Can a psychological illness become contagious? Many experts believe that in rare cases a phenomenon known as a "mass psychogenic illness" can break out in a population. Can this strange quirk of group psychology help us understand the Salem Witch Crisis of 1692? The community had been stressed by local factionalism, regional political turmoil, and a global c ... Show More
Feb 2025
Episode #222- What's True About Al Capone? (Part I)
The life of the gangster Al Capone could be understood as a violent expression of the American Dream. A poor kid from Brooklyn, born to immigrant parents, used his wits, fists, and a certain ruthless determination to build an empire. The underworld figure has been the fodder for ... Show More
1h 24m
Oct 2023
Episode #187- What Bewitched Salem? (Part I)
In 1692 in the town of Salem Village, Massachusetts, two young girls started acting very strangely. The girls suffered from uncontrollable fits, bouts of incoherence, and odd outbursts including barking and choking sounds. A physician summoned to examine them concluded that the o ... Show More
1h 14m
Oct 2024
Inside the Witch Trials: Salem | Fear In A New World
We often think of the witch trials as something in the deep and distant past.
But, as we'll hear in today's episode, the attitudes and behaviour that led to witch trials is as present today as it was then.
In this third and final episode of our limited series, Inside the Witch Tr ... Show More
43 m
Oct 2024
anatomy of evil: the salem witch trials (puritan paranoia, mass hysteria, and social scapegoating) [preview]
In this episode of "Anatomy of Evil," I peel back the curtain on the infamous Salem Witch Trials, diving deep into the murky waters of human fear and legal injustice that define one of America's most haunting historical moments. Forget the dry recounting of events—you're in for a ... Show More
49m 15s
May 22
#548 | The Salem Witch Trials
In this episode, we'll explore the eerie events of the Salem Witch Trials, a chilling tale of suspicion, fear, and injustice in 17th-century Massachusetts. Discover how a village turned against itself, leading to the execution of innocent people amidst accusations of witchcraft, ... Show More
21m 42s
Jun 2024
History Daily: The First Execution of the Salem Witch Trials
June 10, 1692. Accusations of witchcraft spark hysteria in a town in Massachusetts, leading to the execution of Bridget Bishop – the first victim of the Salem Witch Trials.You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for all that and more, go to IntoHistory.com.H ... Show More
16m 41s
Apr 27
The Salem Witch Trials
For more than two centuries, between the late 1400s and early 1700s, a terror of witches gripped Europe. From Scotland to Spain, thousands of people were accused, tortured and executed. But as the hysteria faded in Europe, it crossed the Atlantic. In 1692, in New England, it took ... Show More
1h 1m
Oct 2024
317. What Were the Salem Witch Trials? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
In 1692, the village of Salem in Massachusetts was the location of the infamous Salem witch trials. Hundreds of innocent people were accused of witchcraft and being witches. People were executed, tortured, and imprisoned.
In this Halloween special episode of Thinking in English, ... Show More
21m 55s