Why were 19 young women executed in 1692 in Salem Massachusetts?

The salem witch burnings. the people of the town believed they were witches so they burned them at the stake.

They were accused of witchcraft. Many people back in those days feared it. However, anyone could accuse someone of witchcraft in those days without evidence. Some were accused because others had a grudge against them. Some people thought that because some of the women were convulsing or acting out of the ordinary that they must have been involved in witchcraft. Punishment was carried out to discourage others from getting involved in the wicked religion so to speak.