria’s epicenter in Salem Village. Yet, as paranoia spread in the spring of 1692, she got caught in its grip, condemned not by evidence, but by growing fear.
Transcribe →The Patriarchy Takes Down Ann Pudeator
Feb 18, 202500:16:35Tap to summarizeAnn Pudeator was a twice-widowed caregiver whose independence and outsider status made her a target during the Salem witch trials. We explore how this elderly, independent woman stoked societal fears, and reveal how deeply the patriarchy influenced the witch hysteria in 1692. As well as how courageously Ann stood her ground until the end. Learn more about host Greg Houle's novel: The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials.
Transcribe →The Last Witch
Feb 4, 202500:33:41Tap to summarizeWe're joined by Annika Hylmö, the writer and director of The Last Witch, a documentary currently in production that follows a North Andover teacher and her middle school students in their campaign to exonerate Elizabeth Johnson Jr., the last person convicted during the Salem witch trials. To learn more about The Last Witch and how you can support the film, visit thelastwitchfilm.com
Transcribe →The Courageous Mary Easty
Jan 20, 202500:22:59Tap to summarizeBy all accounts, Mary Easty was a pious and well-respected woman. Yet she was swept up in the witch hunt anyway. Her unwavering declarations of innocence, brave defense, and heartfelt fight against further bloodshed left a lasting legacy, even as she became one of the final victims of the hysteria. Learn more about host Greg Houle's novel: The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials.
Transcribe →A Grumpy Old Man Gets Targeted
Jan 7, 202500:22:05Tap to summarizeGeorge Jacobs Sr., a fiery-tempered and outspoken man more than 80 years old, finds himself at the center of the witch hunt. His sharp tongue and abrasive personality made him an easy mark in a community gripped by fear. Learn more about host Greg Houle's novel: The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials.
Transcribe →