Few moments in American history have captured the collective imagination as powerfully as the Salem Witch Trials. How did accusations of witchcraft escalate into a crisis in 1692? This seminar will examine gender and patriarchal authority, religious belief, frontier warfare and fears of Native Americans, community rivalries, and political uncertainty. Through primary documents and historical scholarship, we will consider Tituba’s role in the accusations and how interpretations of her identity have shaped Salem’s historical memory. Held in Salem, the seminar will offer opportunities to visit local museums and historic sites, take a ghost tour, and explore how the city remembers—and markets—its past. Together, we will consider what Salem reveals about fear, power, and justice in colonial America and its enduring place in American culture.

• Historic Site: Peabody Essex Museum

Gather with a small group of teachers from around the country for three days immersed in discussion and exploration of a single topic in American history. Weekend Seminars are a free opportunity for teachers hosted near an important historical site. Teachers will prepare ahead of time for seminars by reading selected historical documents in the provided course packet. Once the seminar begins, the discussion leader guides a peer-to-peer, text-based conversation among all participants. Meals, materials, single-occupancy rooms, and historical site visits are 100% covered by Teaching American History. At the end of each course, every teacher receives a letter of participation for fifteen contact hours of continuing education and a stipend of $600 to help defray travel costs.