Elizabeth Johnson Jr. was 22 when she became a scapegoat during the Salem witch trials of 1692.
National Post Staff - Saturday
She was sentenced to hang, but then-Gov. William Phips ultimately threw out her punishment. The mass religious hysteria that led to 20 executions had started to abate, but Johnson’s name was only formally cleared on Thursday — a mere 329 years later.
Captivated by her story, a grade eight civics class at North Andover Middle School in Massachussets took up Johnson’s cause and looked up legislative avenues to absolve her wrongful conviction.
“They spent most of the year working on getting this set for the legislature — actually writing a bill, writing letters to legislators, creating presentations, doing all the research, looking at the actual testimony of Elizabeth Johnson, learning more about the Salem witch trials,” their teacher Carrie LaPierre, told Boston Globe.
National Post Staff - Saturday
She was sentenced to hang, but then-Gov. William Phips ultimately threw out her punishment. The mass religious hysteria that led to 20 executions had started to abate, but Johnson’s name was only formally cleared on Thursday — a mere 329 years later.
Captivated by her story, a grade eight civics class at North Andover Middle School in Massachussets took up Johnson’s cause and looked up legislative avenues to absolve her wrongful conviction.
“They spent most of the year working on getting this set for the legislature — actually writing a bill, writing letters to legislators, creating presentations, doing all the research, looking at the actual testimony of Elizabeth Johnson, learning more about the Salem witch trials,” their teacher Carrie LaPierre, told Boston Globe.
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“It became quite extensive for these kids.”
The students sent their findings to state Senator Diana DiZoglio, a Democrat from Methuen. The legislation she introduced was included in a budget bill and approved.
“We will never be able to change what happened to victims like Elizabeth but at the very least can set the record straight,” DiZoglio said.
LaPierre said the effort sought to advocate for the disadvantaged:
“Passing this legislation will be incredibly impactful on their understanding of how important it is to stand up for people who cannot advocate for themselves and how strong of a voice they actually have.”
In the centuries since the trials, those who were convicted or put to death were pardoned. Johnson is the last accused witch to have her name cleared, according to Witches of Massachusetts Bay, a group dedicated to preserving the history of 17th century witch hunts.
Not much is known about Johnson, save that she lived in an area now part of North Andover and was never married nor had children.
Twenty people from Salem and surrounding towns were killed and hundreds of others were accused during a Puritanical upheaval inflamed by superstition and paranoia. An entire community became an infamous and lasting example of the dangers of fanaticism. Amid the fervour, one man was crushed to death by rocks and other nineteen were hanged.
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“It became quite extensive for these kids.”
The students sent their findings to state Senator Diana DiZoglio, a Democrat from Methuen. The legislation she introduced was included in a budget bill and approved.
“We will never be able to change what happened to victims like Elizabeth but at the very least can set the record straight,” DiZoglio said.
LaPierre said the effort sought to advocate for the disadvantaged:
“Passing this legislation will be incredibly impactful on their understanding of how important it is to stand up for people who cannot advocate for themselves and how strong of a voice they actually have.”
In the centuries since the trials, those who were convicted or put to death were pardoned. Johnson is the last accused witch to have her name cleared, according to Witches of Massachusetts Bay, a group dedicated to preserving the history of 17th century witch hunts.
Not much is known about Johnson, save that she lived in an area now part of North Andover and was never married nor had children.
Twenty people from Salem and surrounding towns were killed and hundreds of others were accused during a Puritanical upheaval inflamed by superstition and paranoia. An entire community became an infamous and lasting example of the dangers of fanaticism. Amid the fervour, one man was crushed to death by rocks and other nineteen were hanged.
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