The Unlikely Role of New England’s Frontier in Salem

As English settlers began moving into the northern frontier of New England in the mid-17th century, clashes with the native population there often had brutal results. Years later, a surprising number of those who lived though this tumultuous period in the region known as the ‘Eastward Frontier’ played central roles in the Salem witch hysteria.

We’re joined by Professor Mary Beth Norton, whose groundbreaking work on this startling connection helped to change how we think about the Salem Witch Trials.

• Mary Beth Norton is the author of numerous books, including In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692.