1.

The Salem Witchcraft Trials

Betty and Abigail Williams along with friends who would go

on to start accusations of witchcraft being done on them by
people such as Tituba, their slave, who is also in the
photograph.

Increase Mather, an influential minister who would condemn

the trials and eventually lead to the accused witches being freed
from accusations.

Speech Bubbles:
Betty and Abigail Williams: ​Us and our friend Ann Putnam are being possessed by witches!
Starting in January of 1962 we began having fits where we yell and contort our bodies, and we
feel something biting us! The possession did not only stop at us, however, but it spread to other
girls in our community of Massachusetts. We think it’s Tituba, our slave, because she doesn’t go
to church. She even confessed and said in court that there are more witches in our community!
We are so glad that we brought this to court so that this can come to light. Prior to this, we had
faced the effects of the British war with the French, of smallpox epidemics, and of Indian
attacks, so we were on our toes because we can’t trust anyone anymore! We are happy that our
paranoia lead to such good as a lot of witches in our community were tried and killed or put in
prison, so they can’t harm us anymore.
Increase Mather​: I seriously condone this shameful practice of accusing witches. I am Increase
Mather, the president of Harvard College, so you know I have common sense, and my son and I
believe that what is going on during these witch trials is horrible. My son Cotton warned the
government against permitting spectral evidence in court which had only the testimony of one
person because it would lead to crazy accusations, and that is exactly what it led to. I pushed
Governor Phips into setting the same rules for witchcraft trials as well as other crimes because
the condemning of innocent people is inhumane and not worth anything! As the result of my, an
influential minister’s, condemning of spectral evidence and instead requiring direct accusations
in trials, Governor Phips ended the witch trials and set condemned witches free from prison and
compensated those who had been killed.
Bacon’s Rebellion

Sir William Berkeley was a well-respected governor of Virginia who

was well-known for being a veteran of the English Civil Wars and
fighting Indians on the frontier. I am a favorite of King Charles II.

Nathaniel Bacon was a troublesome and immature cousin of the

Governor, who was sent to Virginia by his parents to mature but would
only cause trouble there.

Speech Bubbles:
Nathaniel Bacon: ​Even though I am Governor Berkeley’s cousin by marriage, I seriously
condemn his actions. Tobacco prices in Virginia have been going down for ages, and apart from
this there is more competition for the crop from the Carolinas and Maryland. There have also
been a lot of disasters such as floods and also rising prices as an effect of mercantilism put on
us by Britain, and all of these things impact the rich, but not to the degree to which they affect
the poor, who don’t have land so they can’t vote in any of these issues. Governor Berkeley has
attempted to aid Virginians, but has only increased the wealth of the already rich, and has left
poor farmers with nothing. An Indian tribe took my crops and so I asked Berkeley for a militia to
attack them, but he refused, so I started my own militia of poor farmers. I kept pushing to attack
the Natives but was met with no help and so my militia and I went around attacking Indians and
after Berkeley condemned me we caused havoc in Jamestown. Unfortunately I died from
dysentery soon after and my militia and the rebellion fell apart.
Governor Berkeley:​ I, Governor Sir William Berkeley am a well respected scholar and frontier
Indian fighter. As soon as my cousin Nathaniel arrived here I was pleasant with him and gave
him plenty of land, yet all he reciprocated was trouble. He falsely accused a tribe of taking his
crops, which I condemned, and he got mad at this! He had accused a completely innocent
group of people, what did he expect me to do! I rejected his pleas to start a militia to attack the
Native Americans around us because we need a good relationship with them to trade and
coexist, a war with them would lead to so much death! Him and his little militia went around
attacking Indians for no reason and needless to say, I was glad to hear he had died so I could
be saved from dealing with his problematic self.
 Glorious Revolution
King James II was an English King who was fled to exile as a result of the
Glorious Revolution, prompted by how disliked he was by Protestants in
England.

King William of Orange was a Dutch King who conquered England in a

bloodless fight.

Speech Bubbles:
King James II​: I took the English crown in 1685, and from the start religious tensions arose. Not
only this, but I despised the Parliament as well which also caused some problems. England was
Protestant at the time but I was Catholic and I wanted the prominence of my own religion and so
I appointed Catholics into positions of power. To make my Kingdom Catholic I passed the
Declaration of Indulgence which allowed for Catholics to worship freely and I also had a son
which I wanted to raise Catholicly so that my views would be passed on, which I know for sure
caused backlash from Protestants, but Christianity was the best religion! Another thing that
enraged the public was my disbanding of the Parliament, but it had to be done, they weren’t
loyal to me!
William of Orange: ​I am William of Orange, a Dutch King in the Netherlands. In 1688 some of
King James’ friends wrote to me pleading that I invade England and take his crown, which, by
the way, I found rather humiliating for him, his own friends! I was planning to invade them
anyway so I just got my militia ready and prepared to attack. We caused King James to go into
exile and I took control in December of 1688. My conquering of England gave the people what it
wanted, power, as no monarchy ever had complete power after this, ensured by Parliament.
People were free to worship as they pleased, and their rights were set in stone by the Bill of
Rights, I’m such a good King!