The Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Colony: Salem Witch Trials Daily for January 12, 2026

Today's episode of Salem Witch Trials Daily focuses on the charter which allowed the Colony of Massachusetts Bay to govern itself without too much intervention from the king of England. Why was this charter revoked? What had the colonists down to provoke the king's anger?

Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805

Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619

Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329

Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905

The Charter of Massachusetts Bay : 1629: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/mass03.asp

The Charter of Massachusetts Bay - 1691: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/mass07.asp

Massachusetts Body of Liberties

Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/

Week 1 Course Work: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily-course-week-1-setting-the-stage-for-salem/

The Thing About Salem: https://aboutsalem.com

The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com

People Accused of Witchcraft in 1692: http://www.17thc.us/primarysources/accused.php