The last executions ordered as a result of the Salem witch trials took place on this day in 1692. The fervor started when a group of young girls claimed earlier that year that they'd been possessed by the devil and blamed several women for cursing them. In total, over 150 people would be hauled into court in front of judges across the Massachusetts Bay Colony. 30 were found guilty of witchcraft, and 19 hanged, eight of whom died that Sept. 22 (not to mention several deaths from other causes).
There were so many prosecutions that the colony had to launch a special court for them in Salem Village. Eventually, Bay Staters realized they were putting people on trial and executing them based on no material evidence. As public opinion shifted, the prosecutions waned, though they continued into 1693. Four years later, the colony's legal system tried to make up for the error by holding a day of fasting. One of the judges even apologized for his role in the matter.
You can read more about the Salem witch trials at History.com.
