A.P. UNITED STATES HISTORY
NAME:_____________________
SALEM WITCH TRIAL READING: “WHAT CAUSED THE SALEM WITCH TRIAL HYSTERIA OF
1692?”
Part I: Reading
1. Read the Background Essay. It gives an overview of the Salem story.
2. Read the documents. For each:
a. Take notice--What or who is the source? Is it primary or secondary?
b. Use the margins to record--What is the main idea (or main ideas) in the document?
Part II: Organizing
3. Organize the documents into theories or reasons by developing groupings. On the next page:
a. Title each of your groups. Prioritize your groupings, putting the most important reason
first and so on.
b. List each document you would use in the group, and make short note how doct.
supports that group as a cause to the Salem Witch Trials. Make sure to prioritize
documents also.
Part III: Thesis
4. Underneath your groupings, write THESIS, and then write out your own thesis answering the
question of this document exercise.
A.P. UNITED STATES HISTORY
NAME:_____________________
PROMPT:
What caused the Salem Witch Trial hysteria of 1692?
CATEGORIZE/ORGANIZE
You must be able to identify similarities between individual facts in order to be able to categorize
them and, subsequently, draw some conclusions, or generalizations from them. Find similarities
between some of the individual facts, sort them into groups, and name the groups.
GROUP I:
GROUP II:
GROUP III:
GROUP IV:
THESIS STATEMENT & PLAN OF ATTACK
Generate a thesis statement which clearly and concisely shows the trend, movement, or similarity between all categories
(an organizing principle for this unit). Rank order the categories in a manner which enhances the logical proof of your
thesis statement.
THESIS STATEMENT & PLAN OF ATTACK: