A second cause of the witch trial hysteria was the lesser elite Putman family’s motivation to get a piece of the village’s commercial expansion and to reestablish their political power they once had held (Document J). Seventeen out of the twenty-two accused witches lived on the Porter’s eastern side of the village (Document I), the Putman’s western side of the village having thirty-two out of thirty-four accusers.This statement is very important due to the fact that the Putmans’ hopelessly desired for a part of the commercial expansion and reestablish their power in the politics of the village. They were also a large landholder and supporter of Parris, who had an adequate supply of grain to very probably be ergot infested under the current