Ann Putnam Jr. was one of the principal accusers during the Salem witch trials of 1692, when she was only twelve years old. Her testimony contributed to the conviction of several people. In 1706, she made a public apology, acknowledging that she had been deceived by the devil.
Frequently asked questions
Famous Quotes
« I desire to lie in the dust, and to be humbled for it, in that I was a cause, with others, of so sad a calamity to them.»
Key Facts
- Born in 1679 in Salem Village, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
- In 1692, at the age of 12, she became one of the most active accusers in the Salem trials
- Her testimony led to the accusation of around twenty people, several of whom were executed
- In 1706, she made a public apology before the congregation of Salem Village
- Died in 1716 in Salem, at the age of 37
Works & Achievements
Written and oral testimonies that helped condemn an elderly and respected woman who became the symbol of the trials' injustice.
Ann was among the first to denounce this church member, a key moment showing that even the pious could be targeted.
Her testimony contributed to the case against a former Salem minister, hanged in August 1692—an extraordinary event for a man of the church.
Ann is credited with accusations against some sixty people, making her the most prolific accuser of Salem.
A statement of repentance read aloud in church, unique among the accusers; a major document on memory and guilt in the aftermath of the trials.
Anecdotes
At just twelve years old, Ann Putnam Jr. was one of the most active accusers in Salem: she is credited with accusations against some sixty people. During the hearings, she would fall into convulsions and cry out that she was being pinched or bitten by invisible specters, right before the judges' eyes.
Ann accused Rebecca Nurse, a pious old woman of 71 who was highly respected in the village. Despite a petition signed by 39 neighbors in her favor, Rebecca was hanged on July 19, 1692 — a case that haunted people's memories for a long time.
Ann's grandfather and parents were at the heart of long-standing disputes over land and church matters in the village of Salem. Many historians believe that Ann's accusations often targeted families who were enemies of the Putnams, blending fear of the devil with neighborly grudges.
In 1706, now an adult and an orphan, Ann stood before the congregation of the Salem church while the minister read her apology aloud. She claimed she had been “an instrument” deceived by Satan, with no personal hatred toward her victims — she is the only known accuser to have offered such a public apology.
Left alone at nineteen after the death of both her parents in 1699, Ann raised her nine younger brothers and sisters. She never married and died at just 36 years old, in 1716.
Primary Sources
The specter of Rebecca Nurse tormented me, pinching and pricking me, and urging me to sign her book.
I desire to be humbled before God... for having been, in 1692, an instrument for accusing several people of a grievous crime, whereby their lives were taken from them, when, as I now have reason to believe, they were innocent.
Ann Putnam Jr. declared that she saw the apparition of the prisoner afflicting her, and at once fell into a fit before the court.
Several of the afflicted girls were agitated by strange movements, which the bystanders could not understand.
Key Places
Farming hamlet where the Putnam family lived and where the accusations began. Ann was born, lived, and died here.
The minister's house where the first fits broke out in his daughter and niece. The starting point of the 1692 panic.
Puritan meeting house that also served as a courtroom for the first examinations of the accused. Ann gave many of her testimonies here.
Judicial center where the Court of Oyer and Terminer sat and sentenced the accused to death.
Hill where nineteen people were hanged in 1692, including Rebecca Nurse, who was accused by Ann.
Typical Objects
At the heart of every Puritan household, the Bible was used for daily prayer and the religious education of children. It was read aloud morning and evening.
An imaginary register that witches were supposed to sign in order to pledge themselves to Satan. Ann claimed that the specters were pressuring her to put her mark on it.
A cake made of rye flour and the urine of the afflicted girls, fed to a dog to unmask the witch responsible. It was prepared in Salem at the very start of the affair.
Plain garments required by Puritan modesty: a white cap covering the hair and an apron over a dull-colored dress. Ann wore them like all the girls in the village.
Everyday tools for the girls, but also “evidence” brandished in court: the accusers claimed to be pierced by invisible pins sent by the witches.
Spinning wool and flax kept women and girls busy for long hours. It was one of the major household tasks in the Putnam home.
School Curriculum
Vocabulary & Tags
Key Vocabulary
Tags
Daily Life
Morning
Ann rose at dawn for family prayers and Bible reading led by her father. Then came the chores: lighting the fire, helping milk the cows, and preparing the morning porridge.
Afternoon
The afternoon was devoted to household work — spinning, sewing, caring for the younger children. Schooling remained mostly religious: learning the catechism and being able to read the Scriptures.
Evening
At dusk the family gathered for the meal, followed by another Bible reading and prayers. They went to bed early, by the light of a candle or a grease lamp.
Food
The diet relied on corn and rye bread, porridge, vegetable stews (squash, beans, turnips), salt pork, and fish. Cider and small beer replaced water, which was considered unsafe.
Clothing
Ann wore a plain-colored wool or linen dress, a white cap covering her hair, an apron, and a kerchief. Puritan modesty forbade ornaments and bright colors.
Housing
The Putnam family lived on a one- or two-room timber farmhouse dominated by a large central chimney. The windows were small, the floor was packed earth or planks, and the loft served as sleeping quarters for the children.
Historical Timeline
Period Vocabulary
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Dépositions contre Rebecca Nurse
1692
Accusations contre Martha Corey
1692
Accusations contre le pasteur George Burroughs
1692
Ensemble de ses témoignages spectraux
1692
Excuses publiques de 1706
1706
