7. The Salem “Witches” Were Burned at the Stake
When people picture the Salem witch trials, they often imagine accused witches being burned at the stake. That image mostly comes from European witch trials and from later horror stories, not from what happened in Salem, Massachusetts.
The accused people executed during the Salem witch trials were hanged, not burned. Nineteen people were hanged, and Giles Corey was pressed to death after refusing to enter a plea. The real story is still horrifying, but the common image of Salem burnings is historically inaccurate.
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